Photographing the living legend Aretha Franklin the Queen of Soul was a great honor for me. Here is an Artist that has been photographed live so many times over the years by some of the best Music Photographers in the World and there I was. The thoughts racing through my mind were… will I be able to capture something different, that one special moment… And those thoughts got me very excited….
Radio City Music Hall where Aretha Franklin appeared is not my favorite venue to photograph an Artist but a great venue to see an Artist. No photo pit and to make things more difficult it was a seated performance. I was only allowed in one spot kneeling down in the aisle to the left of the stage for the first two songs. Looking over the stage set up as she appeared it proved to be a difficult concert to photograph. In other words I had to wait, I had to wait for her to turn in my direction, I had to wait till she moved to a specific area of the stage where the lights would help to create something special.
As you read this, you can imagine how luck had a lot to do with photographing Aretha live in concert that night.
If any one Knows the Name of Aretha Franklin’s Pianist in the photograph below, please let me know
I can honestly write that I will be looking froward to be able to photograph her again in the near future. That’s all for now.
Your NYC Concert Photographer
Taso Hountas
As luck would have it I was able to photograph Diane Birch when she appeared at Joe’s Pub NYC to preform in front of a sold out crowd. Joe’s pub is small, intimate and not a bad seat in the house; a perfect venue to see Diane up close and personal.
Diane Birch will be Appearing at Le Passion Rouge on Tuesday August 18th, check her out.
Here are a few Concert photographs from that night.
Later,
Taso Hountas
Here are a few quick Promotional photograph of Jesse D, a great Bass player I am sure you will be hearing about in the near future. Normally I would have preferred doing the Promotional photographs with out instruments but with these I knew I had to get the bass in there..
If you are wondering, it’s a Warwick Bass
Later,
Taso
Bad Company Played the Nikon Theater at Jones Beach… ‘Nuff’ Said!!!!!
Here are a few Live Photographs:
Later,
Taso Hountas
The other day I created some promotional photographs for Ria Pagliaro of Lashtique eyelash extensions.
For those that do not know of her; Ria is the founder of Lashtique, New York City’s Premier Eyelash Extensions. Check her blog out here.
Here is my Favorite from the Photo shoot:
Later,
Taso Hountas
When I got emailed to photograph Mika I had no Idea what to expect… I had just enough time to grab my gear and head to the venue.
By the time I arrived at the venue Le Passion Rouge about an hour or so before the show, the line was already around the Conner. Not knowing what to expect seeing a crowd as large as this so early was a good indication that the performance would be pretty good.
It was.
Here are a few concert photographs from the night.
Later,
Taso Hountas
Concert Photographer
When I found out that I was able to Photograph Ida Maria at Hiro Ball Room , I jumped at the chance.
It is not the music that made me jump at the chance to photograph her in Concert but her stage presence…Ida Maria is high energy and an emotional performer.
Here are a few Live Photographs from the night
Later,
Taso Hountas
Concert Photographer
Needed a very edgy look for these guys… With the reputation that NYOC has as one of the Premiere paintball teams in the New York area. I couldn’t just take photos of them, I needed to create a look that fit who they are.
After some discussion with the Team Captain Joe D and a few ideas being thrown around we went with a dark, menacing look.
I made a decision to use only one light; normally I would have added a second strobe to separate the subject from the background but decided against this because of the look we wanted.
Later,
Taso
Back in November I spent some time with this great new band called BulletProof Messenger and I can not speak highly enough of them. They have just put out a new album called “Arm Yourself” and simply put… it rocks, I would not be surprised if you hear them on the jukebox in your local watering hole or on the radio, they are that good.
Marcus, Scott, Vol, Jess, Alex and Matt, it was great working with you all and looking forward to working with you again.
Later,
Taso
Many of you have noticed my new website www.tasohountas.com and thank you for your comments. The site is still a work in progress so to speak, and I am currently going though all my archives and choosing photographs to add.
There will be more concert photographs, now… that is one of the most challenging types of Photography you can ever do. Nothing is in your control and you never know what to expect, the light is constantly changing and there is so much going on. Getting that one photograph… that’s different and emotional under those circumstances is a Photo Editors dream.
The other type of photography that I enjoy is Food Photography, again very challenging. With Food you do have control; you control the lights, the composition and with a good Food Stylist the way the food looks. The challenging part is putting all of those elements together and executing. How many of you looked at a magazine or a cook book and seen a photo that made your mouth water? That changed your mind about lunch or dinner… It has happened to me and that is something I always try to achieve. Sometimes I do and other times I don’t and that is the challenge of Food Photography.
For now… that’s it
Taso Hountas