Crosby Stills and Nash Live in San Antonio

Folk rock musicians Crosby, Stills and Nash perform during their 2009 tour, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, at Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas. (Darren Abate/pressphotointl.com)

Classic and familiar sounds filled the Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio tonight as folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills and Nash played live for a packed house. The trio made a stop in the Alamo City as part of their 2009 US tour.

I was invited to come photograph the show by a client of mine, who was handling PR for the event. I was only allowed to shoot the first two songs, as is the norm, and then I had to put the cameras down. I could have stayed to catch the rest of the show, but I didn’t want to sit there with two bodies, a 300/2.8 and a 70-200/2.8 in my lap the whole time. Plus, I was starving, so after the second song, it was dinner time.

Folk rock musicians Crosby, Stills and Nash perform during their 2009 tour, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, at Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas. (Darren Abate/pressphotointl.com)

I have to say, they weren’t sounding too strong in the pipes. The tunes seemed a little thin in intensity, but it’s not like I could do any better. But then again, I’m not on stage trying to do so. My friend Dave saw them somewhere up north a couple weeks ago, and he said it was the same there. I guess the years really do take their toll on a singer. Dave told me that the first set was all acoustic, and then they come back and play a rock set. I do wish I could have seen that, just to see what the difference was. I hear they have lasers, which would explain the non-marijuana-generated-fog that filled the venue.

Truth be told, I wanted to get some more exciting photos, but in retrospect, I was in the wrong place for that. The first two songs, they stood and sang. I don’t know why I was expecting more than that; it’s Crosby Stills and Nash, not Rush. I was pretty sure there would be no Rocking. Regardless, it was a cool experience to see them on stage, which was the first time I’d seen them live.

But, then again, I didn’t see the second set.

New Canon EOS Cameras to be Announced – EOS 7D or Maybe EOS 1D Mark IV?

The word around the camp fire is that Canon is going to announce at least one new DSLR body on Sept. 1. A lot of people are whispering about a new EOS 7D, which would be the “little brother” of the EOS 5D Mark II.

The “rumored” specs on the “7D”, however, seem to be distinctly 1D flavored. The cropped sensor and the inclusion of a second DiG!C processor being the two main red flags that hint at the new cam being a 1D body. IMO there is no way that Canon would grant a second processing chip to a body that is technically supposed to fall below the 5D Mark II in the product line. ONLY the 1D models have ever had two image processing chips. Plus, the fact that the new body is supposed to have video features that trump those of the 5D Mark II is another clue.

Anyone heard anything more?

There is also talk of the EOS 60D being released, but who really cares?

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Leica Lenses and Accessories For Sale: Updated List with Prices

EDIT: Sold items are marked.

Here is an updated list of all the Leica gear I have for sale, with asking prices. Anyone interested in any of this EX++ to Mint- gear should contact me directly. Thanks!

All lenses are latest versions except for the Noctilux (E60 Canada).

M6 TTL Chrome Body – 1400.00

Noctilux-M 50/1.0 – 4800.00

Summilux-M 75/1.4 – 2800.00

Summicron-M ASPH. 35/2 – 1900.00

Summicron-M 50/2 – 1100.00

Summicron-M ASPH. 90/2 – 1800.00

Elmarit-M ASPH. 24/2.8 – 2600.00 (w/hood)

Tri-Elmar-M ASPH. 16/18/21 f/4 – 3700.00 (w/hood)

Tri-Elmar-M ASPH. 28/35/50 f/4 – 2800.00 (w/metal vented hood)

APO-Telyt-M 135/3.4 – 1700.00

APO-Extender 2X – 1400.00

Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder for M System – 16/18/21/24/28 Brightline – 800.00 (w/leather case)

Wide-Angle Viewfinder Variable 21/24/28 – 360.00 (w/leather case)

Leica Universal Circular Polarizer w/adapter rings for E39 E46 E49 lenses – 440.00 (w/case)

Leica E67 Circular Polarizer w/E49 to E67 Adapter Ring – 340.00

Leica IR/UV Filters: E46 E55 E67 – 100 ea.

