I see my world below, shooting the Collective Soul concert.

Posted on June 1, 2012 by AgeOwns

Joel Kosche
Shutter: 1/200, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 15mm, ISO: 1600

This has to be one of the best concert experiences of my life. I’m a big Collective Soul fan and I could not wait to simply go to the concert. To be able to shoot it was fudge on the sundae. To make it even more sweet, I was the only photographer there, so I had the whole pit to myself. It was glorious. Because I was the only one shooting, the band made eye contact with me much more, leading to career defining shots like the one above. The audience was great, the music was amazing, and it made every other concert experience leading up to this one worth it.
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Home is shooting Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Posted on May 21, 2012 by AgeOwns

Alex Ebert
Shutter: 1/400, Aperture: f/2.0, Lens: 50mm, ISO: 1600

I’m a big fan of hippie rock act Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (you’ve whistled with their song Home, and heard Janglin in that Ford Fiesta commercial) and I was very excited they were coming to DC. The vibe of the audience was amazing… young, hopeful, and full of love. This is the closest I’ll get to a 60s era love-in. I think I got some photos that reinforce the messianic persona of (the fictional) Edward Sharpe. Click below for more shots and to hear about this evening.

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Black Taxi at DC9

Posted on May 14, 2012 by AgeOwns

Ezra laughs
Shutter: 1/320, Aperture: f/1.4, Lens: 50mm, ISO: 1600

I’m constantly on the look out for great opportunities, and one hit me in the face the other week. Friends of mine have good friends in this band Black Taxi, out of Brooklyn. They were finally coming to play the DC area on their latest tour and they told me I had to check them out. I got credentials to shoot and then showed up a bit before the show to meet lead singer Ezra Huleatt. He turned out to be a really good guy. I wasn’t super familiar with their work or the venue, DC9, but I had a blast. Check out my pics below.

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Model Meet & Greet at Baltimore’s Graffiti Warehouse

Posted on May 14, 2012 by AgeOwns

Prepare to depart.
Shutter: 1/1250, Aperture: f/4.0, Lens: 15mm, ISO: 100

This past Saturday I checked out the Spring Model Meet & Greet at Baltimore’s Graffiti Warehouse. It’s a great artists space with three stories of studios (and a roof and a cool alleyway). You can rent out individual studios, or come by these open houses and just mingle and shoot. I got to work with a lot of different models and hang out with my friend Paul who showed me all kinds of cool things to do in a studio setting. Click below for a lot more shots and see some of the stuff I learned.

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Achievement Unlocked: SLASH

Posted on May 7, 2012 by AgeOwns

SlashShutter:1/250, Aperture: f/1.4, Lens: 50mm, ISO: 1600

If you’ve been reading my concert posts on here, you’ll know that I’ve been aiming to shoot pics of Slash for the last several months. When I first started shooting concerts, my goal at the time was to pinpoint a certain upcoming act and then get permission to shoot photos of that band, regardless of their stature (or mine). I obviously wanted something of a challenge, but I knew it would be more about the resulting photos than anything else. Then they announced that Slash was kicking off his U.S. tour in Baltimore, and I’ve had the blinders on ever since. Read the twisted path that led me to the photo pit three feet away from Slash, and critical mistake I made once I got there. Also, these pictures will melt your damn face off. I’m not lying. I really did it this time.

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Shooting a Fashion Show

Posted on May 3, 2012 by AgeOwns

Waiting
Shutter: 1/125, Aperture: f/1.4, Lens: 50mm, ISO: 400
Chosen as Photo of the Day on WeLoveDC.com

My co-winner from that trip to Africa a few years ago is an instructor at a local Paul Mitchell school for hair design (you should have seen her winning safari video). Last week the school had their second annual fashion show for the future professionals to show off their best designs to family, friends and potential prospects. I of course jumped at the chance to shoot something new. (Especially when it featured over 100 models). I’ve never shot a runway show before and it certainly came with it’s own challenges. Click below for more shots.

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The Cheaters in Gaithersburg

Posted on May 1, 2012 by AgeOwns

In Blue
Shutter: 1/200, Aperture: f/1.4, Lens: 50mm, ISO: 1600

I swung by Growlers a week ago and shot The Cheaters, an up and coming Baltimore based rock band. They’ve done some high profile local events and I was anxious to check them out. They knew what they’re doing as they rocked us out on 4/20. It wasn’t quite so challenging getting kick-ass shots of these guys as they were really into their music and had some great stage presence. Click below for more pics.

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The Beatles First U.S. Concert was here

Posted on April 24, 2012 by AgeOwns

Exterior
Shutter: 1/800, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 15mm, ISO: 100

On February 11, 1964 the Beatles played their first ever U.S. concert at the Washington Coliseum (aka Uline Arena) right near Union Station. The building still stands, but it’s now used as a covered parking lot for DC commuters. Most of the seats are gone, but a few remnants can still be spotted if you can get in with a camera. As I’m embedding myself more into photographing the DC rock scene, I thought I could stop by and pay tribute to this rock and roll relic, right in our backyard. Click below for more pics and historical video.

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Mmmm, Bacon

Posted on April 23, 2012 by AgeOwns

Smiling in the spotlight
Shutter: 1/500, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 70-200mm, ISO: 1600

I’m now one step away from Kevin Bacon, so I can win that Six Degrees game. The Bacon Brothers were at the Birchmere in Alexandria VA last week and I got up and personal to get some pics. This was my first time at the Birchmere, it’s a dinner-theater style seating arrangement, and it presented its own challenges. This is one of my favorite concert portraits now. I love how the spotlights are casting such an unusual shadow and crazy colors, but it’s still unmistakably Kevin Bacon. A ton more pics below.

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Nada Surf!

