This is Angus and Julia Stone at The Great Escape festival.
Normally to take pictures of an established band or artist you need to go through a convoluted trail of publicists, managers, labels and assorted others. And if you’re not doing it for a publication of some sort then you’ll usually be out of luck.
In this case it was a simple case of getting a friend of mine who knows them to ask if i could take their photo, bypassing the usual rigmarole. They were happy to do so and i quickly snapped some pictures between their publicity commitments.
The following are some other acts i grabbed photos with at SXSW.
This is Yo Majesty from Florida, photographed out the back of a club they were performing at. I casually asked one of them if i could get a photo, she excitedly gathered the others to mug for the camera.
Badly Drawn Boy was having a pint by himself while another band played before his set. I politely asked if he minded having his photo taken, snapped 2 frames and let him get on with it.
Saul Williams was chatting with some people outside a venue. I politely interupted to ask for a photo and he happily obliged. I asked him to shuffle along a bit in order to get a better background, but all up it was done in 20 seconds. There’s another shot of him smiling here.
Each of these encounters were very brief. I made sure i was prepared (right lens, right camera settings, picture in my head of what i wanted) before approaching the person and did so in a friendly manner.
It goes to show that you don’t need to always go through the official channels for these things – just have the balls to approach people when the time is right. And of course be nice about it and respectful if they say no.
Go number 27….!!!!
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That first shot of the Stone’s is fantastic.
I am obssessed with your photos mate.
Very very cool.
nice!
I got a question for you at “Concert Photography Masterclass : Part 2”
i really like the second angus and julia stone pic but i’m a sucker for green fields and blue skies. the out-of-focus grass in front is a real nice touch as well.
saul is great – did you catch his set at sxsw?
Cheers folks.
Matt – i didn’t manage to see Saul Williams perform unfortunately. I did two years previously at SXSW. His intensity and passion are great.
Love those Angus & Julia Stone photos, just beautiful.
And the rest of the photos aren’t too shab either, really nice ‘candid’ publicity..
If you get a minute, check out the little band project I started, I’m With The Band.. Let me know what you think, where we can improve and that sort of thing..
Cheers
Matt
Dan, that first frame of Angus and Julia is amazing!
congrats, you must be pretty stoked with it. It looks like a studio shot.
did you use any flash or is it natural light?
great work mate.
Nic
Nic – thanks mate. All natural light. It’s my trusty 50mm 1.4 lens.
So who said no??
No one said no. But i would understand if they did and not pester them.
Wow. I really really really love your Angus and Julia Stone photos but then again all your photos are amazing. Great work. 🙂
Saw them tonight on ‘Live at the Basement’ ABC-TV 31 July 2008. This is prehistoric hippy lurv that made me cringe. I struggled hard to love them, but in the end had to switch channels because I couldn’t take any more. Angus should shuck the weird hat, get a haircut, and play and sing behind a curtain. Julia was a posturing, multi-fingered poseur. These days, we want more than three major chords and a drummer that can’t do fills.
There was so much potential unrealised. Instead it was an unparelleled embarrassment.