Papa Roach Portraits

17 June 2009 – Earlier today I shot portraits with the guys from Papa Roach and it was really a privilege to work with them. A lot of friends (and bands I work with) really look up to these guys so I felt like I had a lot of pressure on me.

The shoot was interesting because as luck has it for me, I found a cool location on the roof of the Oxford Academy which was immediately pointed out as a location where ALL bands have their photographs taken so I knew that I had to make it look different so I spent a bit of extra time lighting up the scene (keeping ambient light in mind) and then when I was ready, I took a walk downstairs to get a drink and then gave the go ahead that I was ready to shoot and when I arrived back upstairs the clouds had covered the sun taking most of the ambient away and then it began raining … not slight drizzle but ACTUAL rain. I had to think quick but really thought that I could do something in the rain so I asked the guys if they would be alright with shooting some real quick shots in the rain which they were up for so I made some quick last minute (second) adjustments to all the lights and then got the guys in position and shot a few really quick portraits and then gave the clear that we were wrapped and that they could take cover back inside while my assistant (thanks Brendan) and I ran around in the rain trying to roughly gather my gear so that we could take cover in the downstairs sound shed and dry all my gear with toilet paper before packing it away. It was only then that I could preview what I had shot (hoping that I had done good) and I was really happy.

The guys were really cool and really down to earth and a pleasure to shoot. In a way I am pissed that it rained because I would’ve been down to shoot a bunch more with them at that location but I do think that the rain added a bit of something that hasn’t really been done too much before so I guess I will take it as a good thing (hoping that my gear is all alright). I really hope that I get to work with these guys again soon.

These are just 4 of the portraits that I shot. Let me know what you think.