Posted on April 17, 2012 by AgeOwns

From above
Shutter: 1/125, Aperture: f/1.4, Lens: 50mm, ISO: 1600

90′s Alt band Nada Surf came to 9:30 Club in Washington DC. I had a great time shooting as they were having a blast up on stage. Click below for more pics!

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Shuttle Fly By!

Posted on April 17, 2012 by AgeOwns

Coming home
Shutter: 1/640, Aperture: f/8.0, Lens 70-200mm, ISO: 100

Update: one of the photos was featured on DCist.com

The Shuttle Discovery flew over top of downtown Washington DC this morning on its way to the Smithsonian’s Air & Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center. There was a public access rooftop right near my office so I grabbed my 70-200mm and went to the top. I got a couple of cool shots, and saved them at 1440px wide, so they’re suitable for desktop wallpaper too. I know this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and there will be no more shuttle launches, but nonetheless, I’ll share my shooting tips for the next time there’s air spectacle and you’re shooting into a sunny sky.

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Feed Me!

Posted on April 13, 2012 by AgeOwns

Red berry blast
Shutter: 1/25, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 15mm Fisheye, ISO: 1600

Dubstep superstar Feed Me brought his amazing video array Teeth to the party last weekend at 9:30 Club. Check out my pics below.

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Growlers is Dead plays Gaithersburg

Posted on April 10, 2012 by AgeOwns

Beams
Shutter:1/100, Aperture: f/1.4, Lens: 50mm, ISO: 1600

Thursday night I swung back to my favorite pub Growlers to shoot a local band before gearing up for the Feed Me concert on Sunday. Growlers is Dead is a night of Grateful Dead songs and a lot of jammin’. The atmosphere was laid back and very friendly. As I feel that I’m very comfortable with the settings I need shooting at this venue, I set a goal for myself. I wanted to get a fairly kick-ass picture of each member of the band individually if I could. This presents several challenges. Click below to see how I did.

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Katniss with a faux sunset

Posted on April 1, 2012 by AgeOwns

Stalking her prey
Shutter: 1/100, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 70-200mm, ISO: 160
My wife is a big fan of the movie/book The Hunger Games, and a lot of her students said she resembled protagonist Katniss. We wanted to get a cool studio-lit shot out in the woods. We weren’t trying to directly replicate a specific shot from the movie, I just wanted this shot to look as intentional and professional as I could. Click to read more about setting up this shot. Continue reading →

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Shooting Fiona Apple

Posted on March 31, 2012 by AgeOwns

Edged in green
Shutter: 1/250, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 70-200mm, ISO: 1600

Fiona Apple performed at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue earlier this week. Though it’s been awhile since she toured, she still had the energy and passion she’s known for. The venue offered some of its own challenges. Check out my pics and tips below.

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Fatboy Slim is in DC

Posted on March 26, 2012 by AgeOwns

Fatboy in the house
Shutter: 1/60, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 15mm Fisheye, ISO: 1600

Fatboy Slim was spinning in DC and I had to be there. I used to DJ in college and I even introduced my sleepy college town to the wonderful stylings of Norman Cook. All in all, this was one of my top concerts ever. He had the crowd pumping the entire time, and I got shots I was very excited about. As I was reviewing my pics, I kept thinking “Oh my God” as I couldn’t help but snag keeper after keeper. Click below for more pics

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Who needs Cherry Blossoms? Here are some lovely peaches

Posted on March 21, 2012 by AgeOwns

Peach blossoms
Shutter: 1/2500, Aperture: f/3.2, Lens: 50mm, ISO Speed: 100

I live in the DC area and everyone is talking about the Cherry Blossoms. They bloomed this week (it’s a bit early due to the mild winter) and the Official Cherry Blossom festival has begun. That means a million extra tourists, most of them toting kit lenses, are trying to get awesome shots of the cherry blossoms. I got sick of the crowds so I drove a bit out of town and found this peach tree orchard. They blossomed this week too, but I had the whole orchard to myself. I strapped on the 50mm f/1.4 and looked for some interesting shots.

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Shooting Ringling Bros

Posted on March 18, 2012 by AgeOwns

Vertical
Shutter: 1/640, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 70-200mm, ISO: 1600

I covered the Ringling Bros last week. I love the opportunity to get photojournalist style photos of what’s going on, but also get portraits of spectacular human achievement. Click below to see my pics and some tips on shooting an event like the circus.

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Some updates and a great week

Posted on March 12, 2012 by AgeOwns

I overhauled my Events Portfolio with new images and added an auto-sniffer that will direct you to the mobile site if you visit the address on your smartphone. Try it! ageowns.com/events.


I also had an incredible week. Within the span of a week, I shot the Experience Hendrix tour, those photos were featured on the official Tour website, as well as my favorite new concert site, DCDecibel.com, on their blog. One band is paying me for a set of photos I shot of them, and another band asked me to come out and shoot their upcoming show (but alas they were in NY, and I could not get up there this weekend). Right now I’m getting ready to shoot the Ringling Bros circus later this week, and I’m hanging in there to hear if I get credentials for two different shows the following week.


Follow me on Twitter to stay afloat of my updates.


Never stop shooting.

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‘Scuse me while I kiss this guy. Photographing the Experience Hendrix Tour

Posted on March 7, 2012 by AgeOwns

Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Shutter: 1/320, Aperture: f/2.8, Lens: 70-200mm, ISO: 1600

Last night I got to cover the Experience Jimi Hendrix show at the Strathmore Concert Hall in Bethesda. It was an amazing night of legendary guitarists coming together and playing timeless Hendrix tunes. If you have any love at all for Rock, you would dig this show. Check out my pics below and see what I learned.

UPDATE: These photos are featured on the official Experience Hendrix Tour Gallery and on the DCDecibel.com blog.

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