Opening for a headlining performance by the legendary Wailers band, the Murder City Players laid down a tight set that slipped between reggae, ska, and dancehall grooves with ease and style.
Backed by a seven-piece band, the Murder City Players were led by Prince Philip and his partern in crime, Mark Condellier, during their 45-minute set.
The two singers, who took turns delivering lead vocals, created a compelling synergy on stage that propelled the group throughout its performance.
Photographer's Notes:
This was a relatively easy shoot with a nice, wide pit. I shot for the entire performance, which was a nice luxury considering the constraints in place for most shows.
Thanks to the extended timeframe, I was able to concentrate more on photographing my friend and singer for the group, Philip McKenzie. While I tried to pick up shots of other band members as well, I mostly concentrated on nailing a few key shots of Philip.
Joined by singer Mark Condellier, Philip is just one half of the duo leading the Murder City Players, and the two alternated between lead vocals during their 45-minute set. The tag-team approach provided an interesting photographic rhythm for the set as I switched back and forth between the singers.
Lighting:
The lighting for this set was really quite straight forward, with white light from high in the front and a multitude of colored lighting effects from the behind. Magenta and cooler tones seemed to dominate, though there were some warmer schemes also employed.
Exposure & Metering:
Thanks to very constant lighting for this set, I shot at f/2.8, 1/200, and ISO 6400 for the whole performance.
Lenses & Equipment:
I shot this set at with the Nikon D3 and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8. I picked up a few shots with the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 and the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, but found that the midrange zoom did the trick for much of the set.
End Notes:
Big thanks to Philip for setting up access for his set and all the Murder City Players for being such fine subjects.
