Art vs Science hiding in greenery

After a full day at Griffin Theatre shooting portraits i had a meetup at the pub with the lads from Art vs Science to chat about doing some pictures together. I was still carting around the ringflash that i’d hired, and after a couple of beers we decided it would be opportune to take some photos right there and then, before i had to return the ringflash the next morning.

Art vs Science - This is what happens when you don't stick your lens far enough through the ringflash

We walked to one of their nearby houses and took some quick snaps in the kitchen, the garden then in the back lane.

Here’s some other shots i took at home while i was working out how to use the ringflash.

My cat lit by ringflash. I love the circular catch light

First victim was the cat, then the cat on the bookshelf, then me and the cat.

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• Rolling Stone Awards portraits
• Art vs Science Magic Fountain video
• Griffin Theatre 30th Anniversary
• Me and Greedy Hen and Kareena Zerefos
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This Friday night some of my photos will be on show beside the work of illustrator/designers Greedy Hen and Kareena Zerefos at World Bar in Kings Cross.

I’m extremely humbled to be in their company because they’re amazing women who do world class work that i’m a huge fan of. Plus they can draw, which alongside singing is one of those talents i’m terribly bad at and thus have great admiration for those who do it well. PLUS they’re drop dead gorgeous. Knockouts on all fronts.

A Greedy Hen artwork i liked so much i bought it for my wall

The glue that binds us for this show is our work in the music world. Greedy Hen have done album covers, tour posters and videos for many of your favourite artists like Bill Callahan, Cloud Control, Holly Throsby, Josh Pyke and The Panics.

A Holly Throsby tour poster designed by Greedy Hen

Kareena is a similarly talented illustrator who does lovely nostalgic drawings. I saw a show of hers at the MTV gallery last year which was filled with beautiful drawings of children, animals and other things. It sometimes walks a line somewhere between twee and creepy – in a good way. She’s also made album covers for Bob Evans, Sparkadia and John Steel Singers.

Boy with Rat on Head by Kareena Zerefos

Artwork for the John Steel Singers, Bob Evans and Sparkadia

Now me? I can’t draw, so i’m going to show some of my photos. Not just any old photos mind you but NEVER BEFORE SEEN secret photo project photos that i took in March over the weekend of the My Filthy Riot festival at The Annandale.

Human fountains Philadelphia Grand Jury

I set up a little mobile studio upstairs and whenever i got the chance would drag a band up and take their photo. All the photos were taken with the same setup, no pre-planned concepts, no fuss, just whatever popped into our heads. I probably spent about a minute with each act and all up i shot about 25 bands over the weekend.

Upcoming fashion designers FTW

I was a bit tired of shooting bands where everything is overthought and you have to deal with layers of management, labels, approvals, contracts, egos and restrictions. So i thought i’d keep it simple, go back to my roots and shoot some up and comers fast and furious.

The show on Friday will feature my favourite 10 photos of artists including Philadelphia Grand Jury, Lions at Your Door, No Art, The Scare, Aleesha Dibbs, Fait Accompli, Ghosts of Television, The Spirits, The Amazing Philips Sisters and fashion designers FTW. That is if the prints turn out nicely from the printer tomorrow.

The Amazing Phillips SIsters. You may recognise Johnny on the right from his side project Children Collide

I don’t really know what to expect, but this won’t be like a regular art show, it’s at a nightclub/bar on a Friday night in Kings Cross for starters. But if you have the willpower to ignore the dickheads who infest the Cross on a Friday night then do come by, have a drink and see some ART.

There’ll also be live performances from Villains of Wilhem, The Vignettes, Allies and Underlights. If you come by around 8pm you may also aurally witness me DJing whatever the hell i feel like.

Normally you have to pay to get into this thing on a Friday, but if you leave a comment below or RSVP on Facebook by Friday lunchtime, you’ll get your name on the door and waltz past the shmucks queuing and paying to get in.

