Drawing the line in art.

Art is a form of expression, a means to extract emotions and find a voice amongst a crowd of passionate and soulless forms.

Soulless because the dreams they follow eat away at their hearts, yet the passion still burns within, a roaring flame that can never be extinguished except by death.

Grim as this may sound it is true of many artists in all mediums, The Poet, The Musician, The Sculptor, Painter,Photographer and the author all hold these traits in common it is what drives them much as any profession and it is within their creations that those who can not are fulfilled with joy and entertainment.

But where is the line to be drawn on what is distinguished as art, is Tracy Hemmings unmade bed as much art as say Van Gogh's Sunflowers or De Vinci's Mona Liza? can we caragorise them all as artists while including such innovations like Andy Warhol or even Banksy?

I will admit I used to have quite a closed mind when it came to art and my preferences leaned more toward classic art I like to see a clear representation of the subject, perhaps that is the Photographer in me, either way I found it difficult to appreciate other forms of expression especially in modern art.

One modern Artist with whom I found it most difficult to understand was the world renound (and local lad) Damien Hurst, when I first heard about him and saw some of his work my immediate reaction was "he is nothing more than a butcher, anyone could do that" and at the time I refused to think any other way ( I know I know I'm stubborn).

This was one artist who had caused many a night of heated discussion between myself and a good friend, now on the subject of my friend who is a very talented wood sculptor and is also a fantastic Photographer, our artistic tastes differ on many levels.

He appreciates a more raw style, something which pushes the boundaries beyond what others believe to be correct or in some cases morally right, and at one time I would disagree because I didn't understand that our ideals were both correct, Art has always pushed the boundaries, shocked and often appalled the public but it doesn't all have to be that way.

Which brings us back to Mr Damien Hurst, it wasn't until I saw an interview with him that I understood what he was doing and began to appreciate his work as art, he portrays death in his work, the cow and sheep cut in half, the diamond studded skull (for the love of god) are all representations of death and the complexity and sometimes beauty we often overlook.

Again though, where is the line drawn, another artist who's name I can not recall, sold a piece of work for a large sum of money, the piece? was simply a piece of crumpled paper with the names of several Greek gods written on it, is this art I ask? to me I think the line has to be drawn when the creativity isn't applied I don't believe it is for these "Art Critics" in the world of art to make judgement on what is considered art.

I do believe that a line must be drawn somewhere otherwise the value of art as a creative tool will decline even more than it already has, by all means push boundaries but keep within the one rule of art and that is creativity with imagination.

Is vinyl still desirable?

Many moons ago myself and a friend began a small vinyl search service for a few friends in a local pub, hunting down the records they either didn't have time to go find themselves or couldn't find.

We would search many places such as car boot sales, second hand markets and charity shops many of these places didn't really have a clue if something was worth Fifty pence or One hundred and Fifty Pounds so many bargains were found and profits made due to having access to resources for the price guides.

My own personal collection of vinyl was massing around three hundred LP's and 12" EP's and around six hundred  7" singles, many sought after by high paying collectors, along with my friends collection we amounted a stock of over Two Thousand LP's and so began a small market stall business, once a week we would brave the elements and stand at the stall dealing in our wares in the mid 1980's Vinyl was like gold dust.

Our venture didn't last long as we couldn't keep up with local competition but my love of vinyl lasted for many years from then on, unfortunately my whole collection was stolen in 1993 and I now only have a box of around 100 LP's and  a handful of singles non of which are worth anything to anyone, apart from one.

I was lucky enough to be the winner in a competiton on the official The Who website, my prize was a copy of a  limited edition (1000 copies only released) Live at leeds Ultimate box set which included a release of the original Live at Leeds on vinyl LP and summertime blues 7" vinyl single, an awsome prize for any Who fan, of which I am.


Since winning the box set I have put the box set up for sale yet havn't had much interest, the price I feel  is fair (£300 as the only other two copies available are in foreign countries and both are much higher price) and I would think that The Who and this particular release are a very sought after collectors item.

The lack of interest is what brings me to this blog, is vinyl still desirable in this technological age of MP3's ?

I know of some people who still collect, but I think that the desirability of a vinyl record is deteriorating, yes they are easily damaged and scratched (unless looked after properly) but what I loved most about vinyl other than the cover art, was holding that big piece of black plastic in your hands, watching the light reflecting in the grooves and that pop/click as the needle connected with the record.

