"How to flip the birdie!!"

Brand New Heavies
Originally uploaded by Aworan.

They say that photography at times is about being at the right place at the right time. Not only that, it also helps if you have the settings of your camera ready for anything.

So, I was just lucky to have said image yesterday. Was at the Islington Academy covering the Brand New Heavies. The lighting was appalling, and the use of any flash was denied. So, I had to switch to a 50mm lens. (No, Im not going to bore you with all that jargon!)

As I'm trying to frame the lead singer in the most (un)available light around, she comes over to me, gyrating and doing her stuff, and gives me this image you're now viewing.


I was later asked whether I had done something to offend her. Who knows... at least I got the shot I wanted!! :-)

Johnny Cash, eat your heart out!

"Strike a pose!"

Priety Zinta.
Originally uploaded by Aworan.

This I know to be true: Women love to pose! Fact. You might want to dispute that with me, you're entitled with your opinion. It's not a sexist remark, in case any Liberal Feminist/Masculated Fascist brings out the knives. I've made this comment based on daily observations whenever I'm with the camera. Nothing is wrong with posing. To pose in front of the camera is, according to Ak's definition, a physical projection of emotions choreographed and presented as a suppossed expression of your true self for the camera. (Hey! There was only so much Psychology I wanted to learn at University!)

I love taking pictures whenever a person's guard is down. It capture's their true emotion. But whenever the camera is out, and a potential subject knows it's out, then you best believe that all kinds of 'natural looks' are thrown into the mix.

You think I'm making this up? Well, experiment with these tried and tested observations:

If a woman around knows that you have a camera, observe how she systematically adjusts her hair; contemplating which way to turn when asked to look, and most importantly making a mental note if she looks good enough for you to take the shot anyway. ("I'm ready for my close up!!")

If a woman says she doesn't like having her picture taken, and keeps on harping about that, then it's a given that she likes her picture taken. To prove this, say your about to put the camera away. I can guarantee that within 5 minutes, she'll ask why you don't have your camera out.

Whenever you do take a portrait shot, always notice how the face dips down, how the eyebrow is raised, and how the hair covers certain angles of the face. Yep.. its all in the pose.

The one pose that cracks me up is the 'bent' knee look. I only want to take a shot of a face, and for some unexplainable reason, the knee slightly bends, and other dramatic actions, which might probably help in getting the right facial expression. Hey! Whatever works for you!

Women at gigs!

Jon B
Originally uploaded by Aworan.

The claim that women are the fairer sex is a myth that needs to be destroyed asap. When it comes to certain music gigs, women tend to take on a new persona; one you do not want to get sweeped up in! I've been to gigs where I've seen bras thrown on the stage; panties, (now that's just nasty!!) or a young pubescent lass riding a surf crowd to get to the stage, until security step in! These are some of the sights to behold whenever going to certain gigs!

Let's take for example Jon B's concert at the Jazz Cafe last week. Normally, I try to get to the venue early so as to get a good vantage point. However, i took my time. Big mistake! I finally get into the venue, and its rammed packed with screaming women, who were determined not to make life easy for ANYONE trying to get to the front of the stage. No amount of reasoning with most of the women would not make any of them budge, inspite of you saying you're only going to take a number of shots and leave. With arms folded, they stood their ground, with that look saying, "Boy, if you don't get your raggedy arse and cameras away from me and the chance to see Jon B, I will literally break you!!" Now, I've been to gigs where women are a tad crazy over a musician or band, but the most ferocious tend to be black women!! That's a fact. Ask any photographer or punter, and you'll get the same response! Come to think of it, I should conduct a socio-anthropological study on this!

And that's another thing: at said gigs, women, even with their partners around, are like savages. Now, if a guy sees a female perfomer, no way is he going to let off wolve whistles and such. Says alot, doesn't it?

Fairer sex??? You're having a laugh!! I finally did get to the front, (with much palaver!) got the shots I wanted, and scrammed! Here are some of the shots from the night, and other gigs in the past week!

ps: Guys are just as bad, but depends on what kind of gigs you go to, I guess.

The Lynx Effect... & Matt Willis

Matt Willis
Originally uploaded by Aworan.

I'd already written this blog before, but it seems appropriate to bring it back with a comment a friend made about this picture.

Have you guys seen the latest 'Lynx' campaign? The "Spray More" advert, where hundreds of thousands of scantily dressed, slim, sexy women, (Hey! I'm a guy! We notice these things!!!) all converging to one lone man's position, just by him spraying this substance on him! Effectively, this advertisement is trying to convince the Alpha/Beta/Gamma Male that by having this aftershave, women will literally come and rip you apart and fulfil your wildest desire. Hah! You wish!

But that's not my beef about that ad. If this spray claims to attract beautiful women to a lynx user, how comes they missed out on: The Fat Woman, The Volumptious Woman, the pregnant woman, the really size o model woman, the the granny looking woman.. you get the gist!! I mean, sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but a bit of variety wouldnt go amiss!!

Red Carpet Malarky at the World Music Awards 2006

Chris Brown Re-enacting "Thriller"
Originally uploaded by Aworan.

I hate Red Carpet events. There. I've said it. First time I covered one was over 2 years ago, and I got there late for that. So covering the World Music Awards yesterday with Red Carpet duty, it just confirmed what I think about it: a pretentious set up with nobodies thinking they are somebodies, and the somebodies who think they are all that.

Would I ever do Red Carpet gigs again? Probably not. Too much palaver for what it's worth, really. Call me a snob, but I don't want to be associated with the majority of the photographers at these gigs. They're like a pack of wild hyenas. If you think I'm exagerrating, just observe a bunch of photographers at these events. They are a bit like papparazzi, but with proper accreditation. I guess this last rant might ostracise me from some of the snappers on the circuit, but I'll say if for what it is. As earlier mentioned, not all the photographers are like that, but you know who you are.

And for all those who paid through the nose to see Michael Jackson perform, you have my heartfelt sympathy for not getting your money's worth.

I'm not going to bore any of you with the obvious shots of who's who on the red carpet, so here's the only shot I managed to sneak, since I wasn't given official accrediation for the performance. (only a select few, and suprise, suprise:Getty Images!)