April 11, 2009 – While they took a break from the craziness of the Bamboozle Road Show, I caught up with the guys from Forever The Sickest Kids for a photo shoot. Here are the results. 
Photographer's Notes:
These guys were super fun to work with – really easy going and ready to mug at the merest suggestion. In addition, they were just flat out nice. While moving locations, the guys even offered to help my assistants and I grab lights and stands – Jonathan Cook, the group's lead singer, grabbed two stands himself.
One thing I always try to do before a shoot is learn everyone's name. This might sound like a small thing, but I cringe a little at the thought of pointing at someone and saying, “Hey, you, can you move a foot to your left?” For a band like FTSK that has six members, learning names and keeping everyone's name straight can be a bit of a task, but it pays off. After giving some direction to Marc, Caleb noted, “You're the first photographer to actually learn our names before a shoot!”
I started out shooting with the Nikon 24-70mm, but soon realized that a band like this really calls for something a little more interesting, and quickly reached for the Nikon 14-24mm. While an ultra-wide isn't ideal for all band portraits, FTSK seemed like a perfect fit. As soon as I took out the lens, Jonathan called out, “Fisheye!” This happens more often than you'd think.
Lighting for this set was made with two speedlights creating a bit of crosslighting, with a third as a rimlight for a little increased separation from the background.
End Notes:
Huge, huge thanks to Robi, Jamie, Brandon, and everyone else who made this possible.
Thanks to my assistants David and DJ.
Finally, big shout out to the Forever The Sickest Kids. Loved working with you guys, let's do it again soon!
