Oh what an amazing experience that must have been! Plus you have the exceptional photos of the “quiet” Beatle to look back on and reflect. The Beatles were larger than life in all aspects even if one doesn’t like their music. After all ‘What is Life’ without George? :-)
dhachey wrote:
Great story! Thanks for sharing with all of us Beatles fans.
You're welcome, and if you're a true Beatle fan Geoff Emrick's book about his life recording the Beatles from the age of 15 on is packed full of endlessly fascinating information. So interesting that you might want to track down the 2009 remasters of Sgt. Pepper and listen track by track while reading just how Geoffrey recorded it. Amazing stuffl
mhsinca wrote:
Oh what an amazing experience that must have been! Plus you have the exceptional photos of the “quiet” Beatle to look back on and reflect. The Beatles were larger than life in all aspects even if one doesn’t like their music. After all ‘What is Life’ without George? :-)
I always appreciated The Beatles but wasn't a huge fan that hung on every word, but what I've discovered over the years is that I somehow grow a huge appreciation for the music of the person I'm photographing because I'm getting to know on some level who that person is. And having photographed a LOT of musicians over the years that seems to be a universal truth. And, as I mentioned in another reply, reading Geoff Emrick's book last summer gave me a whole new appreciation for what they did - and that so includes Emrick and George Martin as well.
dmacmillan wrote:
I would have loved to meet any of those mentioned, but Bonnie Raitt would have been on the top of the list. She seems like a real character in addition to being one of my favorite musicians. I remember once when she was welcoming John Lee Hooker to the stage to play together. She asked him: "Been getting any lately?".
Discussions of color and the mention of Art Center reminded me of a class where our instructor told us National Geographic would buy entire emulsion runs of Ektachrome. They'd then run tests and provide gel filter recommendations when sending the film to their photographers.
I bought film by the case. I always checked to make sure all the rolls I'd take to a job, such as a wedding, was from the same emulsion run. I also worked closely with my lab. We ran a series of tests on each case to determine the optimum ASA setting between the film, my equipment and their processing. When a job would come back, they'd send me the computer printouts and I'd check densities of each frame. The lab representative told me the lab loved to see work from me because it was so consistent. He said they had far fewer reprints with my orders.
Doug - If we ever talk on the phone or meet in person, I have Bonnie stories to share but that wouldn't be appropriate in this setting - at least not without her permission. Bonnie was fabulous to work with and hang out with. I never get autographs or my photo taken with the people I shoot, but when I told her I was getting ready to shoot David Lindley in a few weeks - knowing that they were friends, she insisted on signing the backdrop with a somewhat lusty message to Crazy Dave, so you referencing her asking that question of John Lee comes as no surprise. And we used to go down to Mission Ranch in Carmel and hear John Lee sit down and play the blues on a Saturday night back in the late 70's. Queen Ida's zydeco band would open the show and then John Lee would boogie until the place closed.
I love reading the stories you write about your photos, Peter, and this one is no exception. Well done on both the photos and the story telling. Thank you for sharing.
adittam wrote:
I love reading the stories you write about your photos, Peter, and this one is no exception. Well done on both the photos and the story telling. Thank you for sharing.
Matt
Matt - Thanks so much. Try and write 'em down so I don't forget them and to be honest, not many of us get the chance to hang with really famous artists that often or even at all. At this point, over thirty years later, my memories and the writer's (Dan Forte) aren't jiving quite as well as they used to but at least we have the photos to prove we were there.
And I love your full moon image of Holy Hill Basilica and that you have your town of Madison very well covered. Good work there.
Peter Figen wrote:
Matt - Thanks so much. Try and write 'em down so I don't forget them and to be honest, not many of us get the chance to hang with really famous artists that often or even at all. At this point, over thirty years later, my memories and the writer's (Dan Forte) aren't jiving quite as well as they used to but at least we have the photos to prove we were there.
And I love your full moon image of Holy Hill Basilica and that you have your town of Madison very well covered. Good work there.
Thank you for the kind words, Peter. I might have to dust that Holy Hill image off and put it on the presentation board here...thanks for the reminder!
#1 is a fantastic portrait, with basically perfect lighting. You said they chose #2 I do agree that #1 is the best, but I also really like #2 as well... in the others, the "scowl" doesn't seem to work for me, he looks angry for now reason, would have been nice to tell him to lighten that up just a bit... If he had been looking down at the guitar it could have passed as concentrating or something though.
But yea, #1 espeically, and #2, great shots and I also thoroughly enjoyed the story. Thanks for sharing
Sauseschritt wrote:
AFAICS everybody is a Beatles fan ?
Unless you really have no taste for music.
And if you're not already a fan, reading the Geoff Emrick book about his engineering the early Beatles records and doing so much with so little in the way of recording technology will leave you boggled with what they did with a two track recorder. Then go back and listen to the 2009 remasters and your jaw will just drop. George's guitars lines just leap out at you and grab you by the, well, ears. And part of that is because they are not mastered too loud so there's room for great dynamics. Altogether fab.
Peter Figen wrote:
And if you're not already a fan, reading the Geoff Emrick book about his engineering the early Beatles records and doing so much with so little in the way of recording technology will leave you boggled with what they did with a two track recorder. Then go back and listen to the 2009 remasters and your jaw will just drop. George's guitars lines just leap out at you and grab you by the, well, ears. And part of that is because they are not mastered too loud so there's room for great dynamics. Altogether fab.
The other thing I really like about the beatles, was each one of them could sing AND play super well. The Cars reminded me of that too.
