(English version at the bottom of the page)
Je ne sais pas si c’est le froid, la saison, mais je manque cruellement d’inspiration en ce moment dans la rue. Sûrement un peu de tout ça. D’ailleurs c’est pour cette raison que j’ai encore décidé de faire un break et de me tenir éloigné des réseaux sociaux. Je n’arrive pas à sortir quelque chose de correct et mes yeux ne voient pas grand chose dans la rue. Je ne suis pas encore à blâmer Facebook ou Instagram. C’est juste que dans ces moments là, je n’ai pas envie de voir les photos des autres. Ça me déprime encore plus …
Hier soir, j’avais décidé de m’aérer la tête avec un concert d’un groupe que j’apprécie tout particulièrement : Nada Surf. Ce groupe, je le suis depuis plus de 20 ans. A l’époque j’étais encore étudiant et je les avais découvert avec leur tube “Popular“. D’ailleurs pour parler de cette chanson, je crois que c’est avec “Creep” de Radiohead, les plus gros malentendus de l’histoire du Rock (plutôt Pop-Rock d’ailleurs…). Nada Surf comme Radiohead, ont été vite catalogué après ces tubes. Ils ne s’attendaient pas à un tel succès et beaucoup de gens ont attendu (en vain) qu’ils reproduisent les mêmes tubes avec la même recette. Il n’en a été rien. Ils ont tracé leur route faisant fis du succès facile. Ceux sont aussi deux groupes qui se sont bonifiés d’albums en albums.
Hier soir, j’étais donc en compagnie d’un couple d’amis pour assister à leur concert dans cette petite salle de Six-fours sur la côte varoise. Je n’avais encore jamais eu l’occasion d’assister à un de leurs concerts. Ils font partie de ces artistes que j’avais sur une liste. L’occasion était belle, c’est la tournée des 15 ans de leur album “Let Go” qui a reçu à l’époque un très bon accueil critique et public. Nous voilà donc embarqués pour près de 3 heures de concert. Au final ils auront joué l’intégralité de “Let Go” et ont ensuite enchaîné tubes sur tubes. Ce concert ne nous a pas rajeuni, il y avait pas mal de quadragénaires dans la salle, mais aussi des plus jeunes. D’ailleurs on a réalisé par la suite que Matthew Caw, le leader de Nada Surf a 51 ans ! Oui ça ne me rajeunit pas…
J’avais amené avec moi mon Ricoh GRD IV. J’ai un peu hésité car je n’avais pas envie de partir dans un trip photo au dépens du concert. J’étais tout d’abord là pour écouter de la musique. Mais au final, je l’ai quand même pris avec moi. Je savais que les conditions seraient compliquées avec très peu de lumière et que j’allais sûrement être toujours à la même place et pas forcément près de la scène. J’avais décidé d’essayer de capturer l’ambiance de la soirée. D’essayer de retranscrire au travers des images cette ambiance de concert que j’apprécie tout particulièrement. Au niveau des settings, j’ai oscillé entre ISO 800 et ISO 1600 à f1.9. La mesure d’exposition était lockée sur les hautes lumières. Après plusieurs tests, en gros il fallait que je sois à 1/100s f1,9 pour avoir quelque chose de correct.
Cette sortie m’a permis de tester à nouveau le Ricoh GRD IV en le poussant dans ses retranchements. Il y a beaucoup de contraintes à travailler avec un appareil photo aussi ancien, mais le résultat en vaut la peine. Je suis content car je suis parvenu à retranscrire l’ambiance de la soirée. Il fallait être à l’affût des gestuelles, de la lumière changeante et aussi être assez créatif car je n’ai pas bougé de la soirée. C’est un exercice de style très intéressant. J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir lors de ce concert. L’aspect photographique n’a pas pris le pas sur le plaisir et l’excitation du concert. C’était très rafraîchissant par rapport à la rue et ça m’a fait un bien fou.
Pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas Nada Surf, vous pouvez regarder sur ce lien YouTube, une de leur performance réalisée pour la radio KEXP.
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One evening at the gig …
I do not know if it’s the cold, the season, but I’m sorely lacking inspiration right now in the street. Surely a little bit of all that. Moreover, it is for this reason that I decided to make another break and stay away from social networks. I can not get anything right and my eyes do not see much in the street. I am not yet to blame Facebook or Instagram. It’s just that in those moments, I do not want to see the pictures of others. It depresses me even more …
Last night, I decided to clear my mind with a concert of a band that I particularly like : Nada Surf. I have been listenning to this band for more than 20 years. At the time I was still a student and I discovered them with their single “Popular“. Moreover to speak about this song, I think it is with “Creep” of Radiohead, the biggest misunderstandings of the history of Rock (rather Pop-Rock for that matter …). Nada Surf as Radiohead, were quickly cataloged after these hits. They did not expect such success and many people waited (in vain) for them to play the same hits with the same recipe. It was not so. They have charted their course making easy success. Those are also two bands who have improved albums after albums.