Leica UV Filter E67 – 80.00

Assorted E67 B+W Filters

Heliopan E39 Filters: Cir. Pol.; UV; 81A; 81B; Red; Green; Orange; Yellow (B+W) Set With Caps – 240.00

Similar Filter Sets for E46 E49 E55 & E67

Leica E49 UVa Filter with case – 40.00

Leica 5X Hand-held ambient light slide viewer with Velvet Bag – 180.00

Leica M6 TTL Chrome Body – 1400.00 – SOLD

Noctilux-M 50/1.0 – 4900.00

Summilux-M 75/1.4 – 2800.00 - SOLD

Summicron-M ASPH. 35/2 – 1900.00

Summicron-M 50/2 – 995.00 – SOLD

Summicron-M ASPH. 90/2 – 1800.00 - SOLD

Elmarit-M ASPH. 24/2.8 – 2600.00 (w/hood)

Tri-Elmar-M ASPH. 16/18/21 f/4 – 3700.00 (w/hood)

Tri-Elmar-M ASPH. 28/35/50 f/4 – 2800.00 (w/metal vented hood)

APO-Telyt-M 135/3.4 – 1700.00

APO-Extender 2X – 1400.00 - SOLD

Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder for M System – 16/18/21/24/28 Brightline – 800.00 (w/leather case)

Wide-Angle Viewfinder Variable 21/24/28 – 360.00 (w/leather case)

Leica Universal Circular Polarizer w/adapter rings for E39 E46 E49 lenses – 440.00 (w/case)

Leica E67 Circular Polarizer w/E49 to E67 Adapter Ring – 340.00

Leica IR/UV Filters: E46 E55 E67 – 100 ea. – SOLD

Leica UV Filter E67 – 80.00

Assorted E67 B+W Filters

Heliopan E39 Filters: Cir. Pol.; UV; 81A; 81B; Red; Green; Orange; Yellow (B+W) Set With Caps – 240.00

Similar Filter Sets for E46 E49 E55 & E67

Leica E49 UVa Filter with case – 40.00

Leica 5X Hand-held ambient light slide viewer with Velvet Bag – 180.00 – SOLD

Rodenstock 6×6 5X Loupe – 100.00 - SOLD

Write? Right. A Kill-Time Post.

Whenever I’m inspired to write something meaningful (and trust me, every time I’m inspired it’s about something meaningful), more often than not, it’s going to be when I don’t have the time or means to actually write.

I’m sitting in an Austin coffee shop waiting to start a meeting with an artist I met recently through a mutual film connection. We were to meet at 1 p.m. but he spaced and forgot — I’m not being insulting, that was his own term — so now I have some time to kill while he drives down here. I don’t mind, I like the rare instances when I have time to myself to do whatever I like.

So of course, I get the idea that I’m going to write something while I’m waiting. I don’t know what, but dammit, something’s going to get written, and it’s going to be fucking brilliant.

You see, that’s how it starts every time. I have some free time, a computer and a WiFi connection, and suddenly I’m empowered to change the world mit mein words. The creative juices are flowing, the battery is fully charged, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses. Hit it.

Stall. Don’t dump the clutch, you moron. Give it more gas, and maybe also a little thought.

Inspiration is great until it comes time to produce, then the couch starts looking mighty inviting. Maybe tomorrow.

No, this time I am my own captive audience. I have nothing else to do right now besides write my masterpiece. I don’t know what it’s about yet, but if they can make a hit TV program about nothing, I can certainly do the same on the internet. Everyone’s important on the internet. I read that on the internet. So, here goes:

If I were a tree,

Nevermind, Rolf just showed up. Maybe tomorrow.

Darren Abate is a professional photographer, cinemantographer, and is sometimes an asshole, but his dogs love him just the same. His favorite candies are Junior Mints (chilled).

So much for my productive day.

