blog

Starting this year, INXS has been on tour again after 3.5yr hiatus (yeah, I was counting – last stop for me was “The Soo” – Sault Ste Marie, July 2007 – so make that 4yrs for this fangirl). This slightly damp night, July 17th, in the great northwest, our band, INXS dropped into town to kick off the US dates of their “Original Sin” tour, delivering a suited up round of hits at the Chateau Ste Michelle Winery in Woodinville.

In reality, I was supremely excited for this show, for more than just the uber fan obviousness. This is because, they are the band that originally inspired me to take photos at music shows, and this was my first credentialed chance to click them with a proper camera, and lenses, drop that shutter, and get them all nice and sharp. Sadly, that usually means, just the “first 3 songs, no flash”, because that’s what it is like to photograph a band with a photo pass – we usually miss those later show moments – the potential iconic moments, the finale wave to the audience, etc.

In all it’s a full circle for me, back photographing(with a pass this time, rather than on the down low!) the band I love. The icing, as it were, was when I was asked to shoot “back stage” (really not back) the .com winner meet and greet, and to also shoot midset Original Sin version of “Beautiful Girl” where Pat Monahan joined the band on stage. After shooting, I obviously(ha ha) went to my seat and watched the entire end of the set – it was such a fun and nostalgic show. I am not the same non-groupie from yesteryear, but I do still love the music and the band. Every word, I can breath and sing along with. It just puts a smile on my face. To everyone I met, and got to hang out with this night – xoxo – so much fun! To the band, etc – you were great, many thanks.

For all of my fellow INXS fans – these are for you.

xoxo
~elisa

Soundspike gallery here – http://www.soundspike.com/photos/1005/4/inxs_in_woodinville__wa/

INXS performs at Chateau Ste Michelle Winery during their "Original Sin" Tour, July 17, 2011 in Woodinville, Washington (Elisa)

Slideshow –

INXS at Chateau Ste Michelle 7-17-2011 – Images by Elisa Sherman

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July 17, 2011 by elisa sherman

Owl City (New Photos)

Owl City returned to Seattle via the Moore Theatre, in July of this year. (For last years set – check the 2009 pix here)

Assignment photos on SoundSpike.com – http://www.soundspike.com/photos/998-owl_city_in_seattle.html

Full archive slideshow – http://photosbyelisa.photoshelter.com/gallery-slideshow/G0000vquNbtasYek/?start=

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July 17, 2011 by elisa sherman

Mat Kearney in Seattle 7-15-2011 on Soundspike.com

Mat Kearney opened for Owl City on 7-15-2011 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle.

Gallery on Soundspike – http://www.soundspike.com/photos/999-mat_kearney_in_seattle.html

Full archive set here –

Mat Kearney at the Paramount 7-15-2011 – Images by Elisa Sherman

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June 23, 2011 by elisa sherman

EYE of the iPhone (photography)

We’ve all seen them, those infamous cell phone myspace/facebook pics that someone took of themselves in the mirror, right? So easy.

I love using my iPhone to shoot self portraits… Maybe it’s vain? I don’t know – but if I look good, or if I am in a mood – I like to capture it – it’s my own warped sense of reality, since none of the pix I ever share of myself, shot with my iPhone ever show a double chin or a bad angle (IMO lol)…well the angle may leave something to be desired – shot so close with an iphone, makes my nose look larger than it is – but I sacrifice it for the art(not really)…really though – they show off how I see myself – what I see in the mirror. Perhaps I have an inflated sense of myself, but I don’t think so – I just like seeing the best – just like in the images of others I publish. I hate when I see the real candid (or not so candid shots) that people take of me, where my face looks too round, and I look like I need to lose 100 lbs – which, yeah, I know I do (ok, maybe not 100, but 50 would be fabulous!)… As well, I never show that my eyes are crossed! bwah – my right is lazy, and so am I(generally) – but in my fantasy reality, they’re just dramatically not looking straight! Also, noone sees us through their eyes like we see ourselves. Self portraits can be both revealing, and veiled, for that reason I think… I don’t even know if I’d say, my iPhone pix are proper self portraits or simply self inflicted snapshots of boredom? lol – and perhaps that ambiguity is ok.

