1. Ask for better lighting on stage – The key to good photography is good lighting. My take, don’t be afraid to ask. Most lighting guys are more than happy to cooperate and make sure you get good images. Some important factors:
 
Intensity – Crank it up! Ask for brighter lights. Brighter lights allow the photographer to use a higher shutter speed and capture motion without blur.

Ask for the right color – Blue, green and orange are great for photographs, they allow the camera sensor to capture more detail and are sharper lights. Red is awful. Different photographers have different theories as to why, but red light produces slightly out-of-focus pictures with not much detail in the highlights

Position your lights correctly- a bit of a back light, coming from backstage, helps tremendously in making you pop from the background. It also gives you that dramatic “fringe” around the hair, clothing, etc.

2. Dress distinctively – Nothing worse than a great group on stage, sounding great, with obvious chemistry… then dressed in slacks and a shirt or something. The pictures will not do justice to the sound. If it is your look then it is your look, but, if not, consider dressing a bit more distinctively and with more character, the pictures will look way better. One of the great things about metal, rock and similar bands is their whole persona: they dress the part, act the part and live it up. That makes for some really dramatic shots.

3. Don’t move continuously -- I know… it’s hard but, if you stay in a position for a couple of seconds, it makes it much easier to focus and compose and the pictures look amazingly good afterwards. And, as long as we are talking about movement, don’t be afraid to be a bit dramatic on stage… just count to two.

4. Play to every side of the stage – there are photographers everywhere, make sure you give them the opportunity to get a good shot. And, while we are at it, don’t be afraid to look at the photographer and even interact with him or her, the pictures will be more emotional and memorable.

An interesting collection. Not all the pictures are good, but definitely brings back the old New York and shows the power of photography to really document our world. To see the gallery, click on the picture.

Click on the picture to see the article

Click on the picture to see the article

Click on the picture to see the article

While there is a place for retouching software, especially on volume photography business, many photographers can't seem to use common sense in applying it. The "fauxtographer" created a caricature of a woman, not a portrait of a person. This is horrible.

From the New York Times

Click on the image to see the article

Click on the image to see the article

DP Review - Published Oct 7, 2018 | Bryan Gaz

KeyPoint Intelligence — InfoTrends has released its 2018 US Digital Interchangeable Lens Camera (DILC) Market Study.

The study, which "started as a digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) market has now evolved into two segments: DSLR cameras and mirrorless cameras (MILCs)," says KeyPoint Intelligence — InfoTrends in its synopsis. Some of the data presented in the study seems obvious, while other tidbits stand out.

Starting off, the study revealed 72 percent of consumers looking to purchase a DILC in the next year currently don't own one. The study says most of those potential first-time buyers are making the jump from smartphones and point-and-shoot cameras, with 33 percent of smartphone users and 42 percent of point-and-shoot users saying they're considering a mirrorless camera.

The study also discovered that 30 percent of all camera and/or smartphone owners planned on taking photography more seriously in the next five years. Of the 30 percent, 80 percent plan on labelling themselves as a hobbyist photographer or higher.

KeyPoint Intelligence — InfoTrends says the "study is designed to equip companies that are interested in the DILC market with critical business planning information." As such, the entire study is available for purchase, but it won't come cheap. The study costs $20,000 and includes a 158 slide PDF presentation, demographic and digital camera banners and tabulations, and Excel pivot tables.

A stark reminder of the power of photography. Thank you to my friend Pablo Delano for posting this in his Facebook page.