There was something much more personal about a record, people took more care of them than they do compact discs for example, it was a proud thing to show off your record collection at one time now people look at you gone out, some don't even know what they are.

I hope there are still some who recognise the value of vinyl not just it's historical value but the knowledge it brought with it about the people involved in it's creation.

Shooting A Gig

                                                         Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010

As a music tog I have been told by many of my peers that gig photography is one of the most difficult styles of photography to achieve perfection in your results.

And through practice I can tell you that they certainly aren't telling porky pies, not only do you have the lighting (or lack of in some cases) to contend with you also have figures constantly moving on stage and a lot of the time fans bouncing around you at the front or complaining that you are blocking their girlfriends view ( unfortunately for them I am six foot four) and sometimes beer or other liquids thrown around in your general direction.

                                                          Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010


To work through these obstacles can take a lot of patience and a bit of pre-planning.

I like to arrive at a venue early this way I can scope the layout, often I like to get there for the sound and light check as this will tell me what kind of lighting I am up against for example LED's, Lasers or Strobes etc and often a chance to meet the band/s before the gig.

At this point you can also check out the stage where are the monitor speakers placed, the amps, the PA speakers?, mic stands etc which of the band members will be standing where, watch their sound check as this will usually reflect their stage performance.

Take a few practice shots whilst they are checking the lighting, DO NOT! I repeat, DO NOT! use flash many venues won't allow it and musicians dislike the use of flash as it can be off putting to their performance.

Remember you will be shooting in low light most of the time so set your camera accordingly, the settings I use for most venues with coloured LED lights are as follows:

Aperature: F5.6
ISO: 1600
Exposure around 1/8s
Turn white balance to florescent

These are not set in stone and it would pay off to experiment with each of the settings according to the venue you are in.

One of the most difficult parts of taking gig photographs is setting up your shots, often the performer is unpredictable... or so it seems to the novice, but beneath what may seem as an unprecedented urge for the singer to hang upside down from the stage scaffold, or the guitarist to wander off into the crowd or start playing his guitar backwards are usually moves stolen from other bands that came before them.

The classic Angus Young hop was devised by Chuck Berry twenty or thirty years before AC/DC for example, What I am about to suggest may seem unconnected to the world of photography but I believe that studying music videos and iconic music related photographs has helped me a great deal.

                                                                      The Vocalist:

                                                          Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010


Nearly always the vocalist is at the forefront of any band, usually the most flamboyant member of the band their confidence and ego can either glue a band together or drive them apart, take time to watch the band while you shoot them, the singers often show traits which they repeat this will help you determine when to take a shot for example: a singer may raise their hands and stretch out their neck for a high note, or lean into the camera the main job of the vocalist is to be seen and make sure they are seen, many times this person will be your main focus of attention.

The Rythm Guitarist:

                                                          Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010


The Rythm Guitarist is usually the quietest of the group and not always a part of a group as you do get some bands who get by without one, they generally stay in one place on the stage and to me are technically the easiest member of the band to shoot they often have a rapport with the lead guitarist and they can often been seen mimicking each other or making jokes.

                                                           Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010


                                                                                     The Lead Guitarist:

                                                           Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010


The Lead Guitarist is very much like the vocalist as in they tend to move around the stage a lot, energetic, egotistical at times, they too want to hog the lime light and are often the major talent/songwriters in the band.
They have a rapport with the Vocalist more often than not which extends beyond the band, a brotherhood perhaps, again they are known to repeat moves by other guitarists watch for when they execute them and shoot.

                                                                        The Drummer:

                                                               Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010


Without a doubt the most difficult member of a band to capture uless you use a decent VR Zoom lens, as they are nearly always stuffed away at the back of the stage getting a decent shot of a drummer can be the biggest challenge, I try to shoot between the foreground members or from the side of the stage. The Drummer is probably the least photographed member of the band also.


                                                                         The Bassist:

                                                            Photograph by Stageside Photography (c) 2010


Very much like the Rythm Guitarist, the Bassist is usually quite happy tucked away in a corner and is probably the easiest band member to capture in a shot as they don't move around as much (usually, there are exceptions).

By watching musicians perform as a photographer you can learn their traits, movements and habits even if I have seen a band for the first time, within the first two songs I can  usually establish when a member of the band is going to do something shot worthy, however the best advice I was given was keep shooting no matter what, take a thousand photographs if you have to, experiment with angles and settings.

