"Wanna Take A Shot!?"
Concert Photography with Miel y Fuego
Take Kare @ The Paramount 2023
Who is Miel y Fuego?
Miel y Fuego @ Skies For Miles 2023
- We are Alba Castro and Jonathan Perez, A collaborative photographic duo based in LA.
- We bought a camera and started shooting together in 2018
Our Camera
- Nikon D5300
- Nikkor 18 - 55mm & Nikkor 50mm
Camera Settings
Weapons of Mass Creation @ Eastside Luv 2018
- Aperture Priority: Great for low lighting situations. *F.Stop 1.5 - 5 provide great blurry backgrounds.
- Burst Mode vs Single Shots: Burst mode is great for capturing action shots and selecting from a variety of sequences; Single shots allow me to focus on the musician's dynamism and the surrounding details.
- Auto Focus vs Manual Focus: Auto focus mode allows one to focus on the subject and composition. Manual mode adds an extra degree of focus, control, and a challenge in capturing the subject. Each provide their own pros and cons.
- Portrait Lens vs Wide Angle Lens: Portrait lenses create great focal pieces while Wide Angle Lens can cover larger groups of people on the stage.
- *It helps to take a few sample shots and check the photos during the performance to see what they look like. It might take time away from taking more photos but it helps in making sure the settings look good.
Approaches and Styles of Shooting
Alba and Jona @ Non Plus Ultra;
Photo by Josue Castro
Gvmby @ Renovation At The Steps 2022
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Rebekah @ Renovation At The Steps 2022
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- We scope out the venue and try to think of some angles to capture.
- Don't be afraid to move around to find different angles and experiment!
- Our Styles of Shooting: Machine Gunning It vs a more slower, meditative approach.
- Crowd awareness: Be respectful and politely ask people if you may pass. Everyone is trying to enjoy the show! :)
- Try not to block other people's points of view and move around from time to time to allow other people and photographers to see.
- Smaller audiences are great for moving around and trying different angles. Bigger audiences offer less flexibility but encourages focus and determination.
- Nesting can get you focused on the right shot.
- Worst case, Crab walk!
- Sometimes unexpected things happen and you just go with it!
Composition
Frameways @ The Glasshouse 2023
Frameways @ The Glasshouse 2023
"Composition: the nature of something's ingredients or constituents; the way in which a whole or mixture is made up." Dictionary.com
"Composition is the way in which different elements of an artwork are combined or arranged." Riseart.com
AC - a feeling of balance -- of spatial, synergetic, conscious harmony.
It's hard to put composition into words when it's more of a feeling for me... sometimes I do have a conscious notion of how I am framing the performer, their surroundings, and background stage elements; other times the composing happens subconsciously while I focus on the performer(s) and their movements.
The way we approach composition changes in every show we shoot, we just have to remain flexible, with an open mind and adapt to every performer's expressive action! This photographic practice really keeps us on our toes!!
JP - I just go with the flow and let my eyes guide the way... There are so many things happening at a show at the same time. There are moments where a performer can stand still and I have the ability to move the camera around, find the right angle, and compose the best shot. Other times, the energy is electric, and I just shoot, acting on intuition and instinct, capturing the mayhem and only finding out what came out after!
Sometimes it's just about being at the right place at the right time!
*A lot of it comes from experimenting and practice. I also take photos in video games using photo mode and find it helps with trying out new things!
"Composition is the way in which different elements of an artwork are combined or arranged." Riseart.com
AC - a feeling of balance -- of spatial, synergetic, conscious harmony.
It's hard to put composition into words when it's more of a feeling for me... sometimes I do have a conscious notion of how I am framing the performer, their surroundings, and background stage elements; other times the composing happens subconsciously while I focus on the performer(s) and their movements.
The way we approach composition changes in every show we shoot, we just have to remain flexible, with an open mind and adapt to every performer's expressive action! This photographic practice really keeps us on our toes!!
JP - I just go with the flow and let my eyes guide the way... There are so many things happening at a show at the same time. There are moments where a performer can stand still and I have the ability to move the camera around, find the right angle, and compose the best shot. Other times, the energy is electric, and I just shoot, acting on intuition and instinct, capturing the mayhem and only finding out what came out after!
Sometimes it's just about being at the right place at the right time!
*A lot of it comes from experimenting and practice. I also take photos in video games using photo mode and find it helps with trying out new things!
Frameways @ The Glasshouse 2023
The Feel,
Moods, and Emotions
Astral Jubillee @ Non Plus Ultra 2022
Doll Klaw @ The Lash 2021
The atmosphere around a band, at a show, in a venue, and through out the audience can make a huge difference! Our moods and feelings can have an effect on the session and that's okay!