Last night, I was in the company of a couple of friends to attend their concert in this small concert hall in Six-fours on the Var coast. I had never had the opportunity to attend one of their gigs. They are one of those artists I had on a list. The occasion was perfect, it is the tour of 15 years anniversary of their album “Let Go” which received at the time a very good critical and public reception. Here we are embarked for nearly 3 hours of concert. In the end they played the entirety of “Let Go” and then chained tube hits. This concert did not rejuvenate us, there were quite a few in the 40’s in the room, but also some younger ones. Moreover it was later realized that Matthew Caw, the leader of Nada Surf is 51 years old ! Yes it does not rejuvenate me …
I brought my Ricoh GRD IV with me. I hesitated a bit because I did not want to go on a photo trip at the expense of the concert. I was there first to listen to music. But in the end, I still took it with me. I knew that the conditions would be complicated with very little light and that I would surely always be in the same place and not necessarily close to the stage. I decided to try to capture the mood of the evening. To try to transcribe through images this concert atmosphere that I particularly appreciate. Speaking of the settings, I oscillated between ISO 800 and ISO 1600 to f1.9. The exposure metering was locked in the highlights. After several tests, basically I had to be 1/100s f1.9 to have something correct.
This concert allowed me to test the Ricoh GRD IV again by pushing it to its limits. There are many constraints to work with such an old camera, but the result is worth it. I’m happy because I managed to transcribe the atmosphere of the evening. It was necessary to be on the lookout for gestures, the changing light and also to be rather creative because I did not move of the evening. It’s a very interesting style exercise. I had a lot of fun during this concert. The photographic aspect did not take precedence over the pleasure and excitement of the concert. It was very refreshing compared to the street and it was really cool.
For those who do not know Nada Surf, you can watch this YouTube link, one of their performance for KEXP Radio.
Bravo pour la performance. Ensuite, les hauts et les bad sont utiles, enfin, ils le sont pour moi. 🙂
Hello Elie ! Je pense aussi que ces hauts et ces bas sont la preuve qu’on progresse. Enfin je l’espère… Ces périodes affectent surtout ma vision de voir les choses. Je suis un peu plus négatif, mais de meilleurs jours suivront. Je continue néanmoins de battre le pavé même si je rentre souvent un peu frustré.
Okay, I’ve never heard of this band, not all bad news because I do know Radiohead!
A break now and again from Fb is good, I’ve never been on Instagram but it was described somewhere I read as visual diarrhoea, I suspect though that judgement is a bit harsh, sure to be some brilliant photographers on there, doesn’t help to view when you’re lacking inspiration. That said, what inspiration is lacking in this series of shots? Looks as though you’re on your game, I guarantee no one in that crowd would have even got close to this high standard. That “old” camera and you worked perfectly together…put the shots on Instagram and sure they be very “Popular”!
I don’t know what to think of Instagram. I share on this platform but not a big fan. You can’t view a photograph full size. Can you believe it ? It looks as if instagram was created for people in a hurry. You have the exact same type of groups on Instagram. You have the hashtag thing but basically it’s the same thing as Fb with less interaction. I have noticed that my pictures tend to be more liked (or praised or whatsoever :)) on instagram than Fb.
The gig was fun, and the proximity of people is what I like. Being melted to the crowd is what I like the most. I have to go down to Aix a few times this week (work and some things to deal with). The weather is supposed to be ok (except the freezing thing…). I’ll keep on clicking till the inspiration comes back. I’ll try to keep things simple and just try to have some fun !
As you saw John, I downloaded DisCuz on WordPress to have the notifications thing. Tell me if it does work !
Cheers !
I can’t say about Instagram, just something I read yesterday. I imagine tons of crap punctuated with the spot of genius, like most SM.
Anyway, superb presentation from you as always. Excellent images…don’t ever stop shooting.
No notification from your previous reply. I just pressed the “subscribe” button, we’ll see if that works, you’ll need to reply something to this and I’ll let you know. Btw, each time I comment there’s a “captcha” added that needs completing, I keep getting it wrong. It remembers name, email address etc though.
I had a look to the settings and changed the captcha thing… Don’t know if it’s ok now. May be I have to look for another plugin for the comments
“It looks as if instagram was created for people in a hurry”
Well, it reflects the time we live in. Maybe that is why I agree with you. I am not a big fan either, but still have an account. Instagram is shallow… But hey, the world is – mostly…
Instagram, sure is shallow. Some people prefer Insta to FB, they feel that their work is more visible judging by the number of likes. I’ve already noticed that as well. But does that mean that Insta is better for photography ? Not sure and anyway judging a photograph by the number of likes is absurd. I’ll say more in my next Blog
Yes, nothing better to go to a fantastic concert and bring your camera, especially if you lack inspiration in your street work. And you did well Jeff! Like it very much!.
What I love about music photography, is that you get a great photography scene, with happy people in a great mood. Its life when it is best you know 😉 And when you come home you can be lucky, that you have some great images home with you. And if you don’t, it doesn’t matter. You still had a great time. What is not to like… 🙂
Fisrt time for me with my camera in a concert ! Of course, I was way to far to the stage to have pictures of the band. But my idea was to capture the mood of this evening not to capture pics of the musicians. I had a great time, shooting and listenning. The problem is that I don’t go anymore to concerts. Less time, not aware of what is being played around my city… May be I’ll check to see if nothing interesting is coming soon 😉