I was just beginning to enter the second phase of my Very Productive Day — after an early morning shoot for the Spurs, which was Phase One — when the phone rang. It came at the last bite of my sandwich, which is never a good sign. Just in time to interrupt a meal.

It was Venda, telling me to get to the scene of the accident she had just been involved in, because she didn’t have her license and she wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Great.

She was obviously uninjured, so I wasn’t worried about that. She didn’t have time to give me the details then and there, so my mind was left to ponder on the drive over.

I jumped into my GTI and sped to the scene, which was on Loop 410 near McCullough. Venda being Venda, who, if she’s going to do something bad, does it very well, lived up to expectation. She hit a semi. She didn’t just simply hit it, mind you, she hit it well.

She had been traveling in heavy traffic on the loop when the truck in front of her slammmed on its brakes, which made her do the same. This caused the Trooper she was driving to fishtail, which she made valiant efforts to correct. However, eventually, the tail end of the Trooper veered into an adjacent lane and struck the nose of a tractor-trailer rig, cracking it all up.

After I arrived and checked out the hit, I was surprised she didn’t roll. The spare tire on the back of my Trooper is what made first contact with the rig, and there were rubber marks all over the side of the semi. I don’t know how the Trooper kept from rolling, save the fact that Isuzu made a very stable little 4×4 in 1991.

After hitting the semi at highway speed, the only damage to the Trooper was a slightly bent rear door and a dented bumper. The rear window wasn’t even broken. The entire front-right of the semi was cracked up where the fibreglass had taken the hit, and the running gear was bent up. My little Isuzu won that round, very very luckily. If she had hit at a different angle, it’s likely the semi would have rolled over her.

The accident wasn’t really anyone’s fault, and the fact that the cop didn’t issue any citations verifies that for me, at least. Whew. Insurace information was exchanged with the driver of the rig, who was a very nice fellow, and we all went on our way.

So now I’m back at home wondering if it’s worth it to try to get back into the swing of work. Yeah, I guess so. I have a lot of editing to do on the film, and also Spurs photos to edit and post. Back to it…

On the Death of Michael Jackson

First, I’d like to say that I never realized that there was a difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack, but apparently, there is. I don’t know why I’m only just now finding out about that. Oh, I know… It’s because the cable news networks had to find every bit of information even remotely relevant to the death of Michael Jackson to cram into the airwaves, so they could pre-empt all the “other” world news with something that would get them higher ratings.

Don’t get me wrong, yes, the death of Michael Jackson is indeed huge news, but when it gets to the point that I’m watching a CNN anchor telling me that heart attacks are “bad” then maybe it’s time to move on to another story until you have some information on Jacko that has a little more meat to it.

Now for the meat of this post. I don’t have a whole lot to say, but dammit, I have to get on the Jackson blogging bandwagon. I never really considered myself a fan, but I will admit that Jackson’s impact on the music world was immense. Personally, I stopped liking Michael Jackson’s music in the late 1980s. Everything after that just seemed to me to be a cry for attention. But that’s just me.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the death of a celebrity that has brought about such a duality in response from the public. When the news of Jackson’s death first became public yesterday, I was preparing to shoot a scene on the set of The Powderkids — well, we were having lunch — and immediately everyone began diving for their iPhones to check the accuracy of the report (at the time, the LA Times was reporting his death, but other sources were reporting that he was in a coma).

I hit some of the higher page-ranked forums, where the split public opinion of Michael Jackson was immediately evident. One post started out with “Michael was the greatest” and the next with “Burn in hell, Wacko!” and then they would inevitably trail off into how he was the best thing ever, OR the worst thing ever, his record in music or pedophilia being brought forth as evidence accordingly.

What does the death of Michael Jackson mean to me? Not much, really. Yes, he was one of the most important figures to ever hit the music scene, and his influence will be felt for generations of musicians to come, but in my opinion, if he was going to die an early death, it should have come in 1989, before he got really freaky, became a joke to a lot of people, and began firing off scandals faster than that insane vending machine from Maximum Overdrive.

I dare you to find anyone else who will give you Maximum Overdrive references in their Jacko-death-blog-post.