AC - It is SO MUCH MORE than just capturing the performer/musician’s emotionality, it is about letting your Self be guided by what sparks your eye…by the powerful potency of a musician baring their soul on stage, noticing how their sonic frequencies inspire the audience and our selves to express through e-motion.
JP - I tend to switch between being active and focused to losing myself to the music. Every show is different and I do my best to let myself sink into its current. Sometimes I don't feel well and need a break. Other times, I'm elevated or get lifted by just being there!
Aside from photographing the performance, I've also had so many amazing conversations and experiences with my friends and random people I've met at a show. Don't be afraid to embrace the night and enjoy it for all it is and what it can offer.
AC - It is SO MUCH MORE than just capturing the performer/musician’s emotionality, it is about letting your Self be guided by what sparks your eye…by the powerful potency of a musician baring their soul on stage, noticing how their sonic frequencies inspire the audience and our selves to express through e-motion.
JP - I tend to switch between being active and focused to losing myself to the music. Every show is different and I do my best to let myself sink into its current. Sometimes I don't feel well and need a break. Other times, I'm elevated or get lifted by just being there!
Aside from photographing the performance, I've also had so many amazing conversations and experiences with my friends and random people I've met at a show. Don't be afraid to embrace the night and enjoy it for all it is and what it can offer.
Kazu @ The Lodge Room 2019
Betty's Mustache @ SoundBite Studios 2023
Crystals
Low Leaf @ The Hi Hat 2019
We use a variety of crystal lenses and effects to create dream-like photos.
AC - Jonathan introduced me to Future Eyes Crystals back in 2017, when he would be wearing one of the optical lens necklaces and then showed me how he used these lenses to completely re-envision imagery in his art works.
We incorporated the magic of these crystals in our concert-capturing experiences, opening up portals of other-worldliness and wondrous possibilities!
The lenses refract light into unexpected directions which gives way to creating under a veil of mystical uncertainty.
JP - The first time I came across Future Eyes, I was blown away. It literally changed the way I saw the world around me and inspired me to pick up photography to capture and reimagine the world in a new way.
As I've explored and experimented with the lenses, I've learned to "dance" and "paint" with them while allowing the magic of light and the moment to conjure its own visual magic.
I continue to be caught in life's endless sense of awe and wonder...
AC - Jonathan introduced me to Future Eyes Crystals back in 2017, when he would be wearing one of the optical lens necklaces and then showed me how he used these lenses to completely re-envision imagery in his art works.
We incorporated the magic of these crystals in our concert-capturing experiences, opening up portals of other-worldliness and wondrous possibilities!
The lenses refract light into unexpected directions which gives way to creating under a veil of mystical uncertainty.
JP - The first time I came across Future Eyes, I was blown away. It literally changed the way I saw the world around me and inspired me to pick up photography to capture and reimagine the world in a new way.
As I've explored and experimented with the lenses, I've learned to "dance" and "paint" with them while allowing the magic of light and the moment to conjure its own visual magic.
I continue to be caught in life's endless sense of awe and wonder...
Westerner @ The Troubadour 2022
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Healing Gems @ Union Station 2020
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Patriarchy at Doña Pancha Fest @ UCSD 2019
Editing
Low Leaf @ The Hi Hat 2019
- Programs we use include Photoshop, Lightroom, Snapseed, Mirrorlab, and more!
- Brightness, Contrast, and other technical editing can improve a photo, while experimenting with different apps and techniques can open a world of possibilities.
JP - It's really fun to change colors, overlap images, and experiment with different filters to create new looks and touch up an image. I especially used to love completely changing a picture to near abstraction. Creating shapes and colors that normally wouldn't be caught with the naked eye. As I've gotten older, I have also found great joy in trying to capture and create the right photo right then and there. Every movement adding to that moment, that instant. There's a real beauty to both.
Introverted Funk @ The SELA Arts Fest 2019
Sharing & Instagram
Nick Waterhouse @ The Open Arts Fest 2019
- Instagram is a great way to show your work and get people to connect with the artist who is photographed!
- Adding music to an image can really heighten the experience of viewing a photo. Giving it life and adding context.
- Google drive makes it easy to share large files with artists.
- Seeing artists and other people admire the imagery really adds value to our work.
- To be recognized is to be appreciated! Getting the proper credit and being tagged in our work is so important!
