Rock Photographer

Olympus E3 and 50-200 SWD lens at ISO 800 f3.2 1/200th of a second Haley Breedlove

I've missed the anniversary date of January 8th but I still remember as a young man in 1991 when my dad called me into the living room to see a news story that the guitarist from my favourite band Def Leppard had died.  His name was Steve Clark.  I think anyone that likes Rock and Roll has had a favourite musician of theirs die in their generation.  And while this might seem to have little to do with photography, it did lead me to the impulse purchase of a book titled 'Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History' by Joe Elliot and Ross Halfin.

I've never been a music photographer but I have deep respect for the work given the lighting challenges and the fact that I like to be in bed by 9:30 most nights so the late hours scare me somewhat.  The book is full of images from 1979 to today all by Ross Halfin as he followed the band for over 3 decades.  The images are shot in all the traditional grainy loveliness of film that you might expect in the early days to crisp yet still soulful images of today.  Ross had a great connection with the band and you can tell the level of trust and familiarity was high between them.  

I bring this book up though, not only because of the excellent photography, but because of a statement made in the book by the band's long time behind the scenes guru Malvin Mortimer.  "A photograph can speak to you.  It has a language.  It can create a unique emotion, capture a candid moment or a striking pose...or it can be nothing but a plain image on dull paper."  

Let that marinate for a moment.

It was so cool to listen to the band members write in the book about their experience re-living these images and how those images reflected and impacted their lives.  Whether you are a rock photographer, a wedding photographer or a pet photographer you are creating irreplaceable images for people.  But we all knew that didn't we?  Even though we forget it when we are in the middle of a deadline, rushing to export a session from Lightroom and deliver prints.  

You can find a link to the book on the top right of the blog, as usual.  Really though it's not this particular book I'm recommending you, it's books that are not photography books or magazines.  The next time you are in a bookstore, grab something that isn't in the photography section that is full of images that inspire you.  Whether thats a book on music, war, architecture or whatever.  Soak up those photographs not created for photographers.  Me?  I often wander over to the fashion section of the magazine rack and grab a couple of those thick magazines full of wonderful creative images trying to sell clothes.  It's a huge source of inspiration for me personally.  

Thanks again for dropping by the blog.  Rock on like its 1987!!!