Shinedown headline the 2012 Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival in Atlanta, Ga.

Photography Notes:

Photography was limited to the first three songs. The pit was excessively packed with around 20 photographers, full security staff, and video crew. Movement therefore was extremely limited changing shooting behavior from moving and anticipating moments to waiting in your spot for the artists to come to you. Lighting was a diversion from previous Shinedown shows which tend to be brightly lit – this 3 song shoot was heavily backlit in white for a few moments with the majority of the shooting interval finding the band bathed in red or blue. Metering came in at a very manageable 1/250 f3.2 ISO 3200 +/- 1 stop.

For the last few weeks Skid Row have been rehearsing for the spring touring season in support of their forthcoming studio release United World Rebellion – Chapter 1. For the last night of rehearsals they were gracious enough to open their soundstage to a select group of Rock 100.5 radio winners who would be treated to a private session featuring a performance of the bands classic works and a live debut of the new EP. Spoiler alert: IT. KICKS. ASS.

For more info on the new release, upcoming tour dates, and the latest Skid Row news visit the band’s official website at www.skidrow.com.

Photography Notes:

Given the performance was held at a private soundstage used for the bands tour rehearsals, I made the conscious decision to approach this shoot in black and white to capture the unique and intimate nature of the performance. Photography duties fell to the Nikon D700 twins matched to the Nikon 70-200 2.8 and 24-70 2.8 exclusively. Exposures for the night fell at a breath holding 1/60 F2.8 ISO6400.

Making the traditional reflection on my yearly accomplishments, 2012 proved to be my most satisfying and frustrating year in live music photography. On some levels I captured what I feel to be personal iconic shots of lifelong musical heroes. On other levels I shot far less this year due to increased shooting restrictions, prohibitive photo releases, and the increasing professional and personal cost prohibitive endeavor of the amazing experience of shooting live music. Nonetheless, all images captured were amazing and the creative challenge and adrenaline rush of the rock show ever present.

As a tortured artist who is never satisfied with one’s own work, I find it impossible to choose a true top selection of the year, so I provide a collection of some of my favorite live moments of 2012 largely based on the artist’s performance and connection with the crowd during a time when we can all be reminded that living is what we live for.

Alice Cooper performs in direct support of Iron Maiden on their Made In England tour at Aaron’s Lakewood Amphitheater

Kelly Clarkson performs at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center

John Corabi performs at Wild Bills

Gaurav Bali performs with Eve to Adam at The Tabernacle

REO Speedwagon performs during the Midwest Rock N’ Roll Express Tour at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Roger Waters performs The Wall at Phillips Arena

Flea performs with the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Gwinnett Arena

Hank Williams Jr. performs at Gwinnett Arena

Rich Ward performs with Fozzy during the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival at Lakewood Amphitheater

Steve Harris performs with Iron Maiden during the Made in England tour at Aaron’s Lakewood Amphitheater

Adelita’s Way performs during the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival at Lakewood Amphitheater

Night Ranger performs at the Chastain Park Amphitheater

Sully Erma performs with Godsmack at the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival at Lakewood Amphitheater

Moses Mo performs with Mother’s Finest at Wild Bills

Vinnie Paul performs with Hellyeah for the Project 961 Project Cinco Festival in Atlanta

Scotti Hill performs with Skid Row at Wild Bills

Scott Ian performs with Anthrax at The Tabernacle

Ted Nugent performs at The Center Stage Theater

Amy Lee performs with Evanescence during the Carnival of Madness festival at Aaron’s Lakewood Amphitheater

Steve Vai performs at the Center Stage Theater

Styx performs during the Midwest Rock N Roll Express tour at the Verizon Wireless Ampitheater

Eric Gales performs with Experience Hendrix at the Fox Theater

Corey Taylor performs with Slipknot at Aaron’s Lakewood Amphitheater

Steven Tyler performs with Aerosmith at Phillips Arena

As we enter 2013 don’t forget to enjoy the people and things you love. Happy New Year!!!

Winger performs an amazing set for the full house crowd at Wild Bills Atlanta.

Photography Notes:

Open shooting for the set, though packed in with the crowd as the venue doesn’t enforce the pit. No worries. Timing is a challenge as you mix it up with the fans. LDGB (Lighting Designer Gone Bad) was in full force. Still perplexed as to what was going on. No follow spots and fixed front lighting tended to vary about 2-3 stops from the face to the waist. Rod Morganstein is a monster drummer with killer expression – tough to get a good angle on him and I tried them all. Lighting came in at about 1/250 F2.8 ISO6400 throughout the set.

Dutch Symphonic Death Metal Band (I love naming the genre’s in Prog Rock/Metal) Mayan performs during Progpower USA XIII as the in-house alter-ego to the headlining Epica.

