Phosporescent #1

I can already tell that this image is going to be in the running for my favorite photo of 2014. Doesn't matter to me that it was taken with my phone. I guess that's what I'm learning more and more, the further I pursue this nebulous idea of what being a "photographer" really means.

Lots of people were at this show (Phosphorescent, by the way, and definitely worth checking out), and a good majority of them at some point did the exact same thing I did. Took out their phone and snapped some pictures. With technology growing faster than we can keep up with really, everyone is now carrying around more-than-decent camera equipment in their pockets. So just being there and taking the image doesn't mean as much any more. This idea is why, when someone sees one of my photos and likes it, they promptly turn to me and tell me that I must have a really good camera. We assume good photos mean good cameras, when really, the democratizing effect of technology requires someone to develop a ton of skill to make their work stand out from everyone else's. And sometimes, the simplicity of just using my phone and not worrying about the technical things a "better" camera involves forces me to develop those different skill sets.

For this image, it is most definitely not the camera. I doubt anyone will be using a Nexus 4 phone as professional camera any time soon. As soon as I took this shot, I put my phone away and just enjoyed the rest of the concert. Because I had the shot. And I knew it. To get it, I had to:

A.) Listen to my very good friend tell me to take advantage of an opening in the crowd, closer to the stage.

B.) Wait for the lighting to be what I wanted... he was moving into a solo set, and talking to the crowd, so I figured that eventually the crew would move to a spotlight. They did.

C.) Know how performers (and more generally, people) interact. He was talking to the crowd, thanking them for being a great audience... but most of the time he was looking down at some settings on the keyboard. At one point, he started pointing out to the crowd, and I took some pictures of that-- but as soon as he started clapping a bit, I snapped three quick images. I knew he'd be smiling, there'd be some dynamic movement, and he'd be lit up in a moody way.

D.) Editing. I broke some "rules" here-- he's pretty dead center, for one. But that beam of light draws the eye right down to his face. His hands are blurry (something my "real" camera probably could have avoided) but I like it. It's clear that he was energetic-- and that is a perfect description of his show. I think it captures a little bit of his energy. I chose black and white, knowing it would take away from some of the distracting features in the background, making the focus almost entirely on him, but without losing the impact of that silvery backdrop.

So, is this the most technically stunning photo of all time? Nope. Not by a long shot. But, as I'm learning, some of my favorite photos are not the most technically perfect. They convey an emotion, capture a spirit. And I think I've done that successfully here.