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Atlanta based editorial photographer, Zack Arias. |
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Thu , June 12th, 2008
under Music Photography
I’ve been going through my archive of images that I have shot over the last five years and I’ve created an archive folder of concert images that I have shot. I don’t shoot a lot of concerts because A) there just ain’t no money in it and B) the dang “first three songs” rule. For those of you not familiar with this rule the first thing you need to know is that it sucks. At nearly all “major” concerts photographers are allowed to photograph the first two or three songs and then they are escorted out of the building or are allowed to hang out in the back of the venue but they can not take a single frame after the first three. Not even from the back. If you are caught taking any more pictures you are booted out. Like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club asks… “Whatever happend to my rock-n-roll?” So I shoot concerts under two conditions and two conditions only. #1 – I get full access for the whole set. #2 – I get full access for the whole set. I will only shoot a concert under the stupid three song rule IF I just absolutely love the band playing. Like….. The White Stripes.
Sometimes shooting concerts can be such a PITA that I’ve walked off the job or dropped bombs on the publicists. The two most noteworthy would be Kid Rock and Peter Frampton. They treat the media like absolute garbage. Garbage. I want to get out and shoot some more shows again. I haven’t done that in quite some time. I’ll just work the locals because I get access and they aren’t Peter Frampton. Here are some more images. Many incorporate off camera flash.
:: Someday New ::
Now, don’t give me ANY crap about my flash being ON camera! Do you see what I’m holding in my other hand? Priorities folks. Priorities. The thing you DON’T see is what Brandon is holding! Ha! JK. But this… This right here was a night to remember and tell my grandkids about. Can anyone who hasn’t heard me tell this story tell who this crazy eyed person is in this photo?
I was single handedly trying to bring some rock-n-roll back that night. I’ll tell the story later with some more incriminating pictures to go with it! Cheers, 15 Responses to “Live Music Portfolio (of sorts)”Leave a Reply |
Best line ever: “Danzig – Old but still trying to be evil!” Love the Killers, I’m jealous and these shots are fab Zack!
ive shot as bunch of shows and i agree… the 3 song rule does suck.
i shot Ozomatli here in Houston and they only allowed 1 Song! 1 Freaking Song! total waste, I will never shoot those guys again…
I shot Dave Matthews Band a couple of years ago and in the past for them it was 3 songs OR 10 minutes whichever came first. Well for this particular show they gave us a full 3 songs which had me out in the pit shooting for right at 30 minutes! i couldnt believe it. i kept looking back at the media handler and she was like “youre good, keep going…” Schweet~!
most of all of the cool stuff on stage happens well after the first 3 songs..
I know that it can’t possibly be Flava Flav…but that’s the first person it looked like to me…and as far as I know…Flava Flav has never rocked a day in his life.
I LOVE the Killers shot! I think the 3 song rule sucks! I can’t figure out the last photograph… Can’t wait to hear who it is.
Zack I love your stuff. I hope one day we can work together. Keep it up.
“ok, here’s your pass, you can only shoot first three songs, no flash”
Show starts and the lighting guy has everything backlit and red, dark red. if you squint you can just see a stray hair on the back of his head.
Funny thing is that no Tour Manager or publicist can explain the 3 song rule, it’s just that everyone else does it like that so they do too.
Hey Zack,
That shot of Jack White is stunning!
The guy in the photo is Kele Okereke, lead singer of the UK band Bloc Party.
I remember you telling the Kid Rock story at the workshop, but not the one dealing with the Bloc Party photo.
The first three song rule is insane. if you think about it, if that rule was in effect a long time ago when Hendrix smashed his guitar and lit it on fire we would never have that image. Since that happened at the end of his set, publicist should realize that their bands look the best at the end of their set not the beginning.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
The crazy eyed guy is none other than Bloc Party front man, Kele Okereke. I had him against the wall that night. I’ll post the photos soon.
Cheers,
Zack
I think the White Stripes and Avenge Vegas photos are incredible. Is the lighting all set up by the lighting guys or are you lighting the photo’s seperately? In the Clark Beasley photo you mention a Grid Spot. Do you have a studio strobe with you or is it a spot light for the concert? Thanks.
[...] Arias scheint ne coole Socke zu sein. Er hat sich ein wenig auf das Ablichten von Musikern spezialisiert, und hat ein eigenes Studio in Atlanta. Zack war in der Vergangheit finanziell [...]
Well, if it’s ever up to me and it’s a big tour like those, photographers will be able to shoot the whole stinkin’ show. Three songs is only a warm up! And when it comes to rock shows, you never know what’s going to happen or when
Besides, I’m way more confident on stage than just standing in front of a camera, as many artists are! So that 3 song rule is really silly.
What a Prima Donna.
Everyone else shoots 3 songs only, but you think you deserve access to the whole set and can use flash (to screw up everyone else’s shots)? Get over yourself. You’re not Ross Halfin.
You don’t like the policy, do what you’ve been doing and don’t shoot it. There are plenty of shooters out there that get perfectly fine shots in those conditions.
Hey Marco! Thanks for the comment.
Number one… Flash would not screw up other photographers shots unless we snapped the shutter at the same exact fraction of a second.
Number two… I’m not a prima donna. I said I don’t like the policy and that is why I choose not to accept live work.
There ARE plenty of shooters who get “perfectly fine” photos. But the apex of the moment of a show. The final blow out of the band… all those images are missed. No one is allowed to get those photos any longer. Well, very few are.
It’s effing rock and roll man. The foundations are built on bending perceptions and rules. There’s a healthy amount of giving the finger to the man. And yet, the man now fully owns the process.
Finally…. I want access to the whole set. Plain and simple. If I can’t get it and they aren’t a foundational band of my love for music, screw it. I don’t want the job.
Not only do I want full access to the show, I want it on the bus, backstage, in the diner, in the hotel lobby. I want full unfettered access. That would be fantastic!
Cheers,
Zack
I’ve been doing a few live music shoots lately and for the first time I’ve actually got a paying gig taking photos at one! It’s just some local artists… but I’ve been requested for before, during and after shots! I’m excited and nervous! Do you have any tips that you wish someone had told you when you were first starting out?
Also, I’ve been “marketing” this stuff by word of mouth mostly… and I was thinking about how I would go about doing it differently. What did you do to market band photography specifically? I’ve got a small little nut to invest and I want to do it right! =)
Thanks as always! =)