Happy Independence Day to everyone. So this blog is about shooting my first concert this past Saturday night. My friend Chad Moreno is a seasoned and talented Concert/Events Photographer. He asked if I’d like to come shoot with him at The Panorama Music House in Lake Charles. Louisiana legends - Choke and Dash Rip Rock were on the stage for the night so my eyes and ears were overjoyed for the opportunity. My beer of choice for the night was “Modelo”. I drank in moderation…I wanted to have fun but also wanted the night to be about the photography and get some banger shots. Now I know my skills are good enough but I lack the experience of shooting up close at a concert and I’m not sure about the etiquette/do’s and don’ts when it comes to getting on stage so all my shots were from the front and side of the stage. One of the things that I didn’t like was the purple/magenta stage lights. I don’t like the way it looks on the band members skin and is hard to edit. Some of those shots if it’s a banger will become a black and white edit. The Music: I’ve seen Choke a bunch of times…I’ve known the singer Tracy for many years and my buddy Charlie Frye (guitar) has been in the band for a long time but is currently on a sabbatical. Choke unveiled their new guitar player…a guy named Dane Sonnier (Galactic Cowboys). Choke’s set was pretty tight and to me, the venue and soundman was on point. All instruments and vocals were at just the right levels for a good clean sound. The Photography: I just kind of rolled with it and blasted away with the shutter button on my camera. There are settings on a professional camera that will determine the quality of your photos. The rest is up to the photographer’s eye for focus points and composition of the shot. My main concern was which lenses to bring with me/use and to pay attention to my camera settings. Choke’s set went by super fast for me…I had fun. In the end…I wanted some cool/creative photos that the band and their fans would love. Between myself and Chad’s photos…I’d say we made a bad ass tandem. Dash Rip Rock: Even if you aren’t real familiar with their music…when they start playing…you realize this isn’t your basic local band. “Bill Davis” the singer/guitar player is one bad mother trucking musician/front man. I took a handful of pics and said to myself “you need to sit back and watch these guys play”….and I did. The night was great and I appreciate my friend Chad asking me to tag along. It was a great opportunity for me to work on my hobby and learn. Thanks for reading the blog.