The next issue of Capital Eyes is going to come with a compilation DVD of footage from John Hatfield. He did an interview in Issue #5, which I just put out.
You can look at his photos here
This photo is from the Parkway Drive/Dropsaw show a little while ago and I am in it. How exciting.
Here’s the interview
Tell us a little bit about the photos you take- what bands, any particular style of photo you really like taking?
I shoot most of the hardcore gigs in Canberra mostly because these are the bands I like. Sometimes these are for BMA or faster louder, other times I just do them for myself. I don’t think I try for a particular style of photography, it mainly depends on the venue and what the lighting set up is like. Lately I’ve just been using a 10-17mm f/3.5 fisheye and 50mm f/1.8 and if use a flash trying to bounce it off the roof.
What got you into taking photos of bands and shows? When did you first start shooting different bands?
I started beginning of 2007 when I first got my camera, I wasn’t really planning to use it for bands but I just took it to a few shows, The Bronx at the greenroom and Terror at the Jamison Inn were the first 2 shows I did. I emailed those to BMA and I was lucky enough that they needed another photographer, and that was within 1 month of getting my first camera. Then I started going to more and more shows and really enjoying taking photos at them.
You have a few different things in the works with some local bands. I know there is the Slowburn- Sleepwalker video coming….anything else in the works?
The Slowburn video is finished and online, and I did some promo photos for dead kings, I’m doing some for Vera and the payback soon, and then possibly doing another music video soon. I’m really keen to make more videos with bands, it seems strange to me than most bands don’t bother with them until they get really big, everything else in the hardcore scene is very DIY, t-shirt design, gigs, posters, zines, and low budget music videos can be just as easy, if your gonna put out an EP you might as well do a video. As well as that I’ve been videoing some of the recent gigs and making DVD’s of them which people seem to like.
Are there any particular photographers out there that you take a lot of influence from?
Honestly not at all, I look at a lot of the other locals shooting gigs and like some of them but I couldn’t really name any influential photographers.
You are studying Media Production at uni…do you plan on using your photography work to help you in “the real world” once you graduate?
Sort of, it’s not really my main aim, I’m more interested in the film and video world, which does cross over with photography a lot. At the moment it’s more of a hobby but I if I can turn it into a career I will.
There have been some pretty sweet shows in Canberra this year..any particular favourites?
Anything with 4dead these days is so rare I always cherish those. Their pig destroyer set was amazing. I would be really happy to do a photo or video shoot with them.
Jungle Fever’s last show here was also a great one, and was better than their last show in Sydney I think. But lately the run of house shows at vegan house has been the best thing happening in Canberra. I always prefer to see a band in lounge room or kitchen rather than a venue, house shows have a vibe that can’t really be replicated anywhere else.
What are five albums you’ve been seriously into lately?
Graf Orlock – all their albums an EP’s
Converge – No Heroes
Evergreen Terrace – Wolfbiker
Antagonist AD – we are the dead
Have Heart – Songs to scream at the Sun
What are your aspirations as a photographer? Do you think you’ll be able to achieve them in Canberra?
As I say I’m not aggressively pursuing it as a career, it is possible to do it in Canberra but it would involve shooting a lot of different things, probably a lot of family portraits.
Do you have a particular favourite photo you have taken?
I like the photos I did of the 4dead house show a year and a half ago. And the house show with Slowburn, Dead kings, Condorcet, they turned out really well.
Any thanks or anything else to add?
More than anything the best thing that’s come from shooting local bands is getting to know the dudes in them and being able to mutually help each other out.
This weekend was a pretty sweet weekend of shows. Saw Trash Talk/Extortion/Slowburn on Friday night, definitely a very wild night which was preceded by going to the launch of elodi magazine. There was a bathtub full of free beer, and that was pretty incredible. Last night saw I Exist and Sawn-Off from Sydney. There will be an interview with them in Issue 6. I Exist are so good.
Also watched the Raiders lose. I now have very low expectations for the season.
About the Author
Daniel Boyle Founder of @sportslashlife. Australian living in Chile. Freestyle footbag player and passionate sports fan.
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