I was delighted when Saxon drummer Nigel Glocker invited me backstage to capture him at work during Saxon's gig at the Koko theatre in Camden, London, last night.
Drummers rarely get their fair share of photos, hidden behind all that kit. I had a virtual free-hand to photograph him on stage and was able to get in really close, in some shots, physically shooting through the gaps in his massive twin-bass Duallist drum kit.
I love to work in black and white, and many of the photos below have been deliberately treated to a grainy monochrome finish. It reminds me of those wonderful days (that seem so long ago) when I shot exclusively in black and white 35mm film (Ilford HP5) which I would process and print at home in my darkroom. It was possible to force the film to work beyond its ISO 400 specification, pushing it to ISO 800 and even higher. The end resuilt was often rich in atmospheric grain.
I hope I have been able to use the grain in some of these images effectively.
I have also recently started to crop a lot of my photographs to the same aspect ratio as widescreen cinema. I love the cinematic effect, and if you click on the images you'll open up larger versions which should fill most computer screens.
Half way through the gig, I left the stage and got some shots from the audience area, and not just of the band. One of my personal favourites is the image of the beer glass being held aloft by a cheering fan.
Equipment used
Cameras: Canon 1D MkIV, Canon 5D MkII
Lenses: (all Canon) 70-200mm f2.8 IS II L, 85mm f1.2 L, 24mm f1.4 L.
Everything shot in manual, ISO 800, 1600 & 3200. Processed in Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS5.
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