Anywho – I just jumped on the band wagon to one of the popular iPhone photo apps called Instagram… It’s not my first photo app – but now I get why people love it. It is so easy to use to share images (even of things other than my face – ha!)…It’s the perfect “snapshot” share mechanism with all the cool “film” filters, and easy to share via social networking. The downside – the oh so popular over reaching terms of service. So – I think I will use them for their filters more often – and delete the posted pix (leaving 4 pix there – lol I guess they can do with those what they like;). Unless I want to share them – I can do so via flickr which doesn’t over reach – just something to think about. I suppose all the photo share sites – that have these – well, it’s all about what you get for free – if you want free hosting, you give up something in exchange – I pay for flickr – so, it makes sense that they don’t require as much…And my updated flickr app lets me share links on FB, twitter – so I think I will make an effort to go that way, in the future…Beyond that – I have ceded enough images to facebook – no need to spread the wealth any further…

Anywho(sorry I digressed!) – on the self portrait filter front – here is myself shot through the phone – over the past 1-2 years…Not too many people pose for portraits for me properly – so, eh, you get me – hope I don’t crack your screen! (ha!). It also should be noted – that even my profile picture for this website – is, just another iPhone pic…And most of the profile pics on my facebook are all iPhone photos – I just can’t stop;)

Mirror Mirror – am I the fairest of them all?!!??!

More music stuff – soonish!

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May 14, 2011 by elisa sherman

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2011

My friend and I made it up to the Tulips on what might have been the brightest day in April…

It took 2ish hours to get to just the one garden once we left the freeway…so alas, we made it a good one…

Some may remember images from my last trip in 2008 – I was taking my then new Rebel XTiand lenses for a tour, to figure out how to use them…the difference this time, less time, less fields, more sun, less clouds, no droplets, more sun(yeah, it was bright!), and oh yeah, I actually now know how to use a camera, lol…I took my 5d, my 15mm fish, 70-200 2.8 and my 50 1.4 to see what we could see this time. I tried to stick with the extremes at 200, and 15mm wide open at 2.8 – figured noone wants to see just another flower portrait – but eh, they are pretty flowers, so…Anyway, because it was so bright, I figured, extreme perspective would be able to capture some drama in what would otherwise be, just more flower pictures – though, that is what they are! And that’s all ok:)

When I say I know how to use (now) – it sounds silly – and I was really happy with my 2008 images – you might even like some of them better than this years! (and that’s ok:) But I barely knew how to use the focusing system, didn’t quite understand what I would get through the various lenses (10-22, 50, 100 w/my 2008 rebel)…I like to think I had an eye and a bit of style – which has always been a little like my cooking – by feel and senses…These days, new gear, and I at least in my head a bit more of a sense of – hey I know what I’m after – how to shoot it, and well, never forget to just enjoy it.

So with all of that said – here are some of the colors admist the brightest sun – gotta love the pretty!

Archive (alternative view – non flash)

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2011 – Images by Elisa Sherman

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May 13, 2011 by elisa sherman

The Psychedelic Furs on SoundSpike.com (new photos!)

The Psychedelic Furs hit the Showbox Market last weekend – 2 full sets and lots of fun!

Assignment photos on SoundSpike.com
news feature – http://www.soundspike.com/news/article/2106-the_psychedelic_furs_news/
gallery – http://www.soundspike.com/photos/795-the_psychedelic_furs_in_seattle.html

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April 25, 2011 by elisa sherman

tearsheet: Robert Plant on SoundSpike.com (New Photos!)

Robert Plant & the Band of Joy at the Paramount, last week – April 20th, 2011 – on SoundSpike.com
http://www.soundspike.com/photos/751/1/robert_plant_in_seattle/

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April 10, 2011 by elisa

Freeway Park ~ Spring in Seattle 2011

Took the new LX5 on a spin around town, specifically a jaunt through Freeway Park, in the middle of downtown, and caught the spring flowers, magnolias, cherry blossoms, tulips and whatnot (read I don’t know what the other flowers were)…all in the first burst of bloom amongst our barely there Spring in Seattle…I tried to shoot it wide open the whole time to see how it really performs at it’s limits…

Some of the images – not bad for a little point & shoot:)