Music

Stealth mode

Sometimes you have to be in stealth mode – even on a concert.
Taking pictures of a rock concert is easy – you can be loud, you can run around – just try to survive the crazy fans :)
What about being in a small room (less than 100 sqm), where you have unplugged opera singers? The smallest noise might ruin the concert and mood.
What to do? I had to use the clapping moments. Still could catch some great moments.

Rehearsal at Müpa

Rehearsal was much fun as I could take pictures from anywhere.
Not like during the concert.
Also enjoyed that the musician and the special guest were relaxed. Next time I have to arrange to have the main rehearsal in the right costumes :)

Dreams and reality

Way too many times reality just does not match your dreams…
Hot Jazz Band just turned 25 years old. I’m lucky to have a favorite band existing so long.
I was less lucky with the building. Palace of Art is a very strict place – meaning you cannot go to places where you can make a good photo from. Lighting was fine however killed the environment: these photos could be made in any concert halls. So this amazing hall with a great band gives you “nothing special” pictures. In my dream it was a bit different!

Dreams

There are some special places you dream to photograph – like MÜPA.
MÜPA is Palace of Arts in Budapest, Hungary. Internationally known as the main hall have amazing acoustic.
It is a dream for a musician to play there – and for me to take pictures.
I was lucky and I shot 2 concerts this autumn!

VII. Siófoki New Orleans Jazz Festival

Four Jazz band in a row!
As the floor wasn’t appropriate for dancing I was rather taking pictures.
Luckily I know most of the musicians that helped me having some extra eye contacts.

Shirt Tail Stompers

I’ve spent some extra time with one of the LLX band, Shirt Tail Stompers.
They needed some band photos. They are playing 1920s jazz music so we tried to produce a look that is similar to old photos. Actually we knew one exact picture we wanted to copy more or less. We needed only one thing – a simple long wall. And we missed only one thing :)
So we produced 5 shots and matched old the bricks in post production. Enormous work – that made the band really happy!

LLX 2010 Bands

We were lucky as we had live music every night. Small bands & big band as well!
Well, I was not so lucky. We had small lights & no lights. Still I have some pics for you!

Bohém Ragtime & Jazz Festival 2010

For the 19th occasion lovers of ragtime & jazz music came together for a long weekend in the center of Kecskemét.
Both the musicians & listeners come from many different countries. Also to reach more people the event has some additional concerts in different cities around Kecskemét.
The pictures show just a small part of the musicians as I was there only for half day.

Soulshine Voices Band

A surprising band for Crazy Rhythm Challenge.
Why surprising? As they play gospel / soul music and not swing music. So many times the audience was not dancing couple dances but was watching the band, clapping, jumping, waving. Did it work? Yeah, we had fun!

Nicolle Rochelle

Such a big Festival has more special guests. Let me introduce Nicolle Rochelle!
She is a five languages speaking dancer and musical performer. She studied Josephine Baker’s life for 15 years and immediately became connected to her. She is playing the role of Josephine is a famous musical in Paris (http://www.alarecherchedejosephine.fr).
In the camp she performed and taught dancing. One of her class was really easygoing so I could make a series of pictures of her without disturbing the class.