Event Photography: Featuring Gowe

A week ago, I documented Gowe and Sam Ock as they performed live at the Q Cafe in Seattle. It turned out to be a sold out show and the energy inside the venue reflected that.Gowe, a hip-hop artist from Seattle, is an amazing lyricist and brought tremendous passion into his performance. There's definitely something special about seeing the audience vibe to the music by jumping up and down and reciting the words. It was a rewarding experience providing both photo and video coverage for him at the show.In terms of shooting at the venue, I dealt with tricky lighting. During the performances, the stage lights would often overpower the ambient light in the audience. Balancing between the two is the key when shooting at concerts/shows. Another important factor to consider is the composition of the shots. As much as I enjoy photographing medium to close-up shots of the artist, I also want to capture the overall "feel" of the performance. In order to do this, it's important to document the artist's environment. This includes the audience, lights, space, and movement. The shot below is one of my favorites from the show. I like how Gowe is having a passionate moment with the fans and you can feel the energy in the photo.Lighting is arguably the most important factor in getting successful shots and when shooting in dark venues, it's even more amplified. After getting that down, the rest is simply about looking for those special moments and keep shooting.