Holy crap, you’ve got guts bringing your camera to shows like that. I’m not even comfortable with a plastic cup of beer that near a perpendicular person.
Those are amazing shots, I’m blown away.
😯 Really? Thanks 😳
Honestly, I had little idea of what I was getting into – I knew it’d be a punk show, and I’d figure there’d be a pit, but I had no idea it’d be the ENTIRE VENUE. Afterwards, the girl who told me about the gig said “That was 10x more intense than I was expecting,” and she’s a Tokyo punk scene veteran. I usually go to more alternative/indie shows with far less action going on (much smaller venue, too). When it comes to punk/ska, I’m hardly into the music but the energy was off the charts, so I hope to find more shows of that type to capture one way or the other.
I should also point out that I cut my videography teeth on the 2003 anti-war protests, so after a week of getting chased by cops, accidentally stepping on burned flags, and nearly being pepper-sprayed, a pit doesn’t really intimidate me as much. Doing the protests did a lot in teaching me to be aware of my surroundings, especially in volatile situations like a giant mosh pit.
One thing I did learn was that UV filters are bitch-and-a-halfs, especially when they get sweat/dust/etc on them mid-show. I ended up just tossing my filter into my bag at some point and just having my lens cloth ready.
