Every year around the first weekend in July, New MA puts on a unique music festival. It's unique for several reasons but most of all because ittakes place in Downtown New Bedford, and not in some remote rural location.Not only is the excellent Theatere at the Whaling Museum pressed into non-stop service but there are multiple stages set on parking lots and the middle of side streets. Lliterally hundreds of musicians from all parts of the world perform from Friday evening through to the Celtic Extravaganza bash on Sunday evening. All this for the miserly sum of just $15.
Every year it presents an opportunity to get up close and photograph up and coming and well established musicians in a relaxed and intimate environment.
Pete Kennedy of the Kennedy's shot in the indoor Whaling Museum Theater at ISO 2500 for 1/60 sec at f2.8. Canon 5d MkII and Canon 70-200mm IS Lens
But first there are a few unwritten rules to follow if you want to get some good shots.
1. Keep out of the way!
The festival has an official photographer, Denn Santoro, who rushes around making sure that he captures an image of every artist at every stage, which, considering there are six venues with multiple musicians on stage who change every hour, is an herculean task which Denn manages to pull off year after year. You can check out his images from the Summerfest at:
http://www.dennsantorophoto.com
When you are at a performance there are certain vantage points which will give you great shots of the musicians. Most good photographers recognize these straight away and head straight for them. Just watch photographers like Denn and the Newspaper guys, they do an intricate dance in which they each get their turn at the key spots. If you get in the way by hogging one of these spots you will quickly become unpopular and more than likely be asked to produce a "press pass" or some other credential giving you permission to be there. It's best to be gracious and keep a low profile so that no-one will question your presence. You have no deadlines or specific orders to fulfill, you are there for your own pleasure so give the working guys some space and respect and take a relaxed approach, you'll be surprised at the dividends which result.
2. NO FLASH!
Artists and audiences hate someone up close firing off a flash gun; it intrudes on the performance. Most artists accept that people in the audience will be firing off the occasional flash from a pocket camera and these are generally so weak that the light from them travels less than a few rows. They have no beneficial effect on the photograph and littleimpact on the performers, but if you fire your powerful speed-light from the front of the stage someone is going get pissed. It only took two flashes from someones's speed-light this weekend for the ever gracious and patient performer, Bob Franke to plead for the audience to "Be Gentle with your flash".
So although the lighting is often poor the rule is to leave your flash gun in the bag and crank up the ISO setting. At this year's festival I shot at just about every setting my camera could cope with, even resorting to IS0 12800 as the night drew in on the Custom House Stage.
Rebecca Lovell of the Lovell Sisters Band taken from 15 rows back in the audience with Canon 5d MK II and 70-200mm IS Lens at ISO 800 for 1/160 sec F2.8
The challenge is to get an ISO setting that will provide a fast shutter speed that will freeze enough of the movement.
3. Timing is everything
A couple of years ago I took an old Canon G-III QL rangefinder camera to the festival loaded with ISO 800 film. Even though I was shooting mainly digital at the time the pocket rangefinder had the advantage that it has an almost imperceptible shutter sound. I was able to photograph up close and intimate portraits during the playing without disturbing anyone. Each of my current crop of Canon digital SLRs however, has a very load clunk when the shutter is pressed. This makes the timing of the shots a critical issue. The very last thing an artist wants during a gentle and melodic piece is for you to become an ad hoc percussionist by inserting annoying camera clicks. If you are sitting in the audience shooting from your seat you will certainly annoy the people around you by firing off multiple shots during the performance. If you want to shoot during the performance my advice is to wait for the very loud bits and shoot sparingly.
Roy Bookbinder tells a story while waiting for the sound tech to do his stuff.
4. Wait for the intervals between songs
Let's face it, most people don't look good when they're singing. Their faces and mouths are usually distorted and they very often have a pained expression. Add to that the fact that they will usually have their visage partially hidden by a microphone and you will quickly begin to understand that while performance shots of instrumentalists look good, a good performance shot of someone singing is a different beast entirely.
If you want a great shot of a singer you are better advised to wait until there is a gap in the song and they come out from behind the mike. Or better still take the shot when they are between songs.
Blues-man Harry Manx enjoying a break between songs and responding to Bob Franke's parrot joke.
5. Get Up Close
All the shots above where taken from a seat in the audience using a 70-200mm Canon IS len on my trusty 5D MkII. If you follow the proper etiquette and don't get in the way you can usually get right up to the stage and get a few interesting shots from a different angle.
From Front to back, Stephen Fearing, Cliff Eberhardt, John Gorka, and Peter Mulvey.Taken from the side of the stage during the set "Man Smart: Songs from a man's point of view" ISO 400 f13 for 1/80 sec.
6. Use Depth of field for effect
If you do manage to get really up close you can use your mastery of depth of field to isolate particular elements or individuals in the shot
Cliff Eberhardt isolated in the shot by shooting at f2.8 for 1/800 sec at ISO 400.(Stephen Fearing in the foreground and John Gorka in the background)
7. Look for interesting Cameos and Candids.
During a festival like this there are always candid shots to be had and photographs of interactions between performers. Keep your eyes peeled!
Waltzing to the Lovell Sisters
Sharing a moment during the Celtic Extravaganza
8. Catch the Energy.
As the evening wears on and the light gets poorer you will have to resort to high ISO settings and accept the there will be noise and movement in the photographs you take. Never fear, late evening is usually when things start getting wild and energetic, you can get some shots of the performers letting it all out and having a great time.
The ladies of Gadelle and the Guys of The English Men get things going at the Celtic Extravaganza
Jessica Lovell of the Lovell Sisters Band hots it up!
All Photographs ©2009 Ian Murray. All rights reserved.
You can view more of Ian's Images from the festival in the New Bedford Summerfest Album which can be found to the right of this Blog.
Ian is a portrait and event photographer who has worked with musicians on publicity photographs and CD design. He also specializes in child and teen portraiture. He can be contacted at 781-340-0564 or by email at [email protected]
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