Photographers Notes:

While the performance and sound where exceptional, lighting for the set was another episode in LDGB (Lighting Designer Gone Bad) as the best house lighting in the city chooses to use their newfound side firing onstage LEDs for the bulk of the performance with only a few seconds of fixed front-lighting and lucky catchflash grabs over the course of the entire performance giving some light to the artists. Usable exposures at their very best (as presented here) fell about 1/200 F2.8 ISO6400. A handful boosted to ISO12800 in post. 3-4 stops above what is considered “good” and “challenging” lighting. Floor Jansen appearances where shrouded in near darkness sadly.

Italy’s Kingcrow makes their USA debut @ Progpower USA XIII.

Photography Notes:

Progressive Rock / Metal bands take their music VERY seriously. As such, moments require a fair amount of patience and anticipation especially when coupled with challenging lighting at 1/250 F2.8 ISO5000+ with little contrast and minimal front lighting. Exposures captured by the Nikon D700′s and 24-70 2.8 + 70-200 2.8.

Adelitas Way command the mainstage at the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival 2012 in Atlanta, Ga.

Adelitas Way is one of the many bands that find themselves in the same predicament as a multitude of bands whose CD’s are mixed for a radio friendly feel. When you see them live, they present the real deal. An F’N rockband.

Photography Notes:

Photography was limited to the first three songs from the pit. An aggressive set as always with shooting opportunities a plenty – admirably handled by the Nikon 14-24 and 24-70 2.8. I think my 24-70 2.8 needs a service call as it is tending to miss its usual perfect focus. Lighting was grand though a bit heavy handed on the backlighting. Exposures fell in the neighborhood of 1/250 F3.2 ISO4000.

Staind performs an exceptional set of contemporary and classic songs on the main stage during the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival 2012.

Photography Notes:

Shooting was restricted to the first 3 songs in the heavily populated pit. Lighting was nicely mixed between the ambient and stage under the amphitheater awning. Exposures fell in the neighborhood of 1/250 F3.2 ISO 3200-5000. Shooting impediments included the full pit, a high stage, and higher stage front monitors.

Hailing from Bad Grönenbach, Germany power metal artists Mystic Prophecy perform during Progpower USA XIII in Atlanta, Ga.

Shooting Notes:

Tough shooting for this set with little lighting contrast and minimal front lighting. Exposures fell at a challenging 1/125 F2.8 ISO6400 at the extremes of exposure and challenging shutter speeds for a power metal performance. As such, digital noise largely ensues in these conditions especially when pushed another stop to ISO12800 in post. Drummer Claudio Sisto received the benefit of contrast from backlighting in which cymbals provide a nice reflective surface to fill in the face a bit.

Godsmack destroys the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival MainStage in Atlanta, Ga.

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Photography Notes:

Traditionally a notoriously challenging shoot, Godsmack brings their performance and production A-Game to the 2012 Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival. While still a challenge, the first three provided backlight floods in red, yellow, and blue nicely balanced with contrasty follow-spots up front. Exposures fell about 1/250 F3.2 ISO3200 +/- about one stop for the set. Captures fell to the Nikon D700 and 24-70 + 70-200 2.8 zooms. Cheers to Shannon Larkin.

One of the great things about Slipknot live performances is that all artists in the group are featured equally. In particular the groups percussionists are positioned stage front on the right and left upon hydraulic risers which raise, lower, and spin continuously throughout the set.

Slipknot Co-Founder and percussionist Shawn Crahan aka Clown aka Number 6 performs in a particularly crowd engaging and animated fashion that begs for some extended coverage during the allotted 3 song shooting interval.

Showing no lack of youth or energy 30 year rock veteran’s Night Ranger perform classic and new material for the generations of fans at the Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta, Ga.

Photographer Notes:

Shooting for the set with limited to the first three songs stage front and amongst the VIP tables. As such, care was taken to “get the shots” while avoiding disruption of the fans. Lighting was nicely balanced and contrasty as is customary for Night Ranger. The performance started just before dusk in the amphitheater which results in constantly changing exposures even during the 3 song limit as the sun sets and the ambient lighting fades and the stage lights take over. Exposures fell in the range of 1/250 F2.8 ISO1600 – 1/200 F2.8 ISO5000. Shooting duties fell to the Nikon D700 pair and the Nikon 14-24 2.8, 24-70 2.8, and 70-200 2.8 trinity of concert photography lenses.

Swedish/Danish power melodic death metal band Amaranthe commands the festival stage at Progpower USA XIII in Atlanta, Ga.

Photographer Notes:

Equipment for the set included the Nikon D700 pair with full line of the holy trinity in the Nikon 14-24 2.8, 24-70 2.8, and 70-200 2.8. Generally well lit and well balanced with captures occurring in the range of 1/250 F2.8 ISO5000 – 1/200 F2.8 ISO12800. Another stop of light and a bit of front lighting in terms of follow spots would have been welcome.

