My Favorite Concert Shot From Last Weekend

I got out to see one of my favorite bands ever, The Woodshedders, last weekend. Here's my favorite shot from the show.

Dwayne Brooke of the Woodshedders, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 180mm f2.8 Lens

iso 250, f2.8, 1/250 sec.

 

I took this from backstage. I spot metered Dwayne's face, letting everything else go very dark. Dwayne's a very thoughtful, creative guy, and I think this picture represents him well.

 

I will likely share more from this show, and my pics are going to be featured on the concert blog Cosmic Vibes Live in the coming days.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

My Photos on the Music Blog, Cosmic Vibes Live - Larry Keel Experience

Larry Keel, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 85mm f1.8 AF-D Lens

iso 1600

 

I have collaborated with the live music blog Cosmic Vibes Live in the past, and continue to enjoy doing so. One of the recent shows I attended, the Larry Keel Experience at Gypsy Sally's in Washington, DC, was covered by Cosmic Vibes. While I don't mind writing up my own posts for them, this time I got to focus solely on the photography, which made it nice. Joe Cariola took care of the writing, and did a great job.

 

(Click Here) to read the post on Cosmic Vibes Live.

 

You can also (Click Here) to download a recording of the show by my friend, Bret Evans.

 

Oh, and to find out more about the Larry Keel Experience, (Click Here). Larry is an amazing guitarist, and surrounds himself with only the best musicians, including his wife Jenny Keel on the bass and Will Lee on guitar and banjo. If you get the chance to see them, take it.

 

PS - stay tuned for more Larry Keel pics. My two rolls of Delta 3200 arrived at The Darkroom today!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Live Music - My Report on The Infamous Stringdusters is Up!

I've been writing periodically for the live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live. Last week, they got me into a great show - The Infamous Stringdusters at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. My report is now up.

 

(Click Here) to read my show report on Cosmic Vibes Live.

 

The link above will let you read the musical aspects of the experience. I'll hit a few of the photographic aspects here.

Infamous Stringdusters, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 20mm f2.8 AF-D Lens

iso 1600, f2.8, 1/125 sec.

 

First, I usually rely on my Nikon DSLRs (D700 and D300) for indoor live music events. The high iso performance is unmatched by my other cameras.

 

Many concert photographers shoot with two or three zoom lenses. In the Nikon system, that's usually the 24-70mm, 70-200mm, and 12-24mm lenses, all fixed f2.8. I prefer to shoot Nikkor prime lenses. On this evening, I took a 20mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8 and 180mm f2.8. I understand the tradeoff between primes and zooms. Yes, I have to change lenses more frequently in a crowd than I'd like. However, the generally faster f-stops are worth it. They're also a lot lighter to carry. On the long end, my 180mm f2.8 Nikkor is one half the weight of a 70-200mm f2.8 zoom.

 

I used the 20mm f2.8 on my D700 a lot at this show. My strategy was to move right up to front row center at the set break. While I didn't get all the way to the barrier, I was only one row of people back. I did have to lift my camera above everyone's heads, but that worked. With the 20mm field of view, it was relatively easy to compose overhead, even without an articulating LCD screen. I rarely use LiveView on my D700, but it came in handy for this.

 

 

Infamous Stringdusters, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 20mm f2.8 AF-D Lens

iso 1600, f2.8, 1/125 sec.

 

The 20mm also worked well for shooting people in the audience close up, though there was a lot less light:

First Set List, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 20mm f2.8 AF-D Lens

iso 3200, f2.8, 1/30 sec.

I also shot a lot with the 85mm f1.8 on my D300. The APS-C sensor makes this roughly the equivalent of a very fast 135mm f1.8 lens. Occasionally, I used the other lenses, or even swapped the 20 and 85 between the two bodies to take advantage of the different field of view due to sensor size differences. The D700 is better at high iso than the D300, but both perform very well at iso 1600 or even 3200.

 

Jeremy Garrett of the Infamous Stringdusters, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 85mm f1.8 AF-D Lens

iso 1600, f2, 1/250 sec.

 

I have been having a lot of fun writing and shooting for Cosmic Vibes Live. I hope to keep this collaboration up for a very long time.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Interview With The Woodshedders and Review of Their New Album, Wildfire

 

The Woodshedders, by Reed A. George

 

I recently did an interview with The Woodshedders, to discuss their new album, Wildfire. The music is now available for download from Amazon. You can also buy the real CD there.

 

(Click Here) to read my review of the album and interview with the band on the great live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live.

 

See the link below to buy the album. This is great music, trust me.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Shenandoah Riverside Festival - My Photos and Writeup at Cosmic Vibes Live!

