Best-fucking-concert … *EVER*

So tonight I shot Wyclef and Shakira …

Two people who I didn’t really know or listen to … but now have so much fucking respect for and desire to get into their music.

I won’t type a diatibe about it right now, since it’s 1:25AM and I have to get up in six hours tomorrow for driving school.

But tomorrow after school I will tell you all about it.

Until then, I’ll leave you with this:

Sean-da Paul & Mimi

So last night I shot Sean and Mariah.

It was a fun night … kinda chaotic … but fun.

I really like some of Sean’s music … I think he’s got a really unique voice and just as unique a character.

Not too hot on Mariah though … she’s not bad, but she’s just “not my thing.”

It was the third “big” concert I’ve shot … first was Korn & Mudvayne and second was Depeche Mode.

Ya’ know … I’m so glad I decided that I wanna make photos in mid-March of 2006.

Yeah … I’m “new to the game” … but I’ve already done so much with my time. I don’t like waiting. And if I can do it … why the fuck should I, right?

So as I knew it, press was shooting from behind the mixer … bad news for me since I own an 18-200mm lens.

Called up my friend Tom since he’s got a shitload of photo-equipment and I borrowed a 70-300mm off of him … I took my 18-200mm just incase, though. Better safe than sorry.

And thank God I did.

Press could only shoot Mimi aka Mariah Carey from behind the mixer, but we were allowed to go in to the pit for Mr. Paul.

And by “we” I mean me, since I was the only photographer for Sean Paul.

Now imagine if I were shooting Sean from less than a foot away with a 70-300.

I wouldn’t have got one good fucking shot.

So again … THANK GOD that I took my 18-200.

Same shit as always … first three songs, no flash. What I didn’t expect was how fucking energetic Sean was.

Wow.

Dancing, air-humping (and lots of it), and running from one side of the stage to the next.

At least he made it a bit more challenging. 😉

He was probably tougher to shoot than Korn … and Korn moves a lot too.

I like this one, even if it’s not the “traditionally” best photo.

Another thing that surprised me aside from how energetic he was … was that he had a full band behind him.

Drums.

Guitars.

Bass.

Every-fucking-thing.

I thought it would be a DJ and him and some of his buddies.

… and some dancers as well.

Last night was filled with a lot of pleasant surprises.

So here are some of last night’s “traditionally” good photos.

Yeah, I can take those too. 😉

There’s the air-humping that I was talking about.

And … the dancing.

Not a bad dancer if I might add.

Here’s a nice little closeup for y’all:

I like this one for some reason.

This one looks like he’s saying “Okay, that’s enough.”

Obviously he wasn’t though.

This next one is probably my favorite photo of the night …

Again, not a “traditional” photo that would appear in a mag … but I like it.

I like the interaction in it …

And this next one is probably my best “traditionally” good photo of the night.

I really love it too … maybe my second favorite of the night:


So that was Sean-to-da Paul.

Very great singer and performer …

I can’t stop listening to “When You Gonna Give it Up to Me” or …”Give it All to Me” or whatever it’s called.

Great song.

So is “Like Glue” and he’s got many others.

Really became more of a fan of his after I shot him.

So after the first three songs, which went by much quicker than I had expected as well …

Kathy (my photo-guide) and I went back to the press table and instead of going to watch the rest of Sean’s show, I just stayed there and talked with her. It was very wicked and I’m glad I stayed!

I found out she lives across from my school.

“I live at Yonge & Eglinton”

“Really? That’s where I go to school.”

“Which school?”

“North Toronto”

“What street is that on?” [with a grin]

“Roehampton.”

[now with a bigger grin] “Oh my God, that’s my street!”

Small-fucking-world. 😉

The hour and some minutes of break passed by quickly and then the rest of the photographers showed up.

There was a really cool guy from CTV shooting video footage, as well as another very cool guy shooting for the Toronto Star, and Anita Zvonar from Chart Magazine.

We could only shoot the first two songs.

No flash (of course).

But the problem was it was from behind the mixer.

The guy from Toronto Star (sorry, I’m really bad with names) had a ginormous fucking lens.

Very cool guy too, we talked for a while as well.

Told me that you can sell your photo-pass on eBay and get CAD$50 for it.

He doesn’t do that though.

He likes keeping them.

So do I.

Much better than fucking CAD$50.

Anita, from Chart had a 70-105mm I think.

I was shooting with a 70-300.

But I also had my 18-200 in my bag so I told her if she wants she can use it.

She did, and made some good photos with it too!

Mimi didn’t come on for a while … but when she did the crowd fucking exploded.

She sold out the ACC … so fucking much infact that she’s coming back in about a week and a half again with Sean-to-da Paul to do another show.

I’m happy for them both.

I like this one of Mariah a lot.

Interesting with that guy on the light.

This next one is probably my favorite of the night from Mimi:

Twas a fun night.

Anita asked me if I would mind doing some assisting for her.

Of course I will.

Any-fucking-time.

I mean … I’ve been shooting since mid-March.

I’m “new” to this in a sence.

Even if I’ve shot some pretty cool people.

I’m so glad I got into photography.

One of the best decisions of my life.

Anyways, I hope you’re all doing well.

I hope someone finds joy in seeing these photos.

I sure did. 😉

Cheers.

UPDATE:

This has nothing to do with Sean-to-da Paul or Mimi, but a few minutes after I wrote this I saw a photo that I thought I’d share. Photo credit goes to my friend Megan.

Make of this what you will. Wish I knew who’s fucking idea it was to put that picture under that headline.

Ah well.

I thought it was funny … in a someone-is-so-fucking-stupid-it’s-scary kinda way.