Tampa – Life, Love & Passion Through the Lens

A few years ago I had the opportunity to see Sir Rod Stewart in concert, I purchased a really good ticket and was excited to drive to the east coast to see him. A couple of days prior to the concert I had gotten the flu and was terribly ill, however I was hoping to feel better and attend the concert in Sunrise. Day of the concert get’s here and I am still not feeling 100%, but I kept thinking by the time I need to leave I will feel better. NOPE, the time came to leave and I tried to go, but it wasn’t going to happen. I was really bummed and I kept the ticket to remind myself how close I got.

Rod Stewart was returning in concert again, and I decided this time to put in for credentials to photograph him along with Cyndi Lauper. As the time approached I had not received word so I had given up and made other plans for the day. An email came at 10:59pm on Friday night, but I didn’t open my email until mid morning Saturday, I was ecstatic to learn that I had been approved to photograph he and Cyndi Lauper at Amalie Arena in Tampa Florida and quickly printed out the parking pass and the release form, got my gear together and headed out the door.

Cyndi Lauper came out strong and was incredible. Rod came on stage with the flair he’s known for, he was a bucket list artist for me and what an honor to photograph him, he was fabulous! The extra treat was a last minute change in number of songs I could shoot, as they added a song with he and Cyndi singing together!

What a great experience in a place I had never photographed before. And even though I have been doing this sort of photography for quite some time, I did learn a few things; bring your ID, they need it for you to get through security, I didn’t have it on me, but they let me in anyway, and bring a small step stool, I actually have one, but it’s heavy and I have already looked at some online which I will be purchasing soon, it will come in handy.

I think this concert was what I needed to relieve me of the funk and writer’s block I have been having. Please enjoy….until next time from the pit.

Rod Stewart & Cyndi Lauper

You hear all the time that the eyes are the window to the soul, one of my goals when I’m shooting concerts is to get the eye contact; now mind you I don’t ask for it, I don’t do anything distracting to get it, but generally it happens, even when I don’t think they can even see me as with Alice Cooper. I was way over off to the side and a couple of rows up, yet this happened;

There wasn’t anyone that I could see in his direct eye contact, I even asked the photographer behind me if she got him looking our way…….she didn’t.

On Monday I got kind of the same thing, but it was almost as if I was recognized, don’t see how that’s possible, but REO’s bassist comes out on stage and this happened;