I recently wrote another piece for my favorite live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live.

 

(Click Here) to read it and see all of my pics at cosmicvibeslive.com.

 

I'll use my own blog here to share a little info about the photographic details.

 

First, I decided to take it easy at this show, and shoot what I felt like. That included a Leica IIIC with Summitar 5cm f2 (the lens I've picked to pair up with my M9 for the Whole Lotta Leica series this month). Here's a shot from that combination:

 

The Woodshedders, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIC, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Lens

 

I also shot my Skeletons From The Closet Camera for June, the Konica Auto S1.6, with color film:

 

Banana Express, by Reed A. George

Konica Auto S1.6

 

When nighttime came, I switched from the fun film cameras to the workhorse - Nikon D700.

 

The Hackensaw Boys, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 85mm f1.4 AF-D Lens

 

Like I mentioned above, click over to Cosmic Vibes Live to read the full story and see a lot more pics.

 

It was great fun shooting the Leica and Konica, especially wandering around backstage. The Nikon came through as always.

 

I am still really enjoying the combination of great live music and my photography hobby!

 

Happy Crowd, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AF-D Lens

 

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Live Music Coverage - Donna The Buffalo and Floodwood at the State Theater

On May 11, 2013, I got the opportunity to shoot photos of the band Donna The Buffalo for a local live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live.

 

Donna The Buffalo, by Reed A. George

Nikon D300, Nikkor AF-D 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 3200, f2.4, 1/90 sec

 

The show was at the State Theater in Falls Church, Virginia. This was the first coverage I've done for Cosmic Vibes Live where I didn't have to do the writing. While I enjoy writing, I found it really nice to be able to focus on the photography. The writing was done by Jim McWalters. Jim and I met at the State before the show so that Jim could interview bandmembers Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear on their tour bus.

 

Interview With Tara Nevins, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor AF-D 50mm f1.4 Lens

iso 2200, f2.4, 1/45 sec

 

(Click Here) to read Jim's show review on Cosmic Vibes Live. The interview will be covered in an upcoming piece.

 

The show opened with a brand new band, Floodwood. Including two members of the band Moe. (Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico), Floodwood has a distinctly different sound from Moe. This band has a lot of energy on stage, and the new sound is great.

 

Floodwood, by Reed A. George

Nikon D300, Nikkor 85mm f1.8 AF-D Lens

iso 3200, f2, 1/180 sec.

Floodwood, by Reed A. George

Nikon D300, Nikkor 85mm f1.8 AF-D Lens

iso 3200, f2, 1/125 sec.

Floodwood, by Reed A. George

Nikon D300, Nikkor 85mm f1.8 AF-D Lens

iso 3200, f2, 1/125 sec.

 

Here are a few more shots of Donna The Buffalo:

 

 

Donna The Buffalo, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor AF 180mm f2.8 Lens

iso 6400, f2.8, 1/125 sec

 

Tara Nevins, by Reed A. George

Nikon D300, Nikkor AF 180mm f2.8 Lens

iso 3200, f2.8, 1/125 sec

Tara Nevins, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor AF 180mm f2.8 Lens

iso 6400, f2.8, 1/125 sec

 

Donna The Buffalo has been around almost 25 years, starting up in 1989. They have a very rich, positive sound. In fact, they have a new album out, "Tonight, Tomorrow, and Yesterday." It's their tenth studio album, the first in five years. I got a copy before the release on the night of the show - it's really worth listening to! Give it a try.

A little on my photographic approach - I used Nikon DSLRs for this show. It was my first time at the State, and I was happy to have the high iso capability of the Nikons with me. The lighting there was a little low for such a large venue, and a little muddy. As you can see, I did need up to iso 6400 to make the shots. I've just started using a Nikon D300 as a second body; the D700 is my primary. While the D300 does a nice job, the high iso performance is noticeably more noisy than the full-frame D700. No surprise there. Also, while most concert photographers use the 70-200 f2.8 zoom, I have recently gotten a used 180mm f2.8 Nikkor AF lens. I LOVE IT! The 180 is half the weight of the 70-200, and yields excellent images in my opinion. I won't be going back to a zoom for the long end of my concert shooting anytime soon.

 

Overall, it was a great experience shooting this show. Thanks to Jeff and Jim at Cosmic Vibes Live for the opportunity!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Live Music Coverage - Justin Jones, Luke Brindley, and Bobby Thompson at Franklin Park Arts Center, Purcellville, VA

Bobby Thompson, Working Over the Gibson SG, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700

 

I recently got the chance to cover another local live music event for my favorite live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live. This one was a set of three DC area-based acts - Luke Brindley, The Bobby Thompson Project, and the headliner, Justin Jones. By the way, if you haven't heard Justin's newest album "Fading Light," do yourself the favor. It's available on iTunes.

