5 posts tagged “black cherry photography”

“One idea we wanted to explore was using projections which allude to the themes of the album and also create some interesting visual textures within which to frame Ben. So we have images of the sea which link to the track “Tides”, the hills and mountains which link to the track “In Country”, and the evening sky which link to the track “The Observatory”, explains Lisa.

I wanted a minimalist feel and also to explore the use of white light against skin in some of the photographs. Lisa and I were inspired by this picture called “The Secular Man” by David Bowie. (yes, that David Bowie!) The figure in the artwork appears to be in a semi-religious position, arms outstretched, head hung to one side, like an image from the crucifixion. Yet the picture is called “The Secular Man”, which seems ironic. It was quite an interesting idea and one that I felt worked well with the more downbeat elements of the music I was writing at the time. We also incorporated some of the slides from the projector we had hired. Despite the apparent seriousness of intent behind these photos, they were immense fun to work on!

“Ben explained how the theme of time passing is a very important one on the “All Quiet At 4AM” album, whether it’s references to specific times of the day, or long periods of time linked by major life events such as births or deaths”, said Matthew, another Black Cherry photographer. “We alluded to this photographically by producing some interesting time-lapse effects with multiple images of Ben in different positions across the frame.”

“We also wanted to produce the photographs ‘live’, rather than relying too heavily on effects produced by Photoshop or other image manipulation software.”

We are officially a local interest story...

TMC-south-manchester-report

Hi everybody,

Well, no excuses for the lack of posts recently, but there has been loads going on.

We've been spending the time working on new material and booking gigs.

Here's some confirmed forthcoming dates:

Friday 22nd Feb, 22:30, "Thriller Killer"  at Charlies, Manchester. A club for alternative music lovers in the heart of Manchester's gay village. Check it out at: http://www.myspace.com/thrillerkillerclub. This Morning Call to do a headline show.

Wednesday 12th March, "While Other Bands Park Vans", Trof, Fallowfield, Manchester. An acoustic show. Check it out at:  http://www.myspace.com/whileotherbandsparkvans  Another headline show.

Thursday 3rd April, a LONDON show at The Troubador. On stage 9.30pm. Full band. Full details can be found at the venues websight.... http://www.troubadour.co.uk/ .... but give them a day or two 'cos I only confirmed it today! All you industry people, this is the show to be at!

23/24/25th May MAPS Festival, a big one for Manchester artists, as the city gets taken over by tons of great bands, performers, visual artists and so forth. Based in and around Mcr's Northern Qtr. All mcrs biggest promotors are involved. And so are we. Venue and stage times tbc. Further details at http://www.myspace.com/mapsfestival

Plenty more in the pipeline... watch this space.

And our photos have come through from the recent Black Cherry photo shoot.... here's one I particularly like...

Ben Portraits 012

1 comment

and another....

Ben Portraits 017

Thanks to Matthew and Lisa at Black Cherry Photography for these. They are ace.

I do hope some of you can make it too the gigs... message me if you can to let us know... don't be shy!

best wishes,

Ben

Here's the behind the scenes action from Sunday... words by Matthew Dines http://blackcherryphotography.blogspot.com/

This Morning Call photoshoot

Sunday 27th January 2008 saw the photo shoot of 'This Morning Call'.

This Manchester based group are described in one review as a six piece alternative electronic pop band, with synths, drums, guitars and laptops and sound a bit like Portishead on decent anti-depressants. With this in mind, we knew we could do something special and a bit unique for their photos.

We decided on a location for the shoot just south of Manchester deep into the countryside near Congleton surrounded by fields, the odd tractor and a faint whiff of excrement. Perfect.

The day started off in an amazing abandoned house, still intact with the original peeling wall paper and authentic early 1900's furniture - brought right back up to date with an I POD speaker system blasting out the likes of Kings Of Leon, Maximo Park and of course.. This Morning Call - just to get them into the swing of things!

We went with ideas obtained from the style of their music - for example a mix of electro and acoustic pop and decided to bring this out in the photos - mixing the old grandeur of the house and glitzing it up with some jazzy lighting and an oh so classy disco ball!

