Expatriate press photos

Expatriate

Here’s some photos i took of Sydney band Expatriate the other week at The State Theatre. It was quite a thrill for me having been a fan for ages. Plus photographing in such a stunning venue and going
backstage was rather fun.

Expatriate

Expatriate were supporting Simple Minds and we had about 40 minutes to take some photos around the foyer before they had to soundcheck. The shots were all taken with my flash bounced off a wall or roof, no proper lighting set up.

After i wrapped up with Expatriate i hung around to watch them soundcheck and happened upon Tony Mott doing a photo shoot with Simple Minds. It kinda felt like a new guard/old guard moment. It was an education to watch him work, he’s very quick and has a disarming way with people. And surprise surprise, he brought out his fisheye lens.

Expatriate

I’m still not 100% confident taking posed shots like these. But each time i’ve done it i usually get something decent and learn a few tricks for next time. I can’t help but think i should’ve done better though. The band photo is such a tired genre, and i’m not exactly pushing the envelope with these shots. But i’m still learning.

To hear what Expatriate sound like check out their myspace or see the video to Killer Kat on youtube.

12 Comments

  1. Congrats Daniel. You should be proud of yourself. Taking shots of bands interacting with a crowd and each other is one thing, but shooting them straight up in front of you while they are there just for you is far more confronting.
    I think you did a good job and I especially like the first 2.
    If it were me, I’d know I’d want them to do this and that, but I wouldn’t have had the courage to ask, so be proud that you have taken that step!

  2. Thanks Amanda. I don’t find i have a problem asking people to do things, when you’re the one holding the camera it gives you a certain authority to direct, and people want to be told what to do. The hardest part i find is coming up with a good concept. And of course getting the lighting right.

  3. Don’t be so hard on yaself Dan. I love your pics! 4th pic down with the brightness behind is my fave. If the dude on the right stood over to the left a little and slightly covered the middle like the dude on the left….and if his head was straightened up a little too – PRESTO. *symmetry freak*. Can’t you alter that stuff with fancy software?? Damn, what a groovy moe!!

  4. Yeah Dan they’re freakin good pictures for some first efforts and just a camera flash as a light source.
    I have to agree, I don’t have an issue with confronting people but concept, pose and lighting are the trickiest elements for band photos. I took a few band photos and portraits last week without lights or reflectors and shadows became quite evident. There’s not a great deal you can do with PS if that happens.
    But I’m still learning myself and the more I do, the more confident I feel with everything.

  8. I really like the third photo down- that one stands out the most.
    Awesome work once again

  10. That first shot is so beautiful! And that’s definitely an excellent location to be shooting in. There’s something so hauntingly beautiful about it… and probably a few ghosts haunting it to! 😉

  11. The second one is great. The fourth is good, but would have been awesome with a little extra foreground light to get a tad more clarity of their facial features. Number 3 is a nice photo, but definitely looks posed.
    I think you’re very right that posed photos are a whole new ballgame, and it’s good you’re working out what works and what doesn’t. Your rock gig action shots are phenomenal because you’ve got it worked out – you use the right shutter and film speed to get crisp detail in a moving subject and you know what will work and not work under that kind of lighting – that’s obvious just by looking at your results. So do that with posed stuff. Play around in your own time, learn new things about lighting and how textures in a room or background change the results. Every photographer has a kind of photo they take best – if you want to expand the range of what you rock at, then experiment.
    Listen to me giving advice to the master, haha. I’m sure you’ll work it all out for yourself in a very short time period, expecially as you’re doing so much more of that kind of photography now.

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