The other obstacles I mentioned such as fans and complaints can be worked around with a little professionalism and politeness, ask people if they would mind moving aside while you take your shot, apologise for getting in someones way but explain politely that you are there  to do a job and that you will only  be in that spot momentarily.

One other obstacle I forgot to mention was other photographers and cameramen/women at one of the venues I shot in regularly they have two sometimes three cameramen operating video cameras for a live feed to the internet, I work very well with one of these if he sees me about to take a shot he will wait till I have taken it before getting his shot and I will do the same for him, we have a mutual respect for one another in front of the stage we respect the fact that both are there to do a job and as such we need to work together.

There are also the odd one or two cameramen who won't care if they get in your shot in these circumstances I find it easier to just move to another spot and continue from there.

below are a few examples of my Gig photography.

K.o.kaine

Little Vegas Lies

Quadraphonia

Street Photography

I thought it was about time I wrote something more about my photography, I have been using a little gadget on Google Chrome called "Stumble" now this little gadget lets you input all your interests then you click the "Stumble" button and hey presto it delivers content from websites it deems might interest you.


As you do, I spent several days just playing around with this little tool and I was intrigued and fascinated by some of the websites I was shown using it, none more so than those that featured Street Photography.


For those who aren't aware Street Photography is a completely legal form of art and although a little daunting for the first timer it can also be an exciting and rewarding venture, now most people don't like a camera being shoved in their face as they walk casually down the  street minding their own business, where as there are those who will ask out right if you will take a photo of them.


I'm the kind of Tog who doesn't like to intimidate people with the camera, as much as I am doing a job when I am taking photographs I know myself how intimidating it can be, now I am no expert when it comes to street photography I've been doing it for a few yrs without actually realizing it, but recently I have been trying out a few techniques which some may call sneaky shooting.


I have been described as a sniper with my camera before now, capturing shots of friends or musicians when they least expect it then disappearing  into the shadows so to speak, Blending in is always a good start if you look like an every day shopper many people don't even question or notice the camera in your hand.


I like to take short walks, shooting with my camera at intervals whenever I spot someone/something of interest, generally pointing the camera towards something other than the subject (if it is a person) then snapping them just as I turn the camera back, if they notice and challenge you as to why you are photographing them  I believe that giving them a smile and explaining why you took their photo works to diffuse these kind of situations.


Another technique is to sit around in busy places, cafe's, pedestrianized  shopping areas and shoot people as they pass by, they are usually too busy going about their own business to even notice you, discretion is the key here, place your camera on your knee, a table or a step for example and shoot whilst looking in an opposite direction.


I hope these few tips will help you achieve some fantastic shots, below are examples of my own street photography work.


                                           

 A flock of pigeons take flight behind an old cinema in Wakefield.

                                        An old man looks longingly out to sea in Withernsea.

Street performers juggling outside the Hepworth gallery in Wakefield.

Police bust a house growing Marijuana in Wakefield.

A drummer busking on upturned paint tubs in Leeds.

Wakefield Artist/Author Dave Dennison waiting for a bus.

Crossing the road in Leeds.

A busy market day in Otley.

Playing over sized chess in Leeds.

One man and his dog in Wakefield.

Old lady at the Victorian market in Wakefield.

In deep thought outside a cafe in Wakefield.

Contemplation at Wakefield park.

Lonesome veteran in Wakefield.

A busy day in Wakefield's Bull ring.

An Accordion busker in Wakefield.

 About to be nicked in Pontefract.

Beauty on the bus Wakefield.

Snoozing in Pontefract library.

Joking with the punters on Pontefract market.

Sharing a text on Ponterfract market.

 Gossip girls in Hebden Bridge.

Passing the pub in Haworth.

Sweet tooth's in Haworth.

Remembering in Wakefield.

On the buses in Wakefield.

Police escort in Wakefield.

Words Of An Author and Artistic Imagination

Sometimes you stare at a blank piece of paper or word processor screen, words swimming around like salmon leaping  for the summit of a waterfall.


The Darkness of your own thoughts shrouding you like shadows dancing a silhouetted waltz among trees in a blackened forest.


Then, you turn your mind to another time, another place, long forgotten heroes and monsters comforted in the notion that once there was chivalry and poetic hearts in man.


No longer a marionette imprisoned by a masters strings, freedom beckons its beautiful slender hand, calling softly, sweetly it screams angelically out for you to open your imagination and embrace the distinctive auditorium of awaiting memories and dreams.


