Comments for Photo Reserve, Inc.

Comment on Responses from the Elmore article by Heather Harris

Heather Harris — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:40:58 +0000

I do not occupy your lofty tier, but have been photographing music and musicians as a pro for forty years with a lot of recognition. Given the noose tightening around our collective professional necks, I finally concluded I mainly would jump through those hoops of the music I actually admired (although given the right incentives from anyone, I’m easy.)

It’s difficult to explain how stultifying the restrictions are to those outside our field. My attempts are a trifle more casual than yours, such as http://fastfilm1.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-banned-photography.html but no less heartfelt. The music industry has sabotaged its own future legacy. Thanks for being an articulate voice to the emperor that he remains unclad.

Comment on Kill Notice! by Steven A. Richards

Steven A. Richards — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 23:45:54 +0000

Paul, you might remember a few years ago you and I had a few telephone conversations about these same issues. You had these arguments and I only had raw ambition (ahh, now you remember?) Well, I agree with most of what you say now, having been burned by the music industry and the loss of respect for true photographic talent (not that I propose that I have any).

Ok, so here’s the dilemma (or at least one). If I don’t have photographic talent, I do have a good eye and serious ambition. I can capture true raw energy from a performer, and I get tremendous satisfaction from it. I have a few good shots and most have never been seen because the subjects are not yet “famous”. I have lots of fun at the “cover band” level because I enjoy the music and the energy level is higher from the bands because they are mostly “semi-amateurs” and want to be famous.

The problem is this: Cover bands and those yet-to-be famous — the ones with the real energy and enthusiasm in the performances — don’t make enough money to afford my services, although they “need” my images to help propel themselves into fame.

So, I continue to try to work with these up-and-coming bands and help them promote themselves by “donating” occasional images to them. And in the meantime I keep my little stash of images (now 300,000), and wonder about the future of these bands and of my business.

Is your advice any different now?

Comment on Four shows in four nights!! by Jill Kettles

Jill Kettles — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:07:01 +0000

Paul I hear ya. I used to take photos up until about 1996 and I stopped. Digital came out it and I saw it floating away myself back then. So, I just shot friends and hubby’s band in much smaller clubs. I remember taking shots at the Roxy of the Ramones, being sandwiched next to the speaker (on volume 11) and the fence and then crowd. Found 50 bucks after that show. The security took care of me in the trenches – it was nice.
But in a way I see both sides: I know that the first 3 songs/no flash were in place when I took shots of the Black Crowes in 1995. I got it, too much distraction the band could ‘see’ you etc… I also understand their reaction to the cell phone camera crap now. It’s all about the music, and we as photogs were capturing pieces of it to show off the performer. I think performers are seeing alot slip away nowadays with youtube, royalities, iTunes etc… that they are getting paranoid. I’ve always loved taking concert shots. Had a few show up around town etc and CD covers so I was never able to see anything bigger than that. I loved getting the looks/the moves/the different imagery with lights – it was a crap shoot alot of times. And now I won’t even try. The art aspect is gone to me, the peformers are tired of the cell phone cameras, and they will take them away. To quote my hubby, quoting a convo between John Mellancamp and his lighting guy, “no one whistles the light show.”

Comment on A recap by Jean-Christophe ARAV

Jean-Christophe ARAV — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 13:14:36 +0000

Hi,
just found your blog, and the review you did in Elmore, august 2011.
A good thing is that the sun is actually shining outside my window, as I try recovering from so much accurate bitterness and longing for a time when stage photographers were allowed to make their job with passion, and their work was praised and cherished. From my little experience it’s hard today, but having not lived in the “golden times”, I continue to be fed (intellectually only, most of the time) by the unique expression sometimes offered to my eye. To live from stage pictures is hard, even in a small country like mine (switzerland), but I will continue up to just before the moment when I would not love my subjects any more. I hope that I will give you a bit of my young+crazy optimism with this comment and that you might visit Europe’s scene, where nice blues festivals still exist (see my website for names), and maybe we’ll meet in front of a nice sweating genuine bluesman! All the best in the meantime. Jean-Christophe

Comment on A recap by Mike Sullivan

Mike Sullivan — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:19:11 +0000

Excellent story, Paul. It is sad what has become of the photojournalist industry. I am one of the unlucky ones that just started doing music photography recently with all these restrictions in place. I, unfortunately, do shoot the first 3 songs, but I have my own limits to what I will put up with. I refuse to ever sign away any of my rights for my photos. I will not shoot from the back of a venue or soundboard. I also won’t waste my time shooting if it is less than 3 songs. It seems like most artists (or their management) want to be treated like royalty, but the fact is without the media covering them they would be nothing but a garage band. I wish I had the freedoms that you, Jim Marshall and the other greats had back in the day. I could only imagine the creative freedoms you all had. Much respect to all of you!

Comment on A recap by Richard Derk / Picture Editor, Los Angeles Times

Richard Derk / Picture Editor, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:34:32 +0000

Well Paul, it’s sad to see the good old days recede as fast as our hairlines. You are correct that people who work for a non-living wage only destroy their own futures. It’s also true that there is a lack of quality in much of the digital flotsam about today. It’s always been about relationships that develop over time, over multiple assignments. The only time I’m OK with getting older is when I realize that the time I came up in, newspaper wars in Chicago, access to do good work etc. were thrilling times. Good work and people are still about but there’s a lot of undergrowth to cut through.

Comment on Some reading material by Rob Grabowski

Rob Grabowski — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 04:57:57 +0000

Paul your shot of Ozzy and Randy goes along with any of the greatest, not only rock n roll shots, but any iconic shots of all time. When some mentions Ozzy/Rhodes this photo is automatically the image that pops into everyone’s head like the shot of Bobby Orr in mid air after scoring the winning goal or Ali standing over Liston. The count could go on but, I remember seeing this photo back when I was in school. I won’t date myself, but this photo was a part of growing up for me and it still has the same affect many years later when I see it.
Even cooler now is knowing the guy who took the photo!