Heavy metal as art print

"Exilia"

My friend David invited me along to accompany him taking photos of the Italian heavy metal band Exilia at the O2 Academy in London's Islington....

I did some shots backstage before the gig; there I had plenty of time, but when they hit the stage I had three songs to get something decent before being ushered away from the pit with other photographers. It is the first and only time I have been in a pit having to deal with a time limit and tripping over other photographers. The lights were changing all the time but fortunately, everything came together at this moment. Their singer Masha arched her head back into the orange halo. The drummer was caught in another light and the angles were right.

I finished up loving the energy and the composition just seems to work - a print is on the wall at home so that makes this an unlikely piece of art.

For a better view: Exilia live at the O2 Academy

I rejected the lens, but kept the print

"Telegraph to Rye Harbour"

Having scanned the negative, I found myself being drawn to the other-worldly image I saw on screen: the huge windfarm of Little Cheyne Court seen tiny in the distance and the plume from the jet dissecting the sky, another reminder of the modern age. When I made a print, returning it to its analog roots, I liked it even more.

This is a black and white A3 proof print from a digital conversion of an photo captured last October on colour film, Kodak Ektar 100 in a very nice Pentax ME camera equipped with a relatively modern Pentax lens which had sharpness issues. I sent the lens back to the supplier but I have a few photos to remind me that some images just do not need to be super sharp.

For a better view see my photos on film portfolio

2014: music and events // A personal selection

These are actually the ones that miss out from the other posts, mostly because they do not fit, but are among my favourites from the year. They very broadly come under 'events': most are music related, and some are there because this was a performance that I really enjoyed rather than it being a particularly interesting image.

Hyprotized at The Green Door Store, Brighton

The open day at the Moulsecoomb Forest Garden, Brighton

Latitude Festival Sun

Temples at Latitude Festival

Anna Calvi at Latitude Festival

The Radio 6 stage at Latitude Festival

Cate le Bon at Latitude Festival

Future Islands at Latitude Festival

Julia Holter at Latitude Festival

Wedding of my niece, Kelly

Kelly being held back by Jenna

Kelly & Jenna's mum, Debbie

Gulp at Sticky Mike's, Brighton

Bad Breeding at Audio, Brighton

Savages at Concorde 2, Brighton

The blessing at the opening of The Bevendean Pub

More Brighton music photography

2014: Street Photography // A personal selection

2014: Street Photos // personal selection // digital - film // colour - monochrome // Vintage Boot Sale on the South Bank - Bruges - Camden Town - South Bank - Newcastle - London Rain - Shoreditch - Oxford Street - Bristol - Knightsbridge - Winter Wonderland - Croydon

Royal Festival Hall - Festival of Love

Cool young things under the Tyne Bridge, Newcastle

Taking refuge from the onslaught of London rain

Most are, or will soon finish up, in my street photography gallery, where you might be able to find out a bit more about them than I give away here.

2014: Landscapes - Cityscapes // personal selection

2014: Landscapes - Cityscapes // personal selection // Rye Harbour - Fort William - Brighton - South Downs - Newcastle & Gateshead - Perthshire - Glencoe - Argyll - Fort William - Arran - Sunart // colour - monochrome // film - digital // 

 
 Most are, or will finish up in, my monochrome UK photo gallery. A task for 2015 is to find a proper place for the colour images!