Member Spotlight

This is a new feature for the CAPS photo club so members get to know each other better, and also to make them aware of what the photo club has to offer.  

Please meet Barry Moon

Greetings. My name is Barry Moon. I have been a member of CAPS for 1 1/2 years. Photography has been a passion of mine since my youth.

Although landscapes are my favourite subjects my love of live blues music has turned into a secondary love for blues music artist imagery. My wife and I have attended many multi day outdoor festivals over the past few years. I have attempted to capture the essence of the blues through capture of the musicians in their element. My camera kit for festivals consists of a Tamron 70-300 mm lens on my Canon 60D. The photographic challenges can be various and interesting. Getting close to the stage is not a problem at the Calgary International Blues Festival with approximately 2000 attendees as you can literally be meters of the stage. On the other hand a large festival such as the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon with 10,000 plus festival goers can prove to be an exercise in elbow diplomacy getting through the crowd and close to the stage. Hence the long reach of a zoom telephoto lens which is invaluable for this type of photography. The other challenges faced are varied weather conditions ( a camera rain sleeve and micro fiber cloth are musts) and lighting considerations. You will be shooting in full sun, shade, cloud and stage lighting in the evening. Your light meter will get a full workout. For personal security I carry the camera gear in a non attention grabbing plain backpack to and from the festival grounds so as not to draw attention to the contents.

 If an opportunity arises to be able to attend a festival by all means check one out. The photographic opportunities are endless not only of the artists but of the festival as a whole. And you will hear some damn fine music to sway to while attempting to stand still to capture an image. (And good luck with that!).

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