Photography December 2012

It’s been a year of weddings, nostalgia, resolutions and it has been an interesting hectic year. 
I continue to love music photography but I am more selective these days about gigs I cover as I have other priorities. This year was quiet for bigger artists for me – well in 2011 I saw Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and not much can compare with that!
 
Weddings. I shot a beautiful wedding up at Fasque house in Perthshire. A perfect day, a lovely couple and a fun learning experience.

Music and Royal Albert Hall. I continue to shoot occasionally at my local folk club. Along side this bigger concerts. It was my delight and pleasure to take photos of Emeli Sande at the Albert hall London at her gig there in November. It’s a venue I never dreamed of going to never mind taking photos at.

Festivals. This year at Celtic the highlight was the Gerry Rafferty Remembered concert organised by Rab Noakes. Rafferty was a truly great Scottish singer songwriter (Stealers Wheel, Bakers Street, Stuck in the Middle With You and much more) who sadly died in 2011. As always the Transatlantic Session proved the value of a great band and excellent musicianship.

Edinburgh Book festival, I particularly enjoyed Nile Rodgers talk as he strummed his guitar. Rodgers has written songs for some of the greats – Bowie, Madonna, Michael Jackson,and more.

Scottish Music. I’m so proud of the Scottish folk artists. Some have recently passed, sadly Michael Marra and there is a concert for him at Celtic 2013. It is also good to follow the new artists coming up such as Biffy Clyro and Karine Polwart.

 Scottish Singer Songwriters
*Emeli Sande.  It’s hard to know what to say. I have followed Emeli’s career for five years and to be there to see her take over the Albert hall stage this November was quite emotional for me, so I can only imagine what this year has meant for her. She sang the most moving moment at the Olympic opening ceremony with a haunting refined and breath taking version of the Welsh song Abide With Me.  Her single Heaven was her first hit song – she also sings of Wonder, Next To Me, My Kind of Love. It certainly has been her path in life to sing for us.

We have a lot to be proud of with Scottish music today – it seems as healthy and creative as ever. I enjoy seeing the traditional along with the newer pop sounds. We have many talented and popular ceilidh bands and also singer songwriters with character and depth. I might even hope with Scottish independence young musicians might feel they don’t have to head to London to record and write. Alongside our creativity we might feel the confidence we once had to realise we are as good today as we were in the Enlightenment. 

Quote: There’s Love in this world for everyone, Every precious smile you make, Be sure love is out there looking for you.'   Michael Marra

 *Michael Marra. He Paints With Words. Sadly quirky and humorous and sometimes poignant artist Michael Marra passed away in November 2012. I have seen him live several times and the last time at Milngavie Folk club in 2011. I wondered he didn’t look so well in the photos. At the sound check he set his keyboards on an ironing board. I will never forget his singing Robert Burn’s Green Grown the Rashes O at his concert at Mugdock theatre in 2007. He returned again in 2008 when I was lucky enough to meet and chat with him and where he signed one of my prints. He said he enjoyed playing in the small theatre with its semi-circle of tiered seats and grand piano. He looks so frail when he first comes on stage but then he lit up the venue with his deep gravelly voice - with his endearing manner and ironic dry wit, Marra sang his medley of songs which are full of unforgettable characters and images of place and time. Mugdock was a perfect venue for him and he held  the audience in the palm of his hands. I’m not sure I have ever been so engrossed at a live gig. Songs. Kelly's Visit to Dundee,' 'Muggie Shaw', 'Freda Kohl's Visit to the Tay Bridge Bar', and 'Lonesome Death of Francis Clarke', 'Schenectady Calling'.

Photography Inspirations

I first got inspired by photography through the amazing images in Life magazine, Vogue and later in Vanity Fair. I can’t remember exactly when, but I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t drawing either fashion, ballet or portraits. I took Art as a subject for Higher and won the Art prize (to my surprise). I particularly enjoyed pencil sketching portraits of my friend Laura. I was also always writing poems and stories in notebooks, it was my way to make sense of the world.

For many years I had little time for art or writing due to work and family commitments. By accident eight years ago I took my first steps in photography at a venue in London. I captured a few interesting shots with a small disposable camera (!) and I realised much of good

photography is about having a good eye for it while of course good equipment is like having good tools! I discovered when I got my first SLR in 2006 that professional photography  required numerous technical skills to understand how the lens and camera worked and that using automatic is not an option to have more control over good results and difficult lighting conditions.

One of the hardest skills in photography is the organisation and editing of work.   

Organisation is key. Probably the hardest skill of all is learning to sort and select images quickly, and recognizing what makes a portfolio image. I discovered that 'in camera' selection was very important. And the Big Question – what makes those portfolio images? Some photos might be good but they don’t have that magic quality in them. I also worked very hard at making contacts and studying how the photography business worked and looking at others work.

While I enjoy street and nature photography, my main passion is music and portrait  photography. I aim to take flattering images which in my mind is the skill of a good photographer. I hope I have an artistic instinct for flattering angles, light and the use of soft light.

My Music Photography

Music is the reason I do photography, music is my passion.

