07 November 2009 – Just over a week ago I had a really good time working with the guys (and girl) from Hour of the Awake on a photo shoot for them to use to promote the new stuff they have been working on.

They are currently a 4 piece Metal band based in London and they have been working hard on writing some amazing material that they will only really launch when they are happy with everything. I was lucky to get a sneak peak of what they have been working on and it really is exciting (think Killswitch Engage, In Flames and Lamb of God with their own unique twist). I always really enjoy when bands take influence from their favourite bands but make it theirs.

I had been liaising with Shiri about locations and what she imagined the final images to look like and I really appreciated that she left it up to me to shoot how I shoot and direct them to what I thought worked and I made sure to include what she had imagined. We met up on a Sunday afternoon in Golders Green and had a mini “hike” with all our heavy gear dodging people that we thought were going to kick us out and racing for the last bits of available light.

These are a few of the photos that I really like from the shoot. The first ones are obviously group shots but the last four are individual portraits of each member with the instrument that they play. I always worry about shooting photos of band members with their gear as I worry it will come out cheesy but I think these work nicely.

I received a mail (a few actually) yesterday from the members that really made my day and they were really happy. I laughed so much at how they described their gratitude with the most swear words I have seen in text in a long time. Amazing.

Check them out, they are a bunch of really cool people who deserve support. I cannot wait to see them on their forward progression with this project.

Currently listening to : Papa Roach – … To Be Loved.

Tags: Edy Banik, Hour of the Awake, Luci, Metal, Nik War, Shiri Takacs
Posted in Music Photography and Band Portraits | 3 Comments »