Kicks off at 8pm, this Friday at World Bar, 24 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross.

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Selfish C*nt by Daniel Boud.

If you told me a year ago i’d be holding an exhibiton of my concert photos i’d ask what you’d been smoking. Exhibitions were for professionals and artists.

Inspiration came about 6 months ago when i went to a photo show that was put on by some local amateur photographers from Flickr. It was great work and lots of people turned up. I realised that to put a show together wasn’t impossible and something normal people like me could do. Simply book a space, promote the show, print out and hang your work. You don’t need someone to ask you to do it, just do it yourself.

So i emailed Matt and raised the idea, he said he’d been considering something like that too, we got in touch with Nic and the ball started rolling.

I spent a lot more of my time on organising and promoting the show rather than on the photos. In the end the photos were all hastily collated and only delivered the day before the show opened. But it all seemed to work out in the end – hundreds of people came, a bunch of prints sold, our egos were stroked.

Here’s my interview with The Brag editor Kirsty Brown:

BRAG: Tell us a little about yourself. Who do you work for, what is your style of photography, do you have a day job?

DANIEL: I work freelance photography, so that means my photos end up all over the place, from The Brag to Drum Media to Hot Press to Triple J to Spin. Whoever wants my shots.

I also work as a web producer, so that helps me in publishing my work online.

I like to capture people when they’re doing something bold or wild. A split second in time when emotions are highest.

How did you get into the photography business?

I started a blog and used to post the odd picture that I’d taken at gigs and parties to it. After a while I began contributing stuff to street press. I just kept doing it and more mags started to run my photos. It started as all live stuff and events, but I’ve since done press shots in the studio for a number of bands too.

Memorable moments.

Shooting the Big Day Out was a dream come true, with Iggy Pop probably being the highlight. The man is a legend and photographs amazingly.

Not so memorable moments.

Having a wet sponge flung from the crowd at me at the Big Day Out. It landed on my camera and freaked me out for a bit – but it was all ok in the end.

If you could photograph anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

I would have loved to photograph U2 in their early days, playing the clubs of Dublin, and the first tours of America. I’d still love to photograph the band.

Who has been the most exciting person to shoot and who has been the most difficult?

There’s a UK band called Selfish Cunt who I photographed a couple of times – once in London, and once in Austin. The singer is a modern day Johnny Rotten, completely mental, flinging himself into the crowd, getting into fights, getting naked. You never know what’s going to come next. That’s exciting to shoot.

It’s always tough to shoot acts in low-light. Like Matt, I found The Mars Volta pretty much impossible to shoot seeing as they played in darkness.

Is there a memorable image that you have taken that has become your favourite?

There’s a shot I took of The Scare at Homebake where the singer is screaming his lungs out, looking directly down the lens. Straight after the shot he lunged at me and we both fell to the ground. That was rather memorable.

What is 3 Songs, No Flash about? How did it come around and what do you hope it achieves?

I’ve never really considered myself a proper artist type that exhibits his work in a gallery. But i decided to bite the bullet and risk appearing like a wanky art student and get a show together. I have a lot of admiration for Matt and Nic’s work, so i know even if i wasn’t involved it’d be the sort of thing i’d be keen to check out.

I hope people in the music, concert promotion and publishing industry see our work and realise we’re talented people who they want to work with.

I want people to see there’s a new generation of music photographers around – that you don’t always have to hire Tony Mott to get great results.

Oh – and i want a nomination in the Jack Awards. Hint hint.

What advice would you give to budding photographers out there?

Practice, practice, practice. Shoot heaps before you start shopping your work around to magazines. Seek feedback from friends and other photographers. Put your work online on a site like Flickr. Sign up as a contributer to sites like Fasterlouder.com.au and thedwarf.com.au.

See Also:

• Interview with Nic Bezzina
• Interview with Matt Booy

Related Posts

• 3 Songs. No Flash interviews in The Brag
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• Interview with Nic Bezzina
• Interview with Matt Booy