Thus you are thrown,  cannoned into a world where only you decide who triumphs, a realm of your hearts desires.


Each page turned is a journey into the unknown, each phrase carefully selected to represent the characters, the environment and the chronicle laid out before you.


Deeper you excavate, acquiring knowledge and emotions you relate to situations reminiscent of your own existence until finally the creative volume is complete .






ARTISTIC IMAGINATION


The realm of the artistic imagination has always been the greatest form of escapism known to man, novels, movies, music and art, all forms of entertainment born from an artistic imagination but imagine a world where artistic expression is suppressed, all forms of entertainment taken and destroyed what would the morale of mankind be like without it?


 Would the Sistine chapel have the beautiful work of art painted by Michelangelo, Van Gogh may never have become famous for his paintings, Robert Burns would be just another boy from Alloway and William Shakespeare would never have written some of the worlds most renowned pieces of work known to man.


However as you all know the above famous artists and writers did provide the world with memorable works of art and literature and they are not alone.


Since the early dawn of time man has struggled to satisfy an urge, a desire, a feeling of frustration and fatigue, this feeling called boredom, and how does one satisfy this urge? , entertainment!


As long as there is a requirement for entertainment there will always be Artists, Writers, Musicians, poets, actors, film makers these people are the true knights of the modern world all may not hold all the qualities of knighthood and many would be considered less than wealthy or chivalrous however it is the portrayal of knightly truth, honour and love that these people provide that gives them the modestly earned title of entertainer.


Who will be the next man or woman to leave their artistic mark on the world? it could be someone who is already famous or perhaps someone who you pass on the street, never taking a second glance at them only to recognise them in the news the next day.


Too many times someone who could have provided the world with something beautiful has been ridiculed, beaten, broken, abused and tormented,some to the point of life extinction.


Take a long hard look around you, wherever you may be, take in your surroundings and think about who created those surroundings for you, it wasn't god or some divine being, the painting on the wall, the photograph on the mantel, the movie on the TV someone somewhere created those, they were born from imagination and art.


I hear a lot from today's youth that they are not allowed to use their imagination in school, their artistic expression is suppressed by grades and statistics they are forced to a curriculum that the government say will help them in the future, many are told by teachers that they will never be good enough and so grow to believe that they can do no better , many are ridiculed by peers for being different, yet it is those who are different that usually make they’re mark on this world, the geeky little boy with the milk bottle specs may turn out to be the next Einstein or the spotty faced girl with ginger pig tails and freckles may become the next Barbara Hepworth.


We can help keep the world beautiful with artistic expression and use of imagination, remember those fairy stories your grandma told you when you were small, repeat them to your children, let them believe in magic and dragons, elves and gnomes  after all your ancestors believed and belief will keep them alive in the imagination, encourage them in all aspects of artistic expression, if your child says " mum, dad I want to be the next big jazz trumpet player" buy them a trumpet and soundproof their bedroom, if they tell you they want to be just like tom cruise encourage them, talent is like a plant it needs feeding, nourishment,sunlight, oxygen to breathe, you are your child's artistic oxygen.


This isn't to say that you must force it upon them, as like the plant too much oxygen or  food and it will wither, introduce them to all aspects and they will choose their own path, remember each person has their own destiny, no other has the right to alter or attempt to alter another's destiny but a gentle nudge will not harm.


  

10 Tips to creating a band

1) image/gimmick. 


you and your music are a product therefore distribute yourselves as such, a product is enhanced only by it's packaging and promotion of the product, you need to think about all the great bands, they each had some kind of gimmick, weather it was the same haircut and suit, a hat, glasses, ripped t-shirt and safety pins or a giant inflateable pig, unless you are an exceptionally gifted band (which unfotunately are few and far between) you will need something to sell your music and create a fan base.


This isn't to say that your music alone can do that for you, but to enhance and to grow experimentation and imagination are the keys to success, experiment with different clothing, hairstyles, a mascot, create something which people will remember you by.


when you hear the name iron maiden the first thing that comes to mind is their mascot eddie, the happy mondays had bez, no one quite knows what his role was within the band but he got the audience going, def leopard ..(tragically) a one armed drummer, guns n roses.... slash and his top hat/axl and his bandanna, the list is endless of bands who wernt lucky enough to be the best from the beginning but worked at it thru trial and error.




