I wanted to pass on a link to Ysis España. I wrote last time about HM-SDA event I shot, Ysis was a performer there. I wanted to share a couple shots of her and give a link to her site. Her voice is AWESOME. It was one of those performances that you just wanted to watch and truly enjoy. This first shot was with an SLR system. The constant blackout from the shots meant I would be missing moments in the performance. The tunnel vision you get with an SLR also keeps me overly focused on my composition and less on what is really going on. This is good in most situations, but I felt I was missing out seeing her “perform.” Yeah yeah, its not my job to be an audience member, but sometimes you just love what you are documenting!

Then I realized…LEICA! I shot the second performance with my Leica M system. Problem solved! With the Leica you basically just look at what you are shooting with your eyes like normal. Magically a little box appears around where the picture might be. With a 75mm lens (approx. 101mm field of view on the M8) there are no actual frame lines. All you get are frame corners. Yeah, this might be harder to be accurate with…but it removes the “camera” from the experience and allows you to shoot and capture what you see while living in the event. There is no mirror blackout (no mirror), and the camera is much lighter so you don’t get tired of holding a huge 200mm lens up to your face for an hour. I am constantly amazed at how liberating a Leica M system can be! This next shot came from the Leica. I wish the microphone was a little lower down, but I really wanted that perspective that I shot from. Maybe not the most critically best concert shot, but I dig it anyways! The shot above was from a Canon 5DmkII with a 70-200. I might even have had a teleconverter on there.

Be sure to check out Ysis España. What an amazing talent! You are sure to be blessed listening to her CDs!

Ok you want to make the jump…marriage! So you spend all this time thinking…how to surprise the love of you life! What will they never ever expect? How can you make this truly the surprise of their life…and not have the whole world spill the beans? Some people pay to have skywriting…some people jump out of planes together…some people do the wine and dine deal…other people just send a text or facebook message. (I don’t recommend that last one…)

Sometimes the obvious is just not good enough. I got called in to photograph a special event that was deep in the planning mode. Pete was going to pop the question his way…musically. Singing a song and playing some keys was too…boring. Go big or go home right? (This applies to the ring too guys…hint hint…) So lets start with the checklist.

Rock band. Check.
Sam’s favorite and most meaningful shared moment songs: Check
Stage for a concert: Check
Big lights: Check
Fog: Check
Keytar: Check
100 screaming fans: Check*
Photo Crew: Check
Video Crew: Check
Limo: Check
Ring: Check

* Ok 100 screaming fans sounds easy for a rock band….but what if those 100 screaming fans also have some kind of special connection with the Bride-To-Be? How in the world do you not get anyone to slip up and reveal this massive undertaking shrouded in secrecy? Facebook, Myspace, Evites, twitter, text messages, friends that can’t keep secrets….there was no way to pull this off! It was going to be one in a million for Sam not to know.

Sam…you are one in a million. Obviously that’s why Pete had to ask ya!

Sam was totally surprised and against impossible odds never knew what she was stepping into! Lights raised and the rock began! After a song just for her the next surprise came…a crowd of friends to rock out with! The concert was awesome and everyone had a blast. Sam got whisked away again by Limo, unknowing of where she was going. Pete met up with her to ask the question. They returned to the necessary concert after-party to relax and enjoy everyone’s company as the soon to be Mr. & Mrs!

Congratulations you guys! You two are awesome!

Thank you to everyone who made it out, the volunteers, the film crew, Vwa Ayiti, and especially to to all the bands! It started snowing pretty hard but that didn’t stop anyone!

Vwa Ayiti International is where you can go to donate, find out how to help, or just learn more about what is being done locally and in Haiti. Their efforts are not just for the recent earthquake relief. They are an ongoing commitment to the people of Haiti and should definitely be checked out!

Aspargus Media has a studio in DC, definitely check them out. Asparagus helped run this event.

You can check out the bands that performed here:
Sitali
Eastern Standard Time
The Ambitions
Tommy T & The Abyssinian Roots Collective
Spoonboy (I am unfortunately unable to find his website…maybe someone can fill me in…)
Rosemond Jolissant (Awesome performer from Haiti…but can’t locate a website!)

Here are some highlights from the show! (I am posting a bunch, so click any of the images to get to larger versions of the entire series!)