Americana Showcase (click for more photos)
Thursday evening, RCT had one of their live music events labelled Americana Showcase. These feature Brandon Sampson, a local singer-songwriter, who brings in other artists seemingly from all over the country. Lynne was up in the Twin Cities for the day, so I decided to head down to the theatre for some great music.
As I like to do, I brought along a camera. Now, I shoot tons of photos in the theatre under stage lighting, but I’m usually shooting staged shots with an empty house. I can move about freely, I can ask the actors to hold still, move closer (almost never ask them to move apart!), etc. Shooting a live event is different, especially when I’m not there as the event photographer. When I am the designated photographer, I feel justified in moving about. I try to be discrete, but still, I have a job to do.
As just an audience member, I really don’t want to be a distraction. Folks have paid to watch the musicians and listen to great music, not to watch me bandy about. I already feel a bit of a nuisance with the click-clack of the mirror and shutter. Lighting is harsh, generally lower than I’d like. In other words, it’s a bit of a challenge!
It was fun, though, trying to be somewhat discrete and working with some low shutter speeds to express the motion of hands on guitars or a banjo or fiddle. The music was fabulous and the audience appreciative. There is something about a small setting for live music. It’s a bit of a contrast with seeing Garth Brooks in the Target Center, or the Beach Boys at the state fair. Or Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in Vets Memorial in Columbus. Maybe I’m dating myself…
