July 3, 2009 – Opening up for The Fray, Andrew McMahon crushed the ivories with Jack's Mannequin to deliver a high-energy set of amped up piano rock.
Photographer's Notes:
For me, Jack's Mannequin is always a difficult shoot due to Andrew McMahon's setup with his mics and piano. Of course, I like a challenge.
McMahon's use of two microphone's creates a more engaging live show in that he can sing towards the audience as well as sing facing the piano, but the dual mics also create a lot of compositional challenges. In particular, the front-facing mic creates an obstacle in shooting, so some effort has to me made to get clear shots.
When he's using the front mic, I've found that some of the best shots of McMahon come from shooting down-stage, along the arm of the stand, though this requires a little timing, since he favors the mic coming over his piano.
In addition to the mics, one other consideration for this set was the height of the stage and the placement of Andrew's monitor. These elements combined to create a more narrow range of clear shots, especially considering the front mic.
Lighting for this set was a mix of color washes and accent lighting from the back, with a heavy emphasis on greens and purples during the first two songs.
I shot this performance with the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8.
Still want more Andrew McMahon? Here are links to sets from the other shows of Jack's Mannequin that I've photographed over the last year:
Jack's Mannequin @ the Chaifetz Arena