AC & JP - Consistency in posting our work has been a challenge, much more so as photography is only one of several creative expressions we devote time to. Ideally, we would share an image a week, but even that is hard to stick to. Even selecting a few images to post can at times take us a few hours. We tend to share our work occasionally, sometimes sharing images consecutively for a few weeks, other times going weeks without being able to.
Being able to share our work also allows us to expose our Instagram following to an eclectic selection of musIcians and their music, which we love!
OFK @ The Music Center 2023
Imarhan at The Levitt Summer Concert Series @ McArthur Park 2023
Getting In 2 shows
Westerner @ The Troubadour 2022
- Local shows are a great place to start as they are usually fine with people taking professional cameras.
- For larger venues, check their website for camera restrictions including no detachable lenses and flash.
- For such restrictions, you can try to DM or email the bands, their management, or business contacts usually found on their social media or websites. They can provide access to a guest list or provide photo passes! (Ex. Westerner)
- Not everyone will be able to provide access or a response but you never know unless you try!
- Reaching out earlier is better to provide ample time for a response.
- Reach out and get to know local bands! They tend to be very open and accommodating.
- Some events and festivals provide call to volunteers and photographers! (Ex. Joshua Tree Music Festival)
- Provide samples and create a social media page or a website for reference.
- Reach for your photo Dreams! Reach out to your favorite musicians when they're on tour in your town, you never know when you might be granted the chance to shoot their performance!
Funding & Getting paid
Alex Zamora at a Foto.lab Workshop @ Artspace HP 2024
- Covering shows independently (without working for a magazine) limits the chances of getting paid for sessions. Although being financially compensated for shooting shows is rare nowadays, it's also not impossible.
- Paid opportunities have come from local bands whom we've established connections with, through maintaining contact with musicians and making friendships!
- Keep up with musician's journeys, you never know when they might need photos!
- Experience with concert photography can lend itself to other photographic opportunities such as weddings, quinceañeras, and community events.
- There are a number of grants from a variety of open calls and organizations that creatives can apply for! Many can be found online and through social media.
- We are still learning.
We would love to be paid more often for the type of work we create yet also understand the financial challenges we are all facing. In the end, we love doing what we do regardless of the hardships and will continue to explore our creativity!
Inspirations & Goals
El Rio @ Artspace HP 2023
in our collaborative core/we prioritize and center joy, connection, imagination, experimentation, and wonder through it all!
AC - Being amongst so many creative individuals -- dear ones, strangers, and whimsical ones alike -- who are living, breathing and imagining better worlds through the act of Art Creation is ever-Inspiring. Nature - in all its iterations, expressions, and essences is also one of my sweetest Inspirers.
Music-centered Photo goals include photographing the marvelous norwegian singer Aurora, covering Green Man Fest in Wales, documenting musicians internationally, and continuing to capture local musicians.
There is still so much growth, so much to learn and know in my & our photography journey, to discover and explore, and I am so honored to continue seeing life through this medium individually and with my partner.
JP - Music inspires me, and lifts my senses.
In terms of goals, I want to keep growing and expanding my knowledge, approach, and techniques. I feel there is still so much to learn in regards to photography and all the other aspects tied into it such as marketing, finances, and connecting. My goal is to keep working towards a brighter future and find a way to lead a creative life in a sustainable way.
There are still so many shows I want to see and capture through our lens!
I want to keep doing my part to promote the arts and be a part of its cultural impact by supporting fellow creatives and giving a voice to empathy and understanding.
AC - Being amongst so many creative individuals -- dear ones, strangers, and whimsical ones alike -- who are living, breathing and imagining better worlds through the act of Art Creation is ever-Inspiring. Nature - in all its iterations, expressions, and essences is also one of my sweetest Inspirers.
Music-centered Photo goals include photographing the marvelous norwegian singer Aurora, covering Green Man Fest in Wales, documenting musicians internationally, and continuing to capture local musicians.
There is still so much growth, so much to learn and know in my & our photography journey, to discover and explore, and I am so honored to continue seeing life through this medium individually and with my partner.
JP - Music inspires me, and lifts my senses.
In terms of goals, I want to keep growing and expanding my knowledge, approach, and techniques. I feel there is still so much to learn in regards to photography and all the other aspects tied into it such as marketing, finances, and connecting. My goal is to keep working towards a brighter future and find a way to lead a creative life in a sustainable way.
There are still so many shows I want to see and capture through our lens!
I want to keep doing my part to promote the arts and be a part of its cultural impact by supporting fellow creatives and giving a voice to empathy and understanding.
Peace + Love
Umi at The Village of Mothers Flower Fest @ The Heart Department 2023