May Recap
May was the first month that I've ever tried living off my photography and videography work. Maybe "living off" isn't the best phrase. Doing it full time? Either way. This month I shot a lot of new things, and just a lot in general.
There were the usual band shoots around Windsor and Detroit that were fun, like Green Jelly and Meghann Wright, but I also got involved helping out with a few weddings, got some great shots at a sporting event, did a baby shower for the first time, and still found time for random shots of things that I like (such as the dog).
Here are a few of my favourite shots from May, 2016.
Green Jelly @ The Dominion House - May 7
Shooting bands with flash is never my favourite thing. It's distracting for the audience as well as the musicians, and I find that the light being so even and bright kind of kills the vibe of what the show was. However, I couldn't not shoot this band again, and their fast-flowing antics require more light to capture than The DH provides. I think I still managed to capture a few that worked out well, but I know for sure that my flash game needs work.
Trevor Sunbathing May - 16
Dogs, babies, food, the Detroit skyline... All overshot subjects, and all things I've captured at least twice.
But he's so cute!
Meghann Wright and The Sure Thing at The Majestic Cafe - May 18
This was another super dark show, but the intimacy of the whole thing kept me from pulling out the flash. So I did what I could with some very warm, extremely directional stage lighting. A whole different kind of challenge. The ISO was way up there and the shutter was as low as I could reasonably make it, leading to some grainy, and at times slightly motion blurred photos. And yet, I feel like they do a good job conveying the feel of that particular show.
Monster Truck and Red Stone Souls at The Shelter - May 21
Stoner rock is a thing that I dig, and I'm not afraid to admit it. This was a sweet show that I was able to shoot for CJAM 99.1 FM, and I was super happy to attend. But it was loud as fuck, and I'm glad I brought my earplugs.
Mostly this was a great shoot. Only issue was not making it look like two bands made up entirely of Cousin Itt.
Sarah Morris Headshots - May 26
Sarah Mo is a wonderful lady who requested some brick wall headshots. Ew, is what I told her.
And yet, I'm here to deliver, so brick wall headshots she got. There were others as well, but I have to begrudgingly admit that the wall in particular made for some of my favourites.
Empire Muscle Strongman Competition - May 28
This was a hot day. Like the kind where you sit in a kiddy pool with a beer and the sprinkler hitting you in the face. But instead, these crazy (dedicated?) folks were out pushing, pulling, carrying, and lifting some wicked heavy weights around the Empire Muscle parking lot.
At first I wasn't prepared for the speeds these guys would manage, given the weights they were dealing with, but it was an impressive bunch.
A fun-filled day of rippling muscles and goofy faces. Love it.
Mental Health Week
Technically this video was shot late April, but as it was released in May I'm going to count it.
This was a very cool video to make, and I'm happy with how it came out. Tyler was exceptionally open about the topic, and made some excellent points about how working out can help with mental health. I might be biased here, but I recommend giving it a watch.
