Photo Books – Photogeek Blog

United By… Book Project

Concert Photography, Music Journalism, Promotional, Show Photography

If you’ve been paying attention, you might notice that I’ve discontinued a feature I started back in April of 2020. “United By” was the skeleton for a book featuring many of the concert/show images I had taken over the years. After a spirited start, reality set in, and the idea went into the “Maybe someday.” to do file; however, after finding a template where I could build my project at my own pace. Things picked up rapidly. After seeing the right person to pen the books foreward and an incredible editor, I began reaching out to band members and people involved in putting on shows, putting out records, and giving a voice to those who create. The responses and thoughts added much-needed yet previously void of life to both the images and my little project’s purpose. Work continues as I wait for the final images to be digitized and downloadable.
Though things seem to be wrapping up on my side, I know there is still a lot of work to do before figuring out how to submit it to publishers. Here’s to a long wait.

Twenty Bands; Part I (The Brixton Riot)

Canon Lenses, Canon lenses and equipment, Maxwells

My wife has put it in my head that I should get to work on publishing a book. After numerous conversations and shared ideas. We decided it to play it safe by starting with what I know and do best, that being music photography. Noting my special gift in lacking focus and working on numerous projects at the same time. She gave me the simplified task of choosing twenty images from the last four years of shooting live music and occasionally having them in the studio. Simple enough right? Well, in the two weeks that have followed I’ve set two images aside. Slow? Yes, very. However, I’m going on a number of factors when deciding. One factor being the subjects reaction and appreciation of the image.

The image below was taken of The Brixton Riot’s Jerry Lardieri at Maxwell’s during a particularly rewarding benefit show. Since that show I’ve become a big fan of the band as well as a friend of Jerry’s. I hope to finish this “Twenty Bands” project before long. As I continue picking the next nineteen. I hope to share my choices as well as the stories behind them. Feel free to share your feelings on my choices as well as the bands and artists featured. Here we go.

The Brixton Riot

Show and Tell

Beauty, Portraiture

When Audrey arrived for her shoot the other day I had a short list of things I wanted to share with her before we got started. Audrey and I have worked together numerous times and have developed a working partnership that has helped us both to grow and mature over the years. I won’t go as far as speaking for her but I could not have asked for a better canvas. It was five months to the day since we last worked together.

At the time I had just printed a photo book with shots exclusively taken during our prior session. I had been trying to print a few books over the last couple of years but could never make a final decision on the photos or layout. The whole process was maddening to say the very least. So one day in a total fit of consciousness I broke from the normal routine of gathering pictures from various prior shoots and focused on just one. Remarkably, it worked. The pictures hit the pages effortlessly as words flowed like poetry. I had created my first Mac Photo Book in a matter of minutes. Damn, was I proud. When the book arrived I was more than pleased with the quality and theme. Needless to say, I was eager to share it with Audrey and just about anyone else. That day came Audrey and I had another great shoot and parted ways. About five minutes after she left I realized I hadn’t shown her the book. I thought of calling her but didn’t want to sound like a maniac.

So in the hours before Audrey showed up this week I made sure I had the book out and ready to share. As I handed it over to her I watched as she went from page to page. I could see the emotion building up in her. She really, really loved it just as much, if not more than I did. It was a nice moment to say the very least. Having the stuffing hugged out of me was just an added bonus. Knowing that your work has touched someone or moved them emotionally is a reward I can’t quite describe. If someone asks me what I’ll be doing when I’m sixty four or eighty four years old. I’ll look them dead in the eye and say “Im meeting up with Audrey to make some magic.” Thanks to Audrey for always being “The Muse”.