by successfulbob | black & white, commercial photography, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, photography, photography education, success education
He was wailing on the guitar.
Strangely enough it was in front of the stucco wall in back of my house. Light reflected from the red rock gravel underfoot. I kept cheering him on and on!! A crowd of one exciting the performer in him until I knew we had the intense performance look we wanted for the back of his latest guitar CD cover…
Robin Miller with his new CD Electric Atmosphere a collection of guitar music. He signed the insert with the same image, “Bob, Thank you for your awesome talent.” Robin Miller – Here’s a link to check out his music. Very cool!
But wait. This job was secured because I now have a camera that accompanies me almost all the time… I ran into Robin at work playing his music at Tlaquepaque Village (yeah it took me a long time to learn how to say that name too) In an offhand way he asked if I was available to create a musician portrait photo for his next CD. I quickly changed some settings on my Lumix GX7 camera… SQUARE CROP. ILLUSTRATIVE ART SETTING. ADJUST TO BLACK & WHITE. Fired off a few frames. Showed Robin the look I had in mind for him. A smile spread across his face from ear to ear and we agreed to shoot the final image back at my place. The rest as they say is history…
How many times have you been without a camera because it was too much of a PIA to carry around? Mine is my new constant companion because of the small size and quality of the file and glass… WAHOOOO!
Oh, and I just happened to have my camera with me to catch this shot of Robin with the finished CD…
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, photography, photography education
Photographing a musician in top form is a thrill. I photographed Link Linkin clarinet player, at Sound Bites Grill and worked up an image for the Sound Bites ‘Wall of Fame’. (see it here) Link saw it and asked to use it for his promotional materials on the web site and some 8×10′s. He asked for a few changes to make the image more generic and to clean up a couple distractions form the main subject. I was removing the SB logo and found it to be a little barren so after playing a bit I decided it would be cool to have Link’s name up in lights and he agreed. Small changes to a photograph in post production allow it to be used more effectively in promoting for different purposes.
I used the Lumix GX7 to make the photo. I gotta tell you that the extra dynamic range is really helpful when photographing live entertainment under LED lights… Especially when your entertainer is wearing a white jacket. The fact that you can fire off very fast bursts on the camera also allow the choice of very small changes that occur when a musician is in full movement to get the exact prime look at the right moment.
Here’s the final photo…
Clarinet player Link Linkin Live on stage photography & art treatment by Bob Coates Photography
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, photography
Had a great time listening to and photographing ‘Link’ Linkin the swingin’ clarinet player. He put on a great show. Entertaining, fun and a wonderful musician. I was amazed at some of the notes he was able to play and hold. A real treat! It was part of Sound Bites Grill Show Lounge Series where you can have dinner and a show experience.
‘Link’ Linkin wailin’ away at the Sound Bites Grill in Sedona, Arizona
Link’s image was captured with the Panasonic Lumix GX7. A camera that I am really enjoying. It’s making photography fun again!
by successfulbob | black & white, Lumix GX7, musician photography, photography
While at La Posada in Winslow I spent a little time at this beautiful little bar with a wonderful bartender named Meaghan. She has a very pleasant and friendly personality and when she showed up with her hair looking a little like a flapper from the 20’s I asked if we could make some photos. With a big smile she said, “Sure!” Here’s one from the series that I’ll probably work into a motion image…. Cheers!
Meaghan, bartender at La Posada resort in Winslow, Arizona
Meanwhile i received a great surprise in another area just off the lobby I found Khent Anantakai playing his guitar. Khent is self taught in the classical style and the music he was playing was fantastic. The sound echoing off the old architecture of the building was exquisite. He said his web site is down at the moment. As soon as it is running again I’ll put a link to his work.
Photos of Khent Anantakai – Navajo classical guitartist.
All three of these photos were made with the Lumix GX7 in Impressive Art mode turned to black and white in camera. I think the high contrast look works with the timeless subjects I was photographing.
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, photography
“Standin’ on a Corner in Winslow Arizona, Such a fine sight to see…” Sorry, getting lost in the moment.
Staying at a beautiful property being restored to it’s former glory, La Posada Resort in Winslow, AZ. Very inspiring.
As I rest and listen to the grandfather clock chiming the time off in the distance I thought I would explore my vision of a stylized black and white in a square crop format. The the Lumix GX7 allows me to set everything in camera and see the finished image as it is captured. A square crop. The Black & white with my dialed-in style immediately, all very cool. NOTE: If you want this to be what actually see when you open up your images in your software make sure you shoot in jpeg! If you shot in RAW – as you download the images into your viewing software you will get a glimpse of your image as the camera settings said it should be but then that disappears and all the information that was presented to the camera will appear. Good-bye square crop, good-bye BW style etc… If you wish to be able to access the RAW info you can capture both at the same time. (another nice feature)
Front Porch at La Posada, Winslow, AZ facing the Railroad Tracks
Khent Anantakai classical guitarist plays at the Resort nightly. (wonderful self-taught artist)
Khent Anantakai Guitarist
Illustrative Photo Coffee & Grand Marnier
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, photography
Guitarist JJ Sansavarino likes to bring guests along to his gigs at Sound Bites Grill in Sedona, Arizona and last Friday night it was New York singer Vivian Sessoms. She has a silky voice and you can tell she’s been at it a while as proven when I went to take a peek at her bio from her web site.
“Born and raised in Harlem, Vivian, whose mother was a session/jingle-singer, and whose father was a flautist/percussionist (who’s played with the likes of James Brown), learned the wonder of music at a young age. Surrounded by nightclubs, churches and regular jam sessions at her family’s home, she was already singing by the time she could talk. “Growing up, there was always music to express the way I was feeling. I was so immersed in it, that I kind of viewed music as a kind of backdrop to my life,” she recalls.”
Original photo was captured with the Panasonic Lumix GX7. The density range available on this camera’s chip is really helpful for working in harsh LED stage lighting conditions and still being able to pull detail out of the shadows. The fact that it is a very low profile size allows me to capture the action without disturbing the guests during the performance. Very cool!
The image was imported into Photoshop where Vivian was extracted from the photo and put on her own layer. Then a drop shadow was added to give the image some depth. Then a Inner Glow was added to give her some separation using Layer FX. Multiple textures and blend modes were used to add the artistic treatment to the image.
Here’s the finished art photograph for the ‘Wall of Fame’…
Vivian Sessoms – New York singer at Sound Bites Grill in Sedona, Arizona