2) if you want to be professional, act and look professional


If you are wanting your band to be the best or at the very least remembered, be professional, when approached by fans or any other member of the public, remember you are representing not only yourself but your band mates as well as your music, the decisions you make alone effect where you and your music go, make sacrifices if required, the price is never too high if you want something bad enough.




3) choose your set lists wisely


find out information reguarding the venues you will be playing at, try to find out what kind of music they usually put on, many venues will have regular clientel that expect a certain genre, this is not to say change your music style, but it's no good playing slow tempo tunes to a bunch of metalheads, keep to your more upbeat selections, if you are playing a venue which has a mixture of genres stick to your usual set list and see: number 6 below


4) love the music you play and enjoy your performance


when on stage to play your best you need to not only play with your hands but also use your emotions, if you arent "feeling" the song then the audience wont be feeling it either, don't be afraid to shed a tear if singing a sad song, make the audience believe what you are singing is true, put your heart and soul into each performance wether playing to one person or one thousand.


5)  watch the audience reactions to each song


this isn't easy to do when you are concentrating on playing however having a friend stand to one side and room watch is a very good idea, get them to take note of peoples reactions to each song, are people laughing with you, smiling with you or feeling sad while you sing to them, are they dancing or are they looking like their about to launch a newcastle brown bottle at the stage from boredom.


6) learn from your mistakes and experiment


Everyone makes mistakes, it's part of life, it's also part of the learning process within a band, try new things musically after all if hendrix hadnt experimented with the cry baby and a strat upside down he wouldn't be called guitar god today, if pink floyd hadn't experimented with deep lyrics and synths if if if i could go on but i am sure you will get the jist of what i am saying, have fun and create, if it turns out wrong learn from it and try something different the same goes for performance at gigs if certain tunes dont go down well at a specific venue scrap them from the set list next time you play there and replace them with something similar to the ones that did go down well. If someone offers advice take it on board, research what they have told you and if it seems relevant use it to your advantage.


7)  stage presence


stage presence is something you either have or you don't however do not dispair as stage presence is something which can be learnt from watching the greats, freddie mercury, mick jagger, slash, iggy pop all have stage presence, they make themselves known, they command the stage, it is their throne and the audience their subjects upon whom they cast their spell, hypnotising them with strange periodic movements, untangable audio and vocal sequences and over active use of microphone stands and other equipment.


8) interaction between band members


One thing that a lot of bands seem to forget is interaction between themselves, many bands have a special bond, a brother/sister hood, usually between two specific members in many cases the singer and the lead guitarist, if you don't have a lead guitarist then create a close bond with the other members on stage, mimic each other like status quo did, flirt with each other this isn't a sexual reference being flirtatious can also mean creating a connection on stage an understanding of one another. 




9) interaction with the audience

The audience are your best friends, talk to them as such, make them feel comfortable around you, interact with them involve them in the performance,  however they can also be your enemy, they may heckle you, hurl insults or even objects at you, and so you must command them, as in number 7 if you can hypnotise the audience you have created a memory in them which is your ultimate goal along with fame and fortune.






10) hire a roadie


many bands when they first start out don't think they need a roadie, these strange creatures (whom i am told actually live in colonies under bridges and only come out at night) can usually be found propping a bar up with a pint in one hand and thier ipod in the other (these days) they are usually musicians who do not have the urge to perform and therefore have a unique quality which makes them useful to those who do wish to perform, they can tune and clean your instruments, they are usually of large build and so have the strength to carry big amps and heavy flight cases as well as the ability to sort any unwanted attention from the audience toward the band, and best of all many will work for nothing or even just a few beers.

Welcome

hi and welcome to my Blog.


I decided to move this from my main website to a more convenient area which is tailored to blogging.
A little about me: My name is Phillip Ross I am a music photographer from Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England.


I could go on all day about who I am and what I have done in the past (we would probably be here till next week) but I think it would be more ethical to say why I am writing a blog.


I am also a writer and although short stories, poetry, songs, band reviews and even the odd novel have emerged from these fingertips we all have something to say, and what better way to voice the words we wish to portray than through the written word.


Subjects I will be covering will vary from Photographic tips, music and the industry, history, art and many others and I hope to create subject matter which will incur reactions from others all opinions are welcome (however these will be screened before publication) I wish to keep this a clean blog.


So welcome to my blog and I hope you enjoy my ramblings.


Phill