Last night was the South Park Walkabout, when all the shops and restaurants celebrate by bringing in bands and staying open late. I took a quick look around, visited some of my photos on the walls at the South Park Abbey (formerly the South Park Bar and Grill), and went to see the Mashtis, finally.

Click on a photo to go to the full gallery.



I thought they'd be playing on the street somewhere, but it was actually a house party put on by one of the guys in Black Hondo, I think.  Being right in the middle of all the action, Itai and co. had a nice crowd gathered for most of their set, with even more people walking past.



With zero light on the band and a fence right in front of them, I was forced to shoot the band with creative use of camera position and flash. I usually like to shoot from a low angle for the compositional advantages and to just stay out of an audience's way, but that was not going to happen here. Sorry to anyone I might have annoyed.



I run into Itai every now and then at shows and we've had some nice chats about photography and music. He gave his new camera to his dad as a birthday present, but hopefully we'll get a chance to shoot together when he gets another real camera. Ya know, a Canon.



The music is straightforward rock with two vocalists. Erica sings more than just straight backups, so it's almost like having twin vocals.



Attractive women are the most difficult for me to shoot. I set the bar higher for myself when editing their photos because I want that beauty to shine through with no distractions. The pose, facial expression, foreground, and background all need to achieve a harmony that enhances the face without distractions. In a standard portrait session, the photographer has a lot of control over these things. In a live gig situation, I just need to be ready to see it and react when the moment is right. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't, but it's always fun to try.



Just like in music, comedy, and countless other creative endeavors, timing is everything.




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