 

(Click Here) to read my report on Cosmic Vibes Live.

 
 

Justin Jones, by Reed A. George
Nikon D700
 

I knew this show would have relatively low light levels, so I decided to shoot exclusively with my Nikon D700. In terms of lenses, I brought along my Nikkor 50mm f1.4, Nikkor 85mm f1.8, and newly-purchased (used) Nikkor 180mm f2.8 AF (non-D).

 

Since I also knew that through the gracious reception by producers Bill and Cheryl Bunce, I would get to go backstage at will, I also took my Nikkor 20mm f2.8 AF-D wide angle.

 

I'm still getting comfortable shooting backstage, which is a different experience with each and every band. These guys were all very welcoming, and had plenty of fun backstage.

 

Luke Brindley Warms Up Backstage, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700

Backstage Fun, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700
 

I'm loving the experience of shooting and writing for Cosmic Vibes. Be sure to check them out.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

My Report on Watermelon Park Festival 2012 Is Up On CosmicVibesLive.com

 

The Acoustic Burgoo Plays Watermelon Park, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Olympus 75mm f1.8 Lens

iso 800, f2.8, 1/100 sec

 
I recently attended my favoritie local music festival, Watermelon Park Fest. It was held in Berryville, Virginia, September 20-22. I wrote up a report for Cosmic Vibes Live, a Mid-Atlantic live music blog.
 
(Click Here) to read my report on cosmicvibeslive.com
 
I shot a few different cameras on this weekend. The bulk of my photos were taken with the Lumix G3. It was my first outing with my new Olympus 75mm f1.8 - I'm very impressed with that lens. It really rounds out my lens set for live performances. At f1.8, it's perfect in low light situations, and has just enough focal length to allow tight compositions from the audience. It produces beautiful colors, and is as sharp as can be.
 
I also shot with my new Leica M9, and an old M4-2 film body. Lots of fun.
 

Watermelon Park Morning, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summaron 3.5cm f3.5 (ca. 1937)

iso 200, f13, 1/350 sec

 

I've been writing for Cosmic Vibes for a little while now, and thoroughly enjoy the experience. It's a nice combination of three of my hobbies - live music, photography, and writing. And Jeff Socha, who runs the blog, is a super nice guy. In fact, I've got two more reports in process for them now.
 
Make sure you check out cosmicvibeslive.com
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

My Report on Floyd Fest Featured on Cosmic Vibes Live Music Blog

 
 

 

The Crane and the Kids, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumx 12-35mm f2.8 at 12mm

iso 400, f5.6, 1/125 sec

 
I love music festivals. I recently attended Floyd Fest in Southern Virginia. I wrote up a report for the music blog Cosmic Vibes Live.
 
(Click Here) to see my report on Cosmic Vibes Live.
 
(Click Here) to see my picture gallery on Cosmic Vibes Live.
 
I really enjoy photographing and writing together. My music project has afforded the opportunity to work with the great guys at Cosmic Vibes Live. It's a no-stress affair, with both sides appreciating what the other brings. I look forward to doing more and better reports for them in the future.
 
This was my first (and last) outing with the Lumix 12-35mm f2.8. I think it did a nice job. I just prefer shooting with primes.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Check It Out - My Music Festival Report on Cosmic Vibes Live!

 

Cozy Camper at Shenandoah Riverside Festival, by Reed A. George

Panasonic DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 400, f1.8, 1/1250 sec

 
Last weekend, I attended the Shenandoah Riverside Festival in Berryville, VA, hosted by Earth Korps, an environmental preservation organization.
 
(Click Here) to go to Earth Korps' web page. They do a lot to clean up the river.
 
I was pleased to have the opportunity to write up a review of the weekend for the great live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live.
 
(Click Here) to read my report on Cosmic Vibes Live.
 
I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and shot a lot of images. In general, I used my Lumix kit during the daylight hours, my Nikon D700 at night. I also shot some film while I was there. I also used fill flash quite a lot, especially the Nissin Di466 on my DMC-G3. I used it in manual mode, which worked well to fill in the shadow under the stage roof, which was considerable in the strong sunny light.
 
(Click Here) to see all of the images I've posted so far.
 
I hope my relationship with Cosmic Vibes Live is a long one. It seems like it's great opportunity for me to practice my writing and photography while adding to their already really informative site.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com