And now the crowd is chanting for you to kill the guy? And you tell the guy to go over to your computer
that’s sitting on the table RIGHT THERE, running a folder of work that you’ve shot over the years without
flash, and he just makes a face and walks away like a bitch--cuz he knows he’s been punked! What do I
do THEN, Jonezy? HOW do I deal with THAT? Whew--sorry I got worked up there.
Now, if the above scenario had “really” happened, then you try to conduct yourself like a pro and know
that this guy’s flash work will come out in the next issue of the local rag that he works for and will look
like shit. In the meantime, your video has been ruined. So hey…break down your video gear and take
some photos instead. That’s what I did when the above scenario happened to me. In the same low light
conditions, I (along with a few other photographers that were there, who aren’t considering themselves
“pros”), managed to get some awesome shots without using flash. Which by the way, if you ever get to
do a national show, and work in a photo pit…flash ain’t happenin’. It will NOT be allowed, so get used
to it in the clubs.
So, I’ve got the gear broken down and I’m ready to shoot photos of the headliner of “Metal Meltdown
2014’s” first night, CAUSE OF AFFLICTION. Cause of Affliction hails from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania,
and have a very aggressive Metal sound. The singer, GARY EDRINGTON’S vocals cut through you like
a knife and he can melt your face off with his growls. Lead guitarist, BILLY TOBIN, cofounder of the
group, shreds like there’s no tomorrow. The riffs he comes up with are brutally catchy and are the
foundation of their mash-up of sound styles ranging from bluesy to thrashy to funk and even hardcore.
The band’s co-founder, MATT VAN FLEET, lays down the bottom end with solid and aggressive bass
playing that needs to be seen. Matt is the consummate showman. He doesn’t stop moving from the
moment the show starts until he’s asleep for the night--which hasn’t been proved he even does. His
energy is palpable onstage, and just draws the crowd in. Actually, many times a set, it’s HE that joins
the crowd, playing from inside the pit at times. Rounding out this foursome, is the drummer, AMANDA
TOUCH. When you see her, while she doesn’t look dainty, you still wouldn’t expect the POWER she
unleashes behind that kit. I’ve shot her at close range and that double bass sets my heart out of its
correct beat with the thunder she’s bringing. I’ll have a more in-depth, informative article about Cause
of Affliction in a future issue of ION Indie Magazine, but for now, we’re gonna continue with how to
photograph a band in low-light correctly, WITHOUT FLASH!
So let’s get technical a bit. I know it’s low-light and I want to get great shots that freeze the action. I’m
not a fan of motion blur in band photography, so that means I need a fast exposure, and since I’m not
going to be using flash, that means I need a fast LENS. I have good quality lenses, and my go-to lens in
this situation is my 50mm. 1.4. It’s ridiculously fast and gives you that ability to get those tack-sharp
shots without motion blur, that some “pros” say isn’t possible. In a future column of “Stay Focused”,
we’ll get more in-depth about technique and cover more about the technical stuff and some of the
drawbacks to using a lens this fast. But for my debut column, I just wanted to touch base on the biggest
no-no in band photography--and that’s flash. If you’re starting out and don’t have the proper gear, and
if the band says it’s okay, then give it a shot and try not to flash them in the face. If you’ve been doing
it awhile and think you’re a pro, and can’t do it without flash…then consider another profession, cuz
you officially SUCK!
I’ll leave you with some shots of Cause of Affliction that I got in low-light conditions that supposedly I
couldn’t pull off. Anyone can do this--they just have to know what they’re doing. I will do all I can in this
column to get you to that point.