This is the 3rd time I have seen Brandi at Mount Baker, and easily the best. If I ever had one gripe about the hometown shows, it was that “old favorites” would be more focused on rather than the new stuff. I’m not the only one that in the crowd that has heard “Turpentine” more times than I can count, we want to hear all the new stuff you’ve been practicing cross country. The hometown show should get all the surprises!

Well we finally got it. 3 new covers were played, including a unheard cover of “over the rainbow” (at least I think that’s the first she played it – the song was dedicated to a 5yr old Ill child.) and of course we got a healthy heap of songs from “give up the ghost” (my fav album of the year). The other 2 covers were “landslide” and the twins doing “sounds of silence”. You can check out the photos and videos here.

Each member of the band came out to sign autographs after the show as well

This show actually marks the first time I took any video in a LONG time. I had stopped mainly because there was always a inner conflict in me, capturing and archiving a moment, or being fully immersed in it. I also hated the stress that came with it, getting caught, keeping steady, not making sound…. I needed a break and focused mainly on photos. Just as a note, I think I’m horrible with video…. But I have a decent p&s camera and an awesome collection!

After a10 week tour, the band is on a well deserved break before they hit Europe in a month.

I just got back from vacation in Detroit.  While there, I got to see brandi in Ann Arbor (cuz I’m a fanatic and plan my life around her!). Not only did I get to see a show, but she did a in-store at Borders as well.

Great time! She played “Touching the Ground”, “Dreams”, and “That Year”. The show was being filmed for Borders, so hopefully we get the video released one day. I don’t really have much to say…. but thanks to the couple in the front of the “meet and greet” line that let me stood with them. Borders wouldn’t let me meet Brandi unless I bought a record
Also, Audrey if you’re reading this….. SOOO GOOD TO FINALLY MEET YOU!!!

That day was important to me for other reasons. I’ve decided to start taking my photography more seriously, and incorporate it as part of my Web services. I could careless if I’m ever to the level where I’m photographing for Rolling Stone, but maybe I’ll meet some bands that need a website

So i’ve rebranded my portfolio (its still in process, but you can see it here rengland.net. And I bartered some services to get a logo/biz cards printed. And yes…. I slipped Brandi a card…lol. Shes one of the main reasons I got into photography in the first place, AND this was my first website! I got my chance to say thanks.

I was so excited for the show that night, since I had a photo pass. Usually the rule is that you can only shoot the first 3 songs, but tonight it was FIVE. Then I learned something very important….. “If you’re going to start taking this seriously, You MUST have the right tools for the job!!”. Turns out you couldn’t shoot from the front row, you could only crouch in the aisles or shoot on the wings. My lens wasn’t even close to being long enough (25mm-75mm) UGH. What a waste of a photo pass….

Now that vacations over its time to get back to work and save up for a zoom lens. The one I WANT is $2000 (yikes), unless Santa surprises me…that ain’t happening. Theres a 3rd party Sigma lens for $800 that I will probably get….. for now at least.

ADDED: Borders put up video of the in-store. http://www.bordersmedia.com/liveat01/carlile

I just returned from a quick trip to CT. My best friend lives there, we met because of this website a few years ago (shes a brandi freak as well). its been a looong time coming for us to see a show together, so we ended up going to two

We saw shows in northhampton, ma and portland maine. Both shows were a utter blast, and I came home with more photos than I know what to do with…  I was able to get a surprise photo pass at the maine show AND keep shooting throughout the show, a total dream.  The goal is to have all the pics up by this weekend.

I have been going to clubs practicing concert photography for a few months now, and can’t even tell you how many shots I have BLOWN…..  overexposure, underexposure,  slow shutter speed, etc…   This hobby is truly maddening to try to get the hang off.   Not only are you thinking about all the technical stuff, but you still need to compose a good shot!  So hopefully I’m getting better at it… and thankfully I haven’t blown a brandi show!  (not with the SLR anyway).

The past few days ended up being a total “crash course” in concert photography. I’ve made every error a amateur could make (like failing to realize the lens was on manual focus, and getting nothing but out-of-focus pics!). Despite the learning curve and frustrations, its been a total blast.

I was lucky enough to get a photo pass for this show…. my first! I was sooooo nervous that i wouldn’t walk away with any pictures (cuz they would be all over exposed, or blurred, etc.). I got 3 songs to shoot, and I had to keep low and crawl around to not annoy anybody.

I had been reading in forums how photographers would get in trouble for “watching’ the show rather than shooting….or even DANCING instead of doing their job. I didn’t want to be that person! I really, really wanted to go a good job, and I’ll be damned if I was gonna walk away with only 40 pictures. I was so pumped up, and so over eager, that I ended up with 140! LOL! “Ready…..Set…..GO!!!” Yea most of them were blurred crap… but by the end I was more relaxed and looking for my shot more. (And as luck would have it, the 2nd song they played was one of my FAVORITE dance songs they play!  argh!!!)

The photo I posted is my favorite of the night.   I love how Josh’s eyes are looking down the strings and is in his quiet space, while the band is rocking out behind him.

I definitely still have A LOT to learn about exposure, dealing with spotlights, getting more of the room ambience and lighting… but I think I did alright. The whole thing was a complete dream come true. For so many years I have been photographing this band with my crap cameras, wishing I had faster equipment to capture what my mind sees. I’m almost there…. I’m sure I’ll have a chance again.

View Pics

I’ve been a big fan of Serena Ryder for over a year now, and have been waiting PATIENTLY to see her. I was literally beside myself to see that she was FINALLY coming to Seattle…. Amy Ray was playing the same night, and Brandi Carlile was making a surprise appearance. There’s not too many people I would missing seeing Brandi for, Serena is one of the few.

This was also the first show I got to try the new camera on! I had already bought a “faster” concert lens, which has 2.8 aperture for low-light photos. Apparently this club is FINE with taking photos, but I was still apprehensive the whole time. My cam is BIG, the shutter is LOUD, and I was sitting directly in front of her. Guess its from all the years I’ve been sneaking photos at concerts, but i kept expecting someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me to knock it off.

Happily I couldn’t have asked for better seat mates. The guy to right of me is a BIG fan and drove from Vancouver to be there (hi Jay!), and the guys to the left of me were great! One of the guys was even a photographer and had a SLR of his own. That helped me feel A LOT less apprehensive about mine. Though my lens was still 3x the size of his.

Serena is a absolute firecracker, one of the most energetic and expressive artists that I have ever seen. I actually feel a little bad that all my photos were of her facial expressions, which can sometimes look a little unflattering Trust me tho, the woman is gorgeous.

The funniest moment was when Serena saw Kirks camera and squealed out, “Ooooh!! A photoshoot!” A then proceeded to strike a few poses with her ass out and smiled big. LOL!! I was laughing too hard to get a shot, but he did
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirkstauffer/3256011078/in/set-72157613409948118/

Anyway, great show…I had a great time, and even made a few new friends. The show ended up ending super early, so I was able to race over to the Amy Ray show right after (which was starting really late). I even managed to get in my camera…..but managed to get NO photos. I didn’t realize my lens was set onto “manual focus”…….the whole time (I use reading glasses, and didn’t really think anything about how the images were a little soft). Yeah…. I just took “stupid” to a whole new level! I got ONE partially in focus shot though. Brandi was blowing a kiss to a doggie in the audience. Oh well, it was a great show… I was just happy to even be there.

Serena pics posted here

While I didn’t get photos for brandi, I got this video…