In late January, I went to shoot my buddy’s band, Escalon, at The Boardwalk out in Orangevale.  It was a fun night hanging out with a few friends, meeting new people, and listening to some good local bands.  I haven’t been to many shows in the past few years, so it’s nice to get back into the scene, I’ve missed it.

For this shoot, I decided to rent a Canon 24mm f/1.4L II lens.  Even though I know that f/1.4 is a razor-thin focal plane and focusing on moving subjects would be nearly impossible, I wanted to see what my luck would grant me, along with the light capabilities of such a wide open aperture.  Overall, my initial worry was dead-on; almost no shots were sharp.  And even at f/1.4, I was still shooting at ISO800 in order to keep a decent shutter speed.

Needless to say, I was pretty bummed when I started reviewing the images during the first few bands (Escalon was last), but I think I started hitting a stride with Royals Die Young, and especially Twenty Days With Julian.  I think some passable images started happening with those bands.

The full sets are over on my personal Facebook page:
Royals Die Young
Twenty Days With Julian
Escalon

I can really say that I’m constantly learning shooting concerts, especially in a venue like The Boardwalk, where the lights are ANYTHING but constant.  But you learn to predict what may happen next, when not to shoot and waste time/battery/CF space, and if all goes well, you have some good stuff to give to the bands.  If luck is TRULY on your side, you’ll have something for your portfolio–something I don’t think I came away with this night, if only for the wrong lens choice.

But hey, it was fun, and I got to support a friend, drink a few beers, and listen to some great music.  Can’t complain about that one!