Example Galleries
Gallery 1 Gallery 2 Gallery 3 Gallery 4 Gallery 5 Gallery 6 Gallery 7 Gallery 8 Gallery 9
Gallery 1 Gallery 2 Gallery 3 Gallery 4 Gallery 5 Gallery 6 Gallery 7 Gallery 8 Gallery 9
View More/Downloads
Photo Archive
Photo Archive
Tutorials
Gig Photography Tutorial
Gig Photography Tutorial
Contact Me
Contact
Contact
All images Copyright
Chris Johnson
2007-2008
Website design by
Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson
2007-2008
Website design by
Chris Johnson
About me
I'm an amateur musician (guitarist/vocalist) and music photographer based in Coventry (UK). Music now takes a back seat to my photography (as this website indicates) but i still play guitar and compose tracks occasionally.
Photography
I mainly do live performance (gig) photography but i've also done a handful or promotional photos for artists and bands too. I started photographing local gigs in around Coventry in the summer of 2007 with the initial help and guidance of professional photographer Annie Chalmers who is very involved with the local music scene. I then spent many hours reading gig/concert photography articles on various websites and forums in order to get more understanding of the techniques and equipment required. Having played guitar in bands since i was 16 i've effectively put my involvement with live music (playing wise) on hold for the unforseeable future and have switched from one side of the stage to the other.
There's nothing worse then being in a band and having no decent live (or promotional) photos and there were certainly none taken of me at gigs during my time playing in live bands. I've taken hundreds (if not thousands) of photos so far and i'd like to say a big thankyou to all the bands and artists i've photographed so far, without your immense musical talents my photographic hobby could be a whole lot duller!
Doing this at an amateur level I mainly photograph local unsigned acts, they're the people who are most in need of some photos and they're often on a limited budget (or none at all). I do this in my spare time free of charge so get in touch if you'd like to arrange a photo shoot of your gig or if you'd like some promo photos. I can't promise i can make specific gigs but i'll try and photo you or your band playing at some point in the future if i can't make it.
Musical Endevours
I've played guitar and (sometimes sung) in bands since i was 16. In the mid-nineties i fronted Coventry-based indie-popsters The Cherry Stones, playing regularly at The Golden Cross, Scholars (on the balcony), the old Browns (when it was in the lower precinct) and memorably with Swamp Donkey (Ferris of The Pockets old band) at a 1997 Battle Of The Bands at Coventry University. We managed to get out of town a few times playing Nottingam and York (Fibbers) a few times but the highlight was a support slot on a Saturday night at Warwick University on the Market Place stage.
Between 2002 and 2007 i played guitar for BAiT and also took on lead vocal duties between 2004 and 2006. BAiT existed in two formats - it was both an originals and a covers outfit. The covers band became quite well know on the midlands club circuit but BAiT originals had a fairly stealth-like existance. The highlight of BAiT (originals) for me was supporting GPS at Queens Hall, Nuneaton and meeting Ryo Okumoto of Spocks Beard fame. The material had drifted more towards a progressive rock feel whilst still keeping BAiTs harmony vocal sound and i was able to solely concentrate on guitar due to the aquisition of a dedicated lead vocalist. It was probably the best lineup the band had ever had but was unfortunately short lived. After the demise of BAiT originals the covers outfit was rekindled as Kill Clouseau and we played some of BAiTs old haunts one last time. Drummer and vocalist John Chivers now plays drums with Mark Yates (Kill Clouseaus second vocalist) in rock covers band Ministry Of Beaver and regularly sessions for Beneva, The Malc Evans Band and Bukechi.
At the moment i'm keeping a hand in music with my studio-only progressive rock project My Kind of Theory - of which I'm making progress at a 'leisurely' pace. I've no plans of returning to do anything in a live context at the moment.
Musical Tastes
All kinds of stuff really, lots of different genres from the classic 80's synth pop, new romatic and spandex wearing metal acts of my schooldays through to britpop, indie and shoegazers of my University days during the 90's. There are countless many other acoustic, indie, alternative, metal and electronic acts in my record collection most of which would be considered uncool by many (particularly bands my dad was into like Supertramp, ELO, 10CC and Steeleye Span from the 70's - oh yes). The only thing i've never been very partial to is punk. Anyway, more recently (thanks to a certain drummer pal of mine) i've got into progressive rock - some of the greats such as Genesis, Yes and Rush and at the moment these two bands are really