Joe Mack's Event Photography | Manual Magazines

(Published:_)

Edition Forty-Eight- Week Forty-Eight:

Written by: Mercedes Barreto

What is the highlight of this year in your business success?

“This past year has been fantastic; starting about a year ago, I became a staff photographer at Daryl’s House, owned by Daryl Hall from the band Hall and Oates. I get to shoot so many well-known bands and meet other not-so-well-known bands but equally as good in what they do.”

When did this business begin or get its footing?

“I started doing this business about seven years ago, concentrating on Music Photography and Real Estate Photography. As with any new business, getting established and getting the word around about what you do takes a while. The Real Estate part grows slowly through referrals from agents I work with who refer me to other agents needing quality photos at a great price. I am THE MOST AFFORDABLE AROUND for both Music and Real Estate Photography. The music end took off once I started working at Daryls. I don’t get paid there, but there is no price for advertising, like saying you are a Staff Photographer at Daryls House. And the proof of my quality is in the photos themselves, which everyone can see on my Facebook Page for my Music Photography. Here is the link https://www.facebook.com/event.photography.jm .”

What are some favorite shoots to share?

“One of my favorite shoots, which I have done twice, was working for a guy who has become a good friend, Vern Room. For the last couple of years, he put on a vast six-band music show at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY, and hired me to shoot the entire show. Sadly, the Chance was just sold, and we all hope the new owners, from what we are hearing, will renovate and still maintain it as a music venue. Vern’s Band Breach the Asylum will be on the bill for the last show, and he and I should work together again at this latest show. We all hope it will start again and we can all go back and enjoy more music there.

Other than The Chance, back to Daryl’s, it is always an honor to shoot there; I do a few times a month, I watch the schedule of shows, and when I see a band I want to shoot, I submit my name, and if one of the other photographers that are on staff there hasn’t gotten it yet, then I do. I just found out today that I get to shoot Savoy Brown there on May 24. I got to shoot another of my Rock heroes, Wishbone Ash, there a month ago. The actor Vincent Pastore, who was on the HBO Series The Sopranos, has a band, and I got to work with him, meeting him backstage, doing photos for his meet and greet, and taking a picture of him and me together, then shooting his band for his set.”

If you could elaborate on some of your preferred photo equipment, at different shoot settings?

“I use two cameras, both Nikon, one a D5600 and one a D7500. I use two different lenses on them; one is 17 x 70mm f2.8, and the other is 80 x 200mm f2.8. Both are great in low light conditions, but at Daryls, the lighting is Excellent. Besides doing performance photography, I also offer posed sessions. Sometimes, I use a green screen and have four sets of lights to bring along. Occasionally, we do them on location. I just finished up a shoot using Downing Park in Newburgh, NY, as the backdrop, and they came out excellent; next, I am doing some posed shoots in Bethel, NY, home of Bethel Woods, where the Woodstock Festival was.”

What are some typical things you see and hear on set that you might find unexpectedly?

“After doing this for as long as I have, there aren’t any surprises anymore. There are the bands that stand there and play, and there are those that move around interacting with each other; those are the ones I enjoy the most. I always look for emotion, interaction, and animation. The biggest problem is me in the fan’s way or the fans in my way, but that isn’t a big problem since I move around a lot, and if I am in your way, it will be for a second or two, then on my way to the next spot I shoot from. Like at Daryls, I have about eight places I shoot from and alternate through the show; same with the Chance, I shoot from several locations in the Balcony, downstairs in the pit, then farther back behind the tables in the crowd and also go up and shoot from the side and back of the stage. The biggest problem is when there is a large crowd, it is hard to jockey for position.”

Where can we find you, and why should we? What makes your photos the best in Hudson Valley?

“Where can you find me? LOL, that’s hard to say; I shoot at many local venues for music. I don’t publicize where I will be until the day of the show, and at the show, I almost always post a shot with my phone of the venue, telling everyone I AM HERE. Unless you are a friend of mine, you will know where I will be after the fact; I always post my favorite shots of the night once I finish my edits. What makes my photos the best is this: I have been a musician most of my life and also a photographer most of my life. Combining the two blends my passions, and I don’t just take pictures; I take photos from a musician’s viewpoint. I also charge less than half and give back way more pictures for the price than anyone I know. I just heard of one photographer who captures $335 for 15 images. HOW CRAZY IS THAT. For a local show, my price is $110; I give back 4-600 hi-res pictures and include some 4k video with that at no extra charge.”

Anything to add here?

“Let me add I LOVE WHAT I DO. And I am so happy to be a full-time photographer. I do offer specials for posed sessions. A one-hour shoot is $110 (depending on travel time), but if they pay for two hours, I don’t watch the clock, and it takes as long as it takes to give them everything they want in the way of promotional photos.”