Throughout the day we saw the band in rusty sheds, climbing trees and it went slightly Narnia at one point when we photographed them all in a wardrobe. Even when we had them outside under a 100 year old beech tree in the freezing cold as we set up the lighting, the cheery mood carried on with the usual larking about and everyone getting involved attaching baubles and lights all over the place. There seemed to be a real buzz from both photographers and musicians about the ideas we were coming up with.

The final shots saw the whole band set up under the tree just as the sun was going down - a perfect time to light the scene with lamps and fairy lights.. it really did look like a scene straight out of a Tim Burton film.





Lisa, accompanied by Nick, shot some footage for an animated music video (go here http://www.myspace.com/lisarisbecfilms for updates) capturing the band under the lights, while I stood below shooting some stills.








All in all a very successful shoot was had.. we were happy, the band were happy (if not a little cold!) and the finished versions of the pictures will be on our website very soon!

Final thanks to the band for working so well with us, considering the freezing temperatures - i think this was probably helped by a mid day cup of tea. Sorts everything out!

What is it about standing in a field, freezing your nuts off, being hungry and thirsty, dog tired, with pitch black wilderness all around, miles from anywhere, and the occassional smell of human excrement drifting across from the septic tank, that can be so life affirming?

No, this wasn't Glastonbury. This was Congleton.

This Sunday the entire band and a hardy collection of photographers and film makers decamped from the safety of Manchester city centre and arrived at a rather delightful location in the heart of the Cheshire countryside, with the express intention of putting together a few promo shots and making a start on the video that is being planned to accompany the track "Clockworks".

But by golly, it was cold. I think it should be made illegal for those of an artistic persuassion to step outside in the winter months. In fact, I think I shall become a seasonal mammal, and hibernate myself away until Spring. Mind you, with all this global warming, I could be up and about at anytime, or maybe sleep to the year 5 billion.... Anyway, I digress.

We were under strict instructions that coats had to be removed while shots were being taken. I'll admit this wasn't as much of a problem inside. We were lucky enough to conduct the first part of the shoot in an interior location, a rather delightful house that seemed to have remained untouched for thirty years. All terribly retro and cool, with floral wall paper, dead flies and crusty carpets. At one point I was stuffed unceremoniously into a wardrobe. Future generations will remember this as the classic "This Morning Call" wardrobe shot, and prints will adorn the interior of undergraduate bedrooms in art colleges and red brick institutions. Right next to the one of Bob Marley smoking a "magic" ciggy, and Kurt Cobain looking long haired and scrappy as he pulls at his guitar which seems to have been superglued to the floor. You know the one I mean.

Anyway, it was the outdoor work that I'll remember the most. The concept was a simple one. A magic, outdoor disco. So up went mirror balls, christmas decorations and lava lamps, all attaching themselves to a tree; a tree which had two knobbly bits that looked liked big boobs. Mark wanted to stand by them. He's always on about boobs.

When the sun finally set and the stage lights were turned on, it was rather like a winter wonderland, all glittery and sparkly and disco-like. By this stage the air was freezing in my lungs and I'd lost a finger to frost bite. That wasn't quite so magical. But I'm really looking forward to viewing the piccies, I think they'll be really good. The whole thing really seemed to come to life.

I wont say too much more about it today, as obviously I'm not in a position to actually show you any of the finished work, and the video is a different kettle of fish entirely which I'll talk about at length at a later date.

Rest assured that I think everybody found it to be an extremely creative and exciting day, and there was a big round of applause when the final photo was taken and it was time to go home.

I'd like to express my warmest thanks to Lisa, Matthew and Nick, and Matthew's family, for hosting us. I think they all turned out to say hello - grandmas, uncles, neighbours and the rest. I might also suggest at this point that anybody else wanting any photos done should contact any of the above via the links in our Top Friends, or search for Black Cherry Photography at:

http://www.blackcherryphotography.co.uk/

The best piccies will no doubt grace our MySpace and Vox Blog pages at some point in the very near future and we can have a feast for the eyes as well as the ears!

I'm currently stood near a radiator listening to "In Rainbows". I love warmth.

Ben