I started out taking small venues and local festivals. My particular interest is Scottish singer songwriters. In 2007 to 2009 I took photos of several up and coming artists here. I received good feedback on my work – I had requests for the use of my images for promotional purposes, I was invited to a live album shoot in Manchester, and I was thrilled to receive a call from no less than the manager for Emeli Sande for a photoshoot.

The two big events for me continue to be Celtic Connections Glasgow and Edinburgh Book Festival. I first took at Celtic in 2008.

What next? To develop printing techniques and my main focus on mono (black and white) images. To submit more and to work more on the business side. To take more photo shoots hopefully. To hope for those magic images!  To paint.

There is really not enough time. 

And it really does take much more than a thousand hours.

Emerging artists I have photographed who are now signed to major labels - Emeli Sande, Hurts, Warpaint, Everything Everything, James Blake, Admiral Fallow, Metronomy, Head and Heart, Broken Records, Miles Kane, Low Anthem, more. A live album shoot in Manchester for Kirsty McGee and Mat Martin.

Emeli Sande has been working on her music since 2007 when she was commuting weekends to London. She left medical school after obtaining a medical a degree for a Publishing deal in 2008. Most wont' realise the work that has gone in before reaching the stage she's at now with her platinum selling album 'Our Version of Events'. David Sneddon has also been working behind the scenes on his song writing since 2004. He's had many preconceived hurdles to overcome, but finally this year he has over come them at long long last and he has received recognition for his songs on several number one selling albums.

PHOTOS August 2012

Year of resolutions. 

Edinburgh Festival coming up soon.

PKImage Musicfootnotes BLOG -  I’m very encouraged with the successes of some of my blogs and the number of hits has increased greatly this year with some blogs at several thousand hits.  http://www.musicfootnotes.com/

I am busy with weddings. I’ve cut back a lot on things as simply too busy. Writing a lot. We are getting a puppy though! Ahhh!

Music 2012. Dougie McLean was wonderful and I recommend checking out his Resolutions album.

There has been the best news of the artists I follow this year.

Emeli Sande. I have followed Emeli's career since her launch gig Oran Mor Glasgow Dec 2007. Her debut album 'Our Version of Events' now double Platinum!  There are many photos and; reviews on my site. 

Emeli Sande gigs this year were magic and it was wonderful to see her successes this year - she sang at the Old Fruitmarket and the Olympic torch Relay George Square, which were both exciting to cover. Her album Our Version of Events has wonderful songs. Behind the scenes Emeli has put in a great deal of time and effort to get where she is now with her music studying medicine at university and her weekend trips to London for her music.  Emeli's album has gone double platinum and she plays the Albert Hall in November! 

Blogs –  Lana Del Reys next single National Anthem -  

http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2012/05/lana-del-reys-next-single-national.html

George Harrison’s Songs brought the sun and the Stars -

http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2012/04/george-harrison-all-things-must-pass.html

Gerry Rafferty - http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2011/10/gerry-rafferty.html

Bob Dylan Braehead Arena  - http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2011/11/bob-dylan-braehead-arena-glasgow-9th.html

Emeli Sande Photos 2006 to 2011 - http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2012/03/emeli-sande-photos-2006-to-2011.html

Dylan Forever Young Tribute Concert -http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2011/01/dylan-forever-young-tribute-concert-at.html

Emeli Sande king Tuts - http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2010/12/emeli-sande-king-tuts-15th-november.html

Edinburgh festival is one of the best things I do each year -  and I had a wedding shoot and hen party too in August. We are excited for our oldest son’s Alex’s wedding and its not long now either (end September) Pauline

Web: http://pkimage.co.uk/

PHOTOS April 2012

So far 2012 has been a hectic year. Celtic in January was as much fun as ever. The highlight was the Gerry Rafferty concert which had sold out two nights at the concert hall – an audience full of Rafferty fans! The concert was led by fellow Humblebums band member Rab Noakes and his daughter Martha Rafferty. The concert was shown on BBC tv – you can even see me taking photos at the start of the Proclaimers set, fame at last!

I also took photos of several younger folk artists – Kris Drever, Manran, Fred Morrison. Thea Gilmore, Canadians Madison Violet.                                                                                                                                              

Emeli Sande, who I’ve followed since 2007, released her debut album Our Version Of Events to good reviews and was also no I in the UK album charts. Emeli plays her Glasgow gig April 10^th at the Old Fruitmarket which I expect will be a very fun event for her. I spoke with Emeli at her King Tuts gig 2011.

Viking Galaxy are still busy in the studio rehearsing. They played a gig at 13^th Note Glasgow in March.

My Musicfootnotes BLOG has started to receive a good deal of interest with all the recent news with the number of hits increasing dramatically – mostly from America. (Emeli, David, Lana, Rafferty concert)

My Musicnotes PHOTO blog also gets interest. I need to send out prints.

My writing continues to go well and I am still inspired. I am taking a lot less images this year and therefore stepping back to ponder angles and reflections. I know that my writing and my photography keep improving so that’s the important thing.

And PS

Paying for Music! In my view its a moral issue here to pay for music, and people in general, especially those who can afford to should support the Arts. The exception is when a musician puts out some music to promote themselves.  We don’t expect gigs to be free after all.