With that piece of administrative business out of the way, my advice for this installment kind of echoes the theme of the previous post, and that is just get out and shoot. I know I feel like there are so many barriers to getting out and making neat images but the truth is, the biggest barrier might just be behind the camera.
We all have friends that have interesting hobbies or jobs. Ask them to do a shoot and plan something. Sometimes if you are really lucky, you have friends that have really cool jobs. I am one of those people. I went to high school with a member of the band Ludo. If you haven't listened to them, I strongly urge you to check them out on Spotify or visit the Ludo website.
Anyway, a few years back I kept asking him when he would be back in town from touring and if they had anything going on. Finally it paid off, he said he was heading into a local studio to help another artist Hector Anchondo start recording his album. He asked if I would be interested in coming down to the studio for a couple hours and hanging out and getting some pictures. I jumped at the chance without even knowing anything else. So I spent several hours in the studio with the guys just soaking it all in.
Musicians are like photographers, they sat around and talked about their craft using lingo that only they understood and they could pick out chords and riffs after hearing a piece of music one time. The lighting in the studio and the control room were less than ideal and when I looked at the back of my camera, instead of lamenting the fact, it got the creative juices flowing. In the studio atmosphere and with the camera in my hand I suddenly felt like I was shooting for Rolling Stone or Billboard and was in the studio with U2 or The Rolling Stones. So I switched to black and white and just had fun with it. Is the lighting perfect? Not by a long shot, but to me I think the shots give kind of a cool glimpse into the afternoon.
We started shooting as guys were recording their own individual pieces for the track. As they got deeper and deeper into the track I had to leave the studio so that my shutter clicks wouldn't be picked up on the mics.
Musicians huh. Playing drums barefoot with a stuffed cow on his kit. Had to get a shot of this.
Once I moved into the control room, there were just too many knobs and buttons to comprehend what they did, but they looked cool. Don't know why this one reminds me of the opening of Star Wars. A long time ago in a studio far far away...
Once the guys all came into the control room to listen to the tracks, Hector sat down in this chair and just kept stroking his goatee and nodding in time to the music. I thought it just looked cool. In my mind I have a similar idea for the cover of an album. Who knows maybe they will call me!
Anyway, the moral or the story/post is that there are opportunities to shoot, you just have to take advantage of them and be creative. I struggle with this myself as I progress through my evolution as a photographer. But until you "make it" people aren't going to come knocking with photo jobs, so you have to make your own luck and give them reason to come knocking.
Enjoy and keep shooting!
How fun!
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