I’ve Got The Blues (COVID-19 Style)

As a photographer that loves music, especially blues music, the Covid-19 Virus has stopped not only live music in our area but also cut off any revenue for the venues and artist. If I can’t go to my favorite venues and take photographs I thought I’d share some of my recent work.

I’ve shot Canon for many years, and being 62 I was looking for a lighter camera setup. Canon had not fully embraced smaller mirrorless cameras with any serious body or lens selections. I had lost my enthusiasm for photography. I needed a change.

I started researching mirrorless cameras and lens. I needed a mirrorless camera that excelled in all types of photography and had strong lens support. In the fall of 2019, I purchased the Fuji X-T3, several primes, and a few zoom lenses. It has renewed my passion for photography. I know I made the right decision.

Blues music originated in the deep South of the United States. It comes from the roots of African Americans. It’s not something you can explain, you just feel it. You feel pain in the lyrics and the emotions through the performer. I try to capture those special moments that hopefully will help you feel the blues.

One of my favorite venues is The Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall, Mi. The 260-seat auditorium with a balcony underwent a refresh and is now one of the premier small concert venues in the area.

The X-T3 is a joy to shoot for concert photography. I shoot in manual. The front command dial is set to ISO, and the rear command dial set to shutter speed. This lets me look through the viewfinder, see the histogram, and adjust the exposure, without taking my eye off the performer.

Another venue I like to shoot at is in Albion Michigan at the historic Bohm Theater. On the first Monday of every month, they host Blues at the Bohm. They feature a set with an area headliner and then have a blues jam. It’s truly amazing to see and photograph the talent in the area. The Bohm is one of those rare venues that combine stage lighting with ambient lighting to get some nice lower ISO shots. I shoot mostly with 3 lenses, 90mm F2, 50-140mm F2.8 and the 16mm F1.4.

Thank you, Fuji X Passion, for the opportunity to share my passion. I hope you enjoyed my article and stay safe. Please support your local musicians in any way you can.

Mark Casebeer

Franke Center for the Arts
http://frankecenterforthearts.org

Bohm Theater
https://bohmtheatre.org

Mark Casebeer

“My name is Mark Casebeer and I shoot with the Fuji X-T3.
I am a Michigan based photographer that loves blues music. I try to help support live music in my area by capturing local artists and sharing my photographs on my blog and social media.
My blog also features wildlife, landscape, sports, and family photography.”

itsmytimephotography.com