Promo shot thread

An area to discuss erm... musicians?

Moderator: Capt. Black

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40885
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7688 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by jeremyb »

We had a woman start in our US office recently, had some of those glamour shots done and was using one as her profile picture on her email etc, bloody hilarious....
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
Vince
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 7449
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:31 pm
Location: Upper Hutt The Brave
Has liked: 383 times
Been liked: 186 times
Contact:

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by Vince »

Delayman wrote:Not so sure about the band in playground concept - unless you're talking about when the kids aren't there.
LOL yeah. Definitely wait till the kids are gone. Nah, we have a female singer/violinist so, if we can find the right 60s looking dress, it could be a really cool retro thing. I *know* I've seen something exactly like it, but I can't remember where.
Delayman wrote:Live shots with punters loving it probably a good idea - but if can't do that and you're trying to convey "we're serious artists" you
could do art gallery/museum thing. Or go really serious and cover yourself in paint or jelly
Yep, agreed. Live stuff is best but then you have to make sure there'll be a crowd, that the lights guy is good, etc. And of course the venue might say "We'd love to have you but we're booked out for a couple of months!" Too many external factors.

Then there's the "bad boys on a sofa" picture, I guess.
"Vince, have you ever tried playing an expensive bass?" - Polarbear.
"And isn't that the finest acoustic bass guitar feedback solo you've ever heard?" - Billy Moose.

My Bandcamp Page
Facebook

slash-ed
Resident Gear Whore
Posts: 10032
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2005 12:26 pm
Has liked: 97 times
Been liked: 424 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by slash-ed »

Outside/down a graffiti-ed lane near Valhalla seems to be a classic band picture location?
Just a small town girl living in a lonely world

User avatar
WellyBlues
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3867
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:01 pm
Location: Welly
Has liked: 519 times
Been liked: 352 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by WellyBlues »

Vince wrote:
Delayman wrote:Not so sure about the band in playground concept - unless you're talking about when the kids aren't there.
LOL yeah. Definitely wait till the kids are gone. Nah, we have a female singer/violinist so, if we can find the right 60s looking dress, it could be a really cool retro thing. I *know* I've seen something exactly like it, but I can't remember where.
Delayman wrote:Live shots with punters loving it probably a good idea - but if can't do that and you're trying to convey "we're serious artists" you
could do art gallery/museum thing. Or go really serious and cover yourself in paint or jelly
Yep, agreed. Live stuff is best but then you have to make sure there'll be a crowd, that the lights guy is good, etc. And of course the venue might say "We'd love to have you but we're booked out for a couple of months!" Too many external factors.

Then there's the "bad boys on a sofa" picture, I guess.
Just photoshop a crowd scene from Wembley, that way they'll think you're big stars.
Slowy wrote: Ultimately though, guitars are like women. On paper there's not much difference but only a few can make you happy.
Ray Wylie Hubbard wrote: And the days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations Well, I have really good days

User avatar
Molly
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 24937
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:17 pm
Has liked: 2482 times
Been liked: 2794 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by Molly »

slash-ed wrote:
Molly wrote:
Vince wrote:I really want some ideas.
Not this:

Considering how often you repost this, one might surmise that you aren't actually that embarrassed by it... ;)
I'm not but probably should be.

User avatar
godgrinder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1709
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: 09
Has liked: 28 times
Been liked: 594 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by godgrinder »

Amps:
Soldano SLO100 x2 | Wizard MC1 & MC2 | Diezel Herbert
Fryette Pittbull CL | Marshall 2203KK | Krank Rev 50 | Mesa Mark 2A

Rack stuff:
VHT/Fryette GP3, GP/DI & 2/90/2 | Peters FSM/Chimera
Verellen Meatsmoke | Synergy SYN1 | Mesa Studio

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by Danger Mouse »

Molly wrote:
slash-ed wrote:
Molly wrote:
Not this:

Considering how often you repost this, one might surmise that you aren't actually that embarrassed by it... ;)
I'm not but probably should be.
Why should you be? For the era it's from it's a cool photo. I've got plenty of dodgy photos from my yoof and when I was trying to be a professional muso in London, but they are all part of my history, not embarrassed by any of them.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

null_pointer
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3674
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:37 pm
Location: The Tron
Has liked: 162 times
Been liked: 410 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by null_pointer »

Molly wrote:
Vince wrote:I really want some ideas.
Not this:

Image

:oops:

That's a lovely shot of Yngwie.





