Thursday afternoon, I got a surprise call from John Schwab of Reunion headliner McGuffey Lane. After some catching-up and general chit-chat, John asked me if I'd be interested in photographing the concert.
Oh, twist my arm, I thought. Somebody pinch me.
Honestly, being offered an all-access chance to document my favorite music and musicians made my head swim. And if I agreed to the job, Mrs. KintlaLake and I wouldn't be able to reprise our annual trip down memory lane, at least not together.
Still, I didn't blink -- I said yes.
Two hours before showtime, my wife and I, accompanied by our older spawn and a friend, entered through the stage door. The three of them cooled their heels in the near-empty hall while I spent some time checking sight lines and chasing down a step ladder for one high-angle shot that John wanted.Once the show got underway, I started bouncing from wing to wing, capturing moments as they presented themselves. I made one long trip up to the balcony, and several times I wound my way down to the foot of the stage, eventually abandoning those low-angle shots as the general-admission floor became too crowded.
I worked from stage risers and speaker towers, stood on folding chairs and perched on the aforementioned ladder, occasionally (and briefly) invading the stage during a performance to get my shots.I went non-stop for four hours, burning hundreds of frames. Everyone -- musicians, crew, audience -- was magnificently helpful and accommodating, making what could've been a stress-packed evening an absolute pleasure. It was at once exhausting and satisfying, maybe the most rewarding photography I've ever done.
So that was the job. And the concert?
I've been immersed in this music for the better part of 32 years and I've attended every Zachariah's Red-Eye Reunion since 2002. My wife and I, along with every performer we spoke with, agreed that this was by far the best one yet -- instrumentally and vocally, talent and performances, energy and audience. Each Reunion has been uniquely great but this year's, without question, topped 'em all.Between the concert and the after-party, along with a lingering natural high, sleep didn't find me 'til the wee hours of this morning. I finally hauled my weary ass out of bed around 10am, brewed a pot of coffee, pulled the memory card from my camera and started flipping through the images.
I was disappointed immediately.
My expectations were especially high for this job, and I'm a perfectionist anyway. I couldn't seem to find a single shot that met my standards for sharpness, exposure and composition. As I sat grumbling in front of my computer, my wife eased down next to me and put her hand on my shoulder, giving it a knowing squeeze. She didn't say a word.
Then on my second pass through the photos, I found a few that I liked. By the third or fourth review, I realized that there were some killer images in the bunch. A crop here and some color-correction there -- to make a long story shorter, by late this afternoon I couldn't stop smiling.Just before I started writing this post, Mrs. KintlaLake remarked that she awoke today with the same mixed feelings she's had after the last three Reunions.
"I have this warm afterglow...energy and joy from the best concert ever," she said softly. "At the same time, I'm sad -- sad that we won't get to do it again for another year."
She gets it, y'know?
We looked into each other's eyes, held hands and smiled, sharing the same emotions and knowing that irrepressible soul and incomparable music have the power to carry us to next January.
