The National
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Here is the second set of images from The National’s stop by the Neptune theater in Seattle. Be sure to have a look at the first set. You will find links to other images there as well.
Enjoy!
Tags: Adam Forslund, B&W, Band Photography, Photography, Seattle, The National
Posted in Adam Forslund, Band Photography, Black and White, Concert, Photography, Seattle, The National No Comments »
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Over the last 13 years I have had the wonderful opportunity to watch The National’s rise through fame. From the Crocodile to Marymoor Park The National’s path is nothing but one of steady perseverance. The last few years I have had the opportunity to shoot them each time they have passed through Seattle. You can see some of my images of from their shows at The ShowBox and Marymoor Park.
The one thing about The National is they have a great fan base and those fans turn out. The Neptune was packed two night in a row for great shows.
The bad thing about the Neptune is the lighting (STG seems to have their head up their ass). It is nothing but a wash in solid red or solid blue while artists perform and then changes to a nice moody high contrast white light between songs. This means that I end up shooting more between songs than the performance.
Either way here is the first round of photos from their show on December 1st 2011. Another set of images will be posted next week.
Tags: Adam Forslund, B&W, Band Photography, Photography, Seattle, The National
Posted in Adam Forslund, Band Photography, Black and White, Concert, Photography, Seattle, The National 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
- ©2010 Adam Forslund All rights reserved
Stay tuned…
Update 12/29/2010
The autumn was busy and I am just now getting through some back logged images.
The National were back in Seattle with their understated sound, lead by Matt Berninger’s charming voice and quixotic lyrics.
Enjoy the photos and more news to follow in the coming weeks.
Tags: Adam Forslund, B&W, Band Photography, Color, Okkervil RIver, Photography, Seattle, The National
Posted in Adam Forslund, Band Photography, Black and White, Concert, Photography, Seattle, The National No Comments »
Tuesday, September 14th, 2010
I had the chance to get a few shots of Okkervil River as they opened for The National in Seattle. Not only was I really impressed with their music but they have a great stage presence too. I will keep them on my RADAR from now on. Will Sheff kept the energy amps turned up to 11.
Here are a few pics and be sure to stay tuned for more stuff in the coming days as I finish scanning my film.
Update 9/30/2010
Here is a complete selection of photos from the wonderful Okkervil River
Tags: Band Photography, Color, Okkervil RIver, Photography, Seattle, The National
Posted in Adam Forslund, Band Photography, Color, Film, Photography, Seattle, The National 3 Comments »
Monday, January 21st, 2008
Shooting bands live is always a challenge. Being between the stage and the crowd is a hard line for photographers to follow. In the crowd you are faced with blocking issues and being on stage is a distraction. It is my goal to be both a fly on the wall and an active participant. Using distance to capture the overall feel and sense of place. Then getting in as close as I can to illustrate the raw performance in a way that highlights the small details of each performer. From facial expressions to sweat on a singer’s brow. It is all needed to add depth to an image.
Another challenge when shooting concerts is light. Some venues mix light with what seems to be no consideration for the people on stage. An example would be using deep colored gels that work against the skin tones of the performers. Heavy use of red seems to be one that appears often. Others will flood the stage in an almost even light never isolating the band from the rest of the stage.
One way to over come this for me is the use of B&W. By shooting outside of color the light becomes simply a matter of the grey scale. Leaving the distraction of color behind to illustrate the performers best. B&W also brings out some of the more subtle aspects of light that may be lost due to color filters and effects. A light on the back of a singer’s head may not be flattering when it is a heavy blue. However, when color isn’t part of the photo it becomes a great separation between the performer and the black background.
On a personal level higher contrast images tend to draw my eye in. Things get lost in the middle grey areas. By pushing things to black or white allows me to grab a performer and place them in space where by they stand out against the background. What smaller details get lost in the shadows only enhance the larger ones that are standing in the spotlight.
A good example of what I am talking about are the shots I took of “The National” when they came to Seattle Washington on their tour for the album “Boxer”. They are based in Brooklyn New York City and have a sound that is melodic yet raw. Frontman Matt Berninger uses pointed lyrics with his deep bullfrog voice to push stories into your mind.
These photos were taken at The Showbox Theatre a venue that is perfect for an indie rock band. It has a wonderful sound and an amazing chandelier. The crowd turned out and were treated to a great show.
If you have any questions about the images let me know.
Photos From The Show
The National Homepage
Posted in Adam Forslund, Band Photography, Seattle, Showbox Seattle, The National 1 Comment »