Right?

User avatar
Molly
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 24937
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:17 pm
Has liked: 2482 times
Been liked: 2794 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by Molly »

Danger Mouse wrote:
Why should you be? For the era it's from it's a cool photo. I've got plenty of dodgy photos from my yoof and when I was trying to be a professional muso in London, but they are all part of my history, not embarrassed by any of them.
Wasn't the one I went looking for actually. I've a couple of band shots somewhere. In one we're in make-up. As we could only afford an hour or so with the photographer we had to get ready at home and drive there looking like rejects from a Bowie video.

If I could talk to my younger self I'd tell him to stop thinking about image and just focus on the music. Suspect this particular one accompanied demo tapes. Sent one to Ozzy when Jake E Lee left. Got a thanks but no thanks back from Sharon's assistant.

Sorry about the hijack Vince.

User avatar
NippleWrestler
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2890
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 5:05 pm
Has liked: 78 times
Been liked: 1064 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by NippleWrestler »

Hey there, I'm a photographer... and seemingly one of only a handful of band photographers in NZ. I used to be a staffer for Metal Hammer back in UK and shot for a bunch of metal publications (decibel, terrorizer, kerrang,etc).

If you're doing a press kit, some live photos would be awesome but when it comes to you guys looking like a band you need something simple and legible that hopefully conveys what you're about in terms of genre and style.

Like I shot these bunch of dudes in a junkyard in the states somewhere.

Image

Then I shot the feelers like this

Image

shot 8 foot like this:

Image

And here's Dawn of Azazel stood in the ocean:

Image

So it's just guys stood about but you can get wildly different moods with lighting, outfits, location, and confident posing. Metal bands generally have a staunch look, typically shoulders facing the camera and shot from low to make them look huge. I usually ask the guys at either end of the lineup to turn and face the middle just to give some direction and focus to a shot.

Rock bands can get away with a bunch more things and play with different levels.

Image

And stupid shit:

Image

It's helpful if you don't all wear the same outfit (blue jeans, black shirt) and don't stand in a flat line.

And don't be afraid to add some motion:

Image

Image

But basically, successful band shoots are a combination of confidence in the band's posing, good lighting, good angles, good editing because guys standing around can be made incredibly interesting if it's interesting posing, lighting, angles, and editing.

User avatar
Olderama
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 7007
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:04 pm
Has liked: 971 times
Been liked: 876 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by Olderama »

Molly wrote:
Vince wrote:I really want some ideas.
Not this:

Image

:oops:
Then 10 yrs later he went to this .......

Image
:mental:

Kev77
Mr Echo
Posts: 4474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 7:33 am
Location: East Coast
Has liked: 357 times
Been liked: 283 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by Kev77 »

Frank flash
"Cash on the ballot, money to burn, Dealey Plaza, make a left-hand turn" Bob Dylan is a genius

null_pointer
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3674
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:37 pm
Location: The Tron
Has liked: 162 times
Been liked: 410 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by null_pointer »

Frey wrote:
NippleWrestler wrote: Then I shot the feelers
congratulations
But he did not shoot the deputy.

User avatar
WellyBlues
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3867
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:01 pm
Location: Welly
Has liked: 519 times
Been liked: 352 times

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by WellyBlues »

Use the cover of Who's Next as inspiration.
Slowy wrote: Ultimately though, guitars are like women. On paper there's not much difference but only a few can make you happy.
Ray Wylie Hubbard wrote: And the days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations Well, I have really good days

User avatar
Vince
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 7449
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:31 pm
Location: Upper Hutt The Brave
Has liked: 383 times
Been liked: 186 times
Contact:

Re: Promo shot thread

Post by Vince »

WellyBlues wrote:Use the cover of Who's Next as inspiration.
That's just taking the piss!
"Vince, have you ever tried playing an expensive bass?" - Polarbear.
"And isn't that the finest acoustic bass guitar feedback solo you've ever heard?" - Billy Moose.

My Bandcamp Page
Facebook

Post Reply