April 26, 2008 – Award-winning singer-songwriter Jo Dee Messina brought the foot-stomping country throw down to the Chaifetz Arena.
Backed by a full band, the powerhouse singer delivered an upbeat performance for the Rock, Rap, and Rawhide event, which also featured Chingy, Augustana, Tyler Hilton, and The Starting Line,
Photographer’s Notes:
This one was a pretty straight forward shoot, with Jo Dee Messina mixing it up between guitar and just rocking the mic, which she often did while walking the length of the stage in her black leather boots.
I shot this one for two songs from the pit.
Lighting:
This was one of the brighter, more colorful sets, in that not only was Jo Dee Messina lit up, but the backing band received a fair amount of light from the rear, too.
As with all the other sets during this performance, as the main performer, Jo Dee Messina was lit by spotlights.
Exposure & Metering:
Thanks to the stable lighting, I shot this one at around 1/400 at f/2.8 and ISO 3200, with variation of 2/3-stop in shutter speed during the shoot.
Lenses & Equipment:
I relied on the Nikon 24-70mm f/28 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 for this set, both used on the Nikon D3.
End Notes:
For me, the main challenge of this set was catching the energy and expressions of Jo Dee Messina, who really ripped into her set with power and style.
10 Comments Add your own
1. Terry | July 21st, 2008 at 12:33 am
Hi Todd. I’m curious about how many shots you take in just 2 songs? And what is your philosophy about the quantity of shots you take during gigs? Also, how do you find the white balance quickly or is it trial and error? Many thanks.
2. Todd | July 21st, 2008 at 8:46 am
The number of frames I’ll shoot really depends on the act, and it’s not necessarily different than three songs.
In the broadest sense, I shoot as much as I think is appropriate to bring home the shots I want.
I almost always shoot with Auto WB, so that’s not really something I’m thinking about during a shoot. The only time I change settings is if the light is a stable incandescent.
3. Keith | July 21st, 2008 at 10:36 am
I gotta say that this is a pretty nice set. Lots of bright color and energy…well-captured. I like 1, 6, and 7 the best!
4. Todd | July 21st, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Hey Keith, thanks for the feedback on this set! The lights and colors for this set were definitely among the brightest and cleanest for the event. Thanks again, and hopefully I’ll see you soon in the pit.
5. Mike C | July 21st, 2008 at 4:07 pm
To follow up on Terry’s question about WB, do you shoot RAW? And do you adjust the WB in post?
6. Todd | July 21st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I always shoot RAW. I will change WB in post in necessary, but I do find Auto WB on the D3 quite good most of the time. If I’m changing the WB in post, it’s often because I don’t like the color casts that were faithfully recorded!
7. Sarah | July 21st, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Great shots! ISO level 3200, awesome.
8. Todd | July 21st, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Thanks!
9. Celso | July 22nd, 2008 at 6:28 am
As usual you bring out the good stuff
Nice set of shot’s though I’m not a particular fan of this type of music, it does carry a lot of energy!
Best Regards.
10. Todd | July 24th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Hey Celso, thanks for the feedback on this set. I don’t really listen to country either, but I do think it’s always nice to mix things up.
I shot only bands I liked and listened to during the first year of my concert photography, but one piece of advice I’d give to any concert shooter starting out is to shoot anything and everything.
speak up
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