Every year at Progpower there seems to be that one band that just KILLS IT and runs away with the festival. This years band for me with Amaranthe. These guys are amazing.

Austrian based symphonic metal artists Serenity perform at Progpower USA XIII in Atlanta Ga.

Photographer Notes:

A challenging but manageable set with reasonable balance across the fixed house cans and LED floods. Lighting tended to stay in the red hues which oddly, for LED lighting tends to be the least intrusive. Exposures fell about 1/250 F2.8 ISO5000 with shooting duties handled by the Nikon D700 and 24-70 + 70-200 2.8.

Fozzy headlines the Jägermeister stage at the Rockstar Energy Uproar festival 2012 in support of their fifth studio album “Sin and Bones” featuring the chart topping single “Sandpaper”.

Photographer Notes:

Photographing the set was challenging for such an active band who performs at “11″ for the duration of their set! Shooting conditions were from a standard pit with lighting coming largely from the slightly overcast ambient and under the canopy of the Jägermeister stage. Exposures fell about 1/400 F3.2 ISO400 with the Nikon 14-24 and 24-70 2.8 use exclusively due to the close proximity to the stage.

Danish classic metal artists Pretty Maids perform their first ever show in the US during Progpower USA XIII in Atlanta, Ga.

One has to wonder how a band of this stature and influence has not performed in the US during their 30+ year career. Once again, Progpower USA pulls a ringer out of its hat in bringing the band to the US for a unique and unforgettable performance.

Photography Notes:

Tough shooting for the set with exposures falling about 1/200 F2.8 ISO6400 with at times minimal front lighting and the ever present side firing LEDs at full volume taking away all contrast and tweaking white balances. For the handful of moments that the LEDs were dialed off and the front lighting up – production was near perfect.

Dutch symphonic metal artists Epica headline day one of Progpower USA XIII at The Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, Ga.

Photography Notes:

Epica’s headlining set featured some of the best lighting for the day with limited use of the venue’s new LED side-lighting toys. The LEDs (in all honesty) ruin our cities best house lighting at the Center Stage Theatre. Front to back contrast had some nice moments in the set with exposures falling at a manageable 1/200 F2.8 ISO 5000 +/- about 1 stop. Shooting duties fell to the Nikon D700′s and 24-70 2.8/70-200 2.8 respectively.

Making their now annual performance to the hometown capacity crowd at Wild Bills in Atlanta, Atlanta’s own Mothers Finest bring the house down with their signature blend of rock and funk legacy that still thrives today and has continued to evolve into some of the best rock n roll ever performed. I’ve personally attended their shows for over 20 years and they just get better and better.

Photographer Notes:

Production for the show was exceptional. I was fortunate to be able to shoot the full set, though not without challenges. The pit at the venue was not enforced as is customary for the venue which is ok as the pit is raised slightly above the GA seating and it allows the most hardcore of fans to to pack it in tightly directly at the front stage edge. In turn, this makes movement limited so shooting becomes a game of waiting and timing as a two step pause approach is utilized making very slow passes through the packed in crowd and back across the stage front a few rows back. Lighting remained rather consistent for the set metering in at around 1/250 F2.8 ISO4000 with shooting duties handled by the Nikon D700 twins mounted to the 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 exclusively.

Evanescence headlines the 2012 Carnival of Madness tour at Lakewood Ampitheater in Atlanta, Ga.

Photographer Notes:

Photographing Evanescence is always a challenge with this tour being more so than most. Shooting was limited to the first three songs with photographers restricted to house left of the ego ramp. A few enterprising ones insisted on camping out in the elbow and holding DSLR’s overhead the entire three songs. This was the least of the challenge as the band tends to employ the color balance impossible and contrast non existent LED floods entirely. Both onstage and directly and blindingly into the audience. Drummer Will Hunt had the greatest amount of contrast as drummers generally do and as well was one of the more animated band members to shoot. Incredible performance as always, just with lighting headaches as a photographer and physical headaches from an attendee with blinding LEDs at the crowd for the entire show.

Soaring guitars, raspy vocals, catchy hard rock tunes, black leather, studs, and flying V’s…rising Australian rocker Laura Wilde brings all the elements of a great rock show in direct support of Ted Nugent during the 2012 Great White Buffalo Tour.

Photographer Notes:

Shooting the artist was restricted to a quick first 3 songs from the pit. A high stage, large monitors, and a singer/guitarist is always a challenge for creative angles as they must spend most of their time in close proximity to their mic. Fixed stage lighting and levels was easily managed with exposures falling 1/250 F3.2 ISO2500 in the lights to 1/200 F2.8 ISO 4000 in the ambient for Laura. For the other bands members ISO6400 did the trick.