Darren Abate is a professional photojournalist and cinematographer based in San Antonio, Texas. He also likes to write, and his favorite candies are Junior Mints. He is represented by PressPhoto International.

Glenn Beck & the San Antonio Tea Party

The Associated Press assigned me to spend the day with Fox News commentator and radio host Glenn Beck last Wednesday, when he was in San Antonio for the local tax day tea party. It was a long day (I was with him for about 8.5 hours) but of course I was happy to have the work. Got some decent images as well.

Glenn Beck is one of those figures, like your Rush Limbaughs and your Bill O’Reillys, who will usually draw immediate unsolicited opinions from whomever is around when you speak their names, whether they be liberal or conservative.

Television and radio host Glenn Beck pauses in his hotel room before a public appearance at a tax day tea party, Wednesday, Spril 15, 2009, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

I’m going to leave my personal political views out of this post, however, simply because there’s no point in my getting into that in this entry. Readers are welcome to fight it out in the comments section though, if they so desire.

Fox News commentator and radio host Glenn Beck walks to a public appearance at a tax day tea party, Wednesday, Spril 15, 2009, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

People who know me know that I’m a fairly liberal person, which means that I don’t agree with a lot of what Glenn Beck has to say, but I also don’t disagree with some of what he has to say, either. After spending all day in close proximity with him, though — sometimes only the two of us in a room — I can say that, politics aside, he is a very nice and genuine person. He’s probably the nicest celeb I’ve ever met.

Fox News commentator and radio host Glenn Beck, right, speaks with his staff in his hotel room before a public appearance at a tax day tea party, Wednesday, Spril 15, 2009, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

I was also impressed with the fact that, even behind closed doors, he doesn’t limit his criticism to one side. Republicans as well as Democrats, conservatives as well as liberals, all were slammed or praised depending on the topic. Objectivity is a respectable trait, whether or not one agrees with the original statement.

Fox News commentator and radio host Glenn Beck, middle right, autographs copies of his book with members of his staff before a public appearance at a tax day tea party, Wednesday, Spril 15, 2009, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

I was surprised to see how many people had turned out at Alamo Plaza to attend this tea party thing. Apparently these national tea parties had been in the news a lot, but I hadn’t even heard of them, but it’s no secret that I rarely watch the news. I usually get my information from the BBC or my USA Today iPhone app, but Ive been so busy lately I was pretty much in the dark about everything because I hadn’t had a chance to catch up on the rest of the world.

Fox News commentator and radio host Glenn Beck, seated, autographs copies of his book for fans before a public appearance, April 15, 2009, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

There were some “interesting” people at this thing, let me tell you. Most were normal people you’d see in everyday life, but as always, there were those “special” few who couldn’t resist making some sort of scene in public to put themselves in the limelight. Some woman dressed up like Betsy Ross, there was a guy who had a bunch of slogans scribbled all over himself and a fake snake pinned to his shirt, and my favorite, a guy who was dressed like Davy Crocket and had made a costume that made it look like he was carrying himself in a tea crate. You know, the old fake legs and arms costume gag. At least his scraggly bushy mountain man beard was real.

Fox News commentator and radio host Glenn Beck, middle, poses with two fans during a public appearance for a tax day tea party, Wednesday, April 15, 2009, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Ted Nugent was there too, resplendent in his hilarious, venison-fueled craziness. I spent a lot of my time laughing aloud from behind my camera at his freaky expressions and off-color comments. I walked away very relieved and thankful that Ted is not my roommate because a little of him goes a very long way. Insane? Yes, but also a very nice guy in person.

He signed a wounded veteran’s amputee stump, too. I had to make a photo of that. I asked his permission for this one.

A tax day tea party spectator displays his bandaged leg, which was autographed by musician Ted Nugent, Wednesday, April 15, 2009, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

The Scottish Highland Games in Helotes, Texas.

Yes, Texas. I didn’t go to Scotland, although I would welcome that trip. This was a less expensive excursion.

Le called early this morning – well, early for me, anyway – and asked if I’d like to go to the Scottish Highland Games in Helotes. It’s an annual fair, and I’ve always meant to check it out but have never gotten around to it. I decided it was about time. Two bucks to park, ten to get in, not bad. At first all I could see were vendor booths, but once we got a little farther in to the grounds, there was more variety. Vendors, food, a lot of artists performing their crafts, and clan booths, which I thought was interesting. I guess once can stop by these booths to find out about their heritage? I didn’t feel much like talking today, so I didn’t ask. Just wanted to push the little black button. So I did.

I don’t think I was shooting very well today; my timing seemed off and I was being lazy. I think I got a couple of at-least decent shots though. Here are a few of them. The funny one is at the end. I count at least three easy dirty jokes in the shot.

All photos made with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and a Carl Zeiss 85/1.4 ZE or Zeiss 50/1.4 ZE lens. Click the photo for full size view (recommended).

Traditional dress was a theme of the day.

Spectators watch as a man participates in the hammer throw.

The Monk and the Bear

A lone piper plays on top of the Lion & Rose double decker bus

Pipers tune their instruments at the Scottish Highland Games

Pipers play a tune at the Scottish Highland Games in Helotes, Texas.

I don't know how heavy it was, but judging from the grunts coming out of these guys, it was heavy enough.

Great costumes were on display at the Games

An American Civil War enthusiast explains a period firearm to a young man at the Scottish Highland Games fair.

Detail of an American Civil War era musket

I can't remember what this guy was selling, but he had an interesting face... So I shot him.

There were helms-a-plenty

Traditional eats were to be had... For a price.

The very nice lady who sold me a shepherd's pie.

This is what a twelve dollar lunch looks like at a fair.

Two men converse in front of the Clan Henderson booth at the Scottish Highland Games fair in Helotes, Texas.

This nice lady gave me a tee shirt. She also had great-looking jewelry.

A young man practices his caber tossing in a field at the Scottish Highland Games in Helotes, Texas.

Winner of the Poorest Sign Placement Award. Clan Cumming – putting up with your dirty jokes since 1326.

Copyright ©Darren Abate. All rights reserved. Do not use without permission. Copyright infringement will be prosecuted.

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The Future of Photojournalism: Let’s Not Get Carried Away.

Yesterday I received a group e-mail from a producer friend of mine concerning the future of journalism in America, in which he referenced a recent discussion broadcast from American University centered around the same subject.

It was postulated that still photography can now be considered to be a thing of the past. Okay, now you have my attention. You can’t ignore the severe troubles that American newspapers are having, and likewise you can’t ignore or deny the fact that the internet is the primary cause of this. With the ease and speed that information is now available, it’s inevitable that the death knell is tolling for printed news as we now know it.

As a professional stills shooter, as well as a video shooter, I can say with confidence that the future of still photography is just as bright as ever. Even though the usefulness of video as a journalistic tool to the common citizen has indeed become vastly more convenient in recent years, with the emergence of smaller, cheaper video cameras, and more importantly, the creation and increase in popularity of free and simple avenues to get your media seen, such as the ubiquitous YouTube and many others, it does not mean that video is always applicable, needed, or desired in a reporting situation.

Video is great, don’t get me wrong. I welcome the spike in popularity of grassroots video journalism, and I hope more and more people take to the streets, if you will, to bring the truth of the world to others. I just don’t want them all throwing video clips at me. I don’t have the time or the desire to watch them all. When I fire up my iPhone to get my daily news — which is how I get my news now — I don’t want to watch a bunch of video clips. I usually peruse the USA Today headlines and quickly decide which stories I am interested in. I read them, check out the photos, and move on. Video in this application is usually superfluous. It’s a tool to bring information to people, just like still photos are, and they are each useful in their own ways.

Just because you can show video of a story doesn’t mean you should. If I can get the same information, with the same impact, from a still photo that tells the same story (and a good photojournalist can tell a story in a single photo, trust me — that’s what we’re trained to do) then that’s the way I want to get it. Depending on the content, a good still photo, in my opinion, will have more impact than a video clip.

“Depending on the content” is the key here. If I’m reading* a story about a refinery explosion and I have the option of seeing a still photo or a video clip of the thing going up, then yeah — I want to see video of that, you better believe it. Point: video. But let’s say I’m reading a story about a community cleanup effort, or maybe a story covering the rising unemployment rate. In this instance a good still photo will deliver much more impact than a video clip. Yes, I could watch video of people picking up trash, or standing in line at the unemployment office, but you know what? I don’t want to. In this case video is superfluous.

So, if the story warrants motion, please show it to me. If it doesn’t, I would like some nice stills please. The right tool for the right job. It saves me time while still making the appropriate impact.

The emergence of high-end SLRs that also record video has led a lot of people to assume that stills are dead because they’re on the video bandwagon thanks to these new, awesome, devices (I make use of the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II myself). Wait until the novelty wears off. When you’re on deadline and you have to get your story transmitted pronto, you’re not going to want to spend the extra time to injest, edit, and export video for the web if you don’t have to. It may be easier to capture, but you still have to edit.  If no extra impact is going to be realized from a video, then you should opt for some old-fashioned and still-delicious photos.

Personally, my favorite new thing is the still photo slideshow. It’s much easier to produce than a video piece, and it can usually deliver the same impact. All you need to do is take an MP3 recorder with you into the field, get some sound bites to compliment your story, and you’re good to go. Apps like Soundslides Plus are a dream. Just tell it where your folder of images is, and where the mp3 file is, and in seconds it spits out a Flash-based slideshow that you can upload to the web. This took me no time at all to make: http://darrenabate.com/slideshows/090125/

I wasn’t even there to shoot a story; I was just having a nice day out with my family and decided to whip out a slide show as long as I was there.

In conclusion, I am of the belief that stills and video should be placed into a competition with one another, but isntead used to compliment each other. Like I said earlier, the right tool for the right job, please.

What are your opinions?

* Yes, reading. No matter what, you will always start with reading. It’s still the fastest and most efficient way to begin your daily information gathering. Most of the photos and videos you ingest daily will come after a textual introduction.

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Copyright (c) Darren Abate Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use without permission. Copyright infringement will be prosecuted.

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Science Fairs are Not Not Boring

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My latest assignment was to cover the ExxonMobil Texas Science & Engineering Fair, which was held in San Antonio last weekend. Before you get excited and start building images in your mind of some awesome super-science tradeshow that would attract the likes of Doctors Manhattan and Venture, don’t bother. I’m talking about the kind that is populated by middle and high school students from all over the state, the winners of their respective regional science fairs.

My client was the PR firm handling the show for ExxonMobil. Very nice people, and to tell you the truth, I quite enjoyed the fair, being a huge science geek myself. My job was to follow around the VIPs from ExxonMobil and the University of Texas to document their presence to market the event. However, I found myself wanting to hang out at the booths to talk about experiments with some of the students, who were very very smart kids who had done some really hard work on their projects (The study of copepods for the purpose of curing cancer? What? Yes.). But I didn’t do that, because I was there to shoot. And, I managed to find a few rather interesting frames as well.

They all involve chairs.

A man makes a call on his mobile phone prior to the 2009 ExxonMobil Texas Science & Engineering Fair awards ceremony, Monday, March 30, 2009, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. (Darren Abate/pressphotointl.com) Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Carl Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZE

A student catnaps before the 2009 ExxonMobil Texas Science & Engineering Fair awards ceremony, Monday, March 30, 2009, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. (Darren Abate/pressphotointl.com) Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Canon EF 70-200/2.8 L IS

A man walks into the exhibtion hall during the 2009 ExxonMobil Texas Science & Engineering Fair, Monday, March 30, 2009, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. (Darren Abate/pressphotointl.com) Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Carl Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZE

©Darren Abate/pressphotointl.com. All rights reserved. Do not use without permission. Copyright infringement will be prosecuted.

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