Tysons Corner Center
Photographing musicians while they are performing is one of the most dynamic subjects you can put in front of your lens. In this shoot at Tysons Corner Center, they transformed an open area into a stage where 4 different bands competed. The prize for the competition was to be the opening act for the grand opening of an outdoor space in Tysons Corner later this summer! The bands were diverse in their looks and musical styles making for a great showcase of their talents.
The first band that performed was His Dream of Lions from Fairfax, VA. It can be tough to be the first act out of the gate, but it was no problem for them! They really brought the sound and energy that was needed to get the crowd into the show. For the shoot, I first concentrated on getting photos of the whole group as they performed to show how they arranged themselves on stage, and how they looked from an audience-member perspective.
Battle of the Bands
Once I had a few of those, I changed to a longer lens to get in closer. The lead singer was really giving a great performance. As a band’s front man, you really need to be comfortable in the spotlight, and emote enthusiasm and excitement to the people watching. He was definitely playing to the audience and produced some awesome energy for the crowd.
Once all the settings are dialed into the camera, it is just tracking, and waiting for the right moment to release the shutter. Capturing moments that try to tell the story of the performance takes a little patience. Even though they would only play for one song, you still cannot motor drive with the camera. That only makes for more work later. Wait until the right moment when you will see some dynamic action from the performers, and they will deliver! It was a great start to the show.
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