The Photo of the Week in our fourth session was from Coachella 2007 and was submitted to our flickr group by Mick_0.
Check out our short Q&A below:
What were you trying to capture in this shot (If anything at all)?
I’d been coming to that tent for 5 years and I knew how the crowd could get packed in there. I wanted to capture that mass of sweaty, jovial humanity. It was kind of a lucky shot. To get it, I put my camera with fisheye lens on a 5-foot monopod, and then held the monopod as high in the air as possible. That added a little to the sense of motion since the shot is not exactly level, nor exactly centered. It also added a personal sense of danger for my camera! One stray elbow and it could’ve all come crashing down.
How long have you been behind a camera?
I got my first camera in 2000, and my first SLR in 2005. In that time I’ve covered music festivals for Musicmatch, Grooves Magazine, and Yahoo! Music.
Please click continue to finish the interview.Do you prefer a certain brand of gear?
I’m a Canon guy. I respect the Nikon folks though -- even if they are all annoying, self-important jerks. I’m kidding! For my guitar friends, Canon is Fender and Nikon is Gibson. You can make incredible music with either.
What is your favorite piece of gear that you own?
My fifty millimeter prime lens. Primes free your mind from the extraneous and let you concentrate on the basics of photography.
Do you find it troubling to carry equipment around at festivals and still have a decent amount of mobility?
It’s all about packing smart. I’ve really not had a mobility issue even in oppressive heat. It helps to increase your cardio workout regimen before a festival though.
With that said, what do you normally carry with you at a festival?
I get my gear into one backpack. The monopod hooked on the back. I admire the guys who lug Pelican cases all over the place. Especially when they use them to stand on! But for now this is me:
• Canon 5D body + battery grip
• Neckstrap of the quick-release variety
• 24-105mm lens
• 70-200mm lens
• 2x extender
• 15mm fisheye lens
• 50mm prime lens (1.4)
• Monopod
• A point ‘n’ shoot for backups or quick snaps
Some other tips that have been useful in my experience:
• Extra sunscreen!
• A hat to keep off the sun.
• 2-3 bandanas
• Waterproof (sweatproof!) bag for credentials and schedules
• Synthetic quick-dry T-shirt and socks
Thanks again and good luck with the site! It's a fantastic idea.
Be sure to check out Mick O's flickr profile as well as our flickr group.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emayoh/
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