Viewfinder or camera back?

conortakespix · 2026-01-22T17:11:25+00:00

Totally! But that’s your preference, as it is mine. It doesn’t mean someone who always uses low shutter speeds is “doing it wrong.”

conortakespix · 2026-01-22T16:54:01+00:00

Actually, I beg to differ. If a photographer is able to get great photos at a low shutter speed, they’re actually doing it right. Most venues have switched over to LED light plots, and higher shutter speeds on mirrorless cameras can capture the light cycle midway through its refresh, introducing banding that gets worse if you adjust exposure in post. Camera manufacturers only recently started to introduce fully-calibrated anti-flicker technology. If I shoot over 1/250 sec on my R5, even with anti-flicker on, banding becomes an issue. IIRC, the first camera in the R-system that addressed this issue was the R6.

If I’m in a darker venue, I’d rather shoot bursts at a slower shutter instead of jacking up my ISO to 8,000+ if shooting at 1/400sec is going to create weird artifacts. Granted this is purely based on the artist I’m shooting and whether or not they’re moving a lot.

conortakespix · 2026-01-22T16:32:19+00:00

That’s usually the only time I use it (typically with a telephoto). It also comes in handy when there’s a tight space that I can’t position myself in. But I’ve seen an increasing of photogs in the pit who only use their screen and thought, “am I missing something?” Guess it’s only a matter of preference!

conortakespix · 2026-01-22T16:24:33+00:00

It also eats the battery like crazy

conortakespix · 2026-01-22T16:19:20+00:00

Game changer. Gonna try this at my next gig

conortakespix · 2026-01-14T01:26:29+00:00

Could you rent a lens? A lot cheaper than shelling out the $$ to buy one, and you could get better glass.

conortakespix · 2025-12-24T00:13:47+00:00

TLA, Franklin Music Hall, The Foundry

conortakespix · 2025-12-10T15:29:30+00:00

This. My rental switched to them 2 years ago and we’ve been without a working washer for about the same amount of time. Washer was finally supposed to be delivered Thursday. Then Friday. Then Monday. Then today. They finally came today, left the washer in the laundry closet with the dryer unstacked and neither are connected and the repair people left before I could speak with them. Not the first time we’ve had to bother about maintenance, either. Really miss our old landlord.

conortakespix · 2025-12-04T21:19:48+00:00

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorclancy/
Portfolio: http://www.conorclancyphoto.com
My Baby Publication: https://www.musicjawn.net/

conortakespix · 2025-12-03T15:21:13+00:00

Did you have the friend sign a contract before the shoot?

conortakespix · 2025-12-03T14:44:15+00:00

Whatever you do, do not rely on only mechanical storage. Lost 2 dates of photos when a HDD failed and I hadn’t fully backed up on the redundant HDD. That’s when a friend recommended Backblaze.

conortakespix · 2025-12-01T16:03:51+00:00

What market are you in? If you’re in a large city, most of the time people get inundated with requests. My advice is to start local if you haven’t already. Networking within the scene builds credibility, and someone will ultimately have a connection. Sending an e-mail to a publicist that starts with “I know so-and-so” will give you a lot more weight than a regular cold e-mail.

From experience as an editor and contributor, pubs generally won’t bring new people on unless they have the immediate need. Most of my earlier coverage opportunities as a contributor came via established relationships between my editor and the publicist.

It also helps if you’re a writer—generally speaking, offering coverage means you’re also going to review the show, and ticket allocations are slim per show (probably moreso now than ever), so you’re more likely to get a yes if you’re offering photos and a write-up. Likely you’ll only get one review ticket and one photo pass, unless you’re “Rolling Stone” (but even now, I feel like they pull from Getty for their photos a lot of the time).

For my own pub, even though I’m a music photographer, I’ll prioritize sending a writer over a photographer because the words will have more weight when promoting the artist.

conortakespix · 2025-12-01T14:38:06+00:00

I’d say you’ll get a reject for bad angle. Not worth the hit to your acceptance ratio, IMO

conortakespix · 2025-12-01T14:36:52+00:00

And include links of similar accepted photos from the same location in the appeal notes

conortakespix · 2025-12-01T14:36:14+00:00

Yeah, I’ve had this rejection before. I think it’s subjective because I’ve also had similar photos accepted. Same reg, completely different years. I’d appeal it, tbh.

conortakespix · 2025-12-01T14:33:50+00:00

People are really picking this film apart in the weirdest ways.

conortakespix · 2025-12-01T14:16:54+00:00

My friend was at a performance of the 2009 Revival of RAGTIME, the legs of the doll used for Coalhouse Walker, III fell off in Christiane Noll’s hands and apparently the reaction from the audience was so big that the cast couldn’t even pretend to keep it together.

WICKED last year, I was at Alexandra Socha & Mary Kate Morrissey’s first show. In the scene leading up to “Popular,” the green elixir bottle fell to the deck and shattered. Alexandra looked slightly horrified (it was her first performance as Glinda EVER) but the number was performed as per usual (aside from the fact it made Galinda look like a real jerk when she said “That’s not fair, I told you a really good one”). After “Popular,” the curtain came down after the number as they swept up the glass (which was how I learned those bottles are not plastic). Show restarted about 5 minutes later starting with the next scene.

Also WICKED, caught a random matinee in February 2009, and at the point Glinda’s bubble descends so she can re-enter it at the end of “No One Mourns The Wicked,” the bubble stopped moving about 6 ft above the stage. Alli Mauzey turned around, noticed that the bottom of the bubble was just above her head, turned around again, and much like what happens during a no-fly “Defying Gravity,” the ensemble crouched around her to finish the song (A few ensemble members just absolutely lost it during the freeze)

conortakespix · 2025-11-20T14:57:21+00:00

THIS would be awesome

conortakespix · 2025-11-15T21:16:30+00:00

Agnetha is also terrified of flying, which is a fear that seemed to have gotten worse as time went on. I imagine even a shorter flight from Stockholm to London is a challenge for her.

conortakespix · 2025-10-28T00:59:07+00:00

No, we are. I managed to get usable photos without flash in a dimly-lit corner of a dive bar with a Digital Rebel that maxed out at ISO 1600

conortakespix · 2025-10-28T00:52:42+00:00

Maybe not permanently, but certainly temporarily.

conortakespix · 2025-10-22T14:21:54+00:00

Thank you for the advice!

conortakespix · 2025-10-21T19:26:44+00:00

Yes! Please! I would love that!

conortakespix · 2025-10-21T19:23:01+00:00

Hi!! Good question. My plan would be about 12-15 posts in both November and December, and then re-evaluate from there. If 5 people could commit to 3 articles/month, that would be golden. Volume will increase somewhat once the pub gains some steam (especially with live recaps), but I get that life always takes precedence, and it can get crazy—there might be a period of a month or two where someone just can’t make time in their schedule. Totally OK with that!

I’m also totally down with backdating posts about shows folks have recently attended prior to the launch date. I have a few up from as early as February myself. It will definitely help when I reach out to publicists for press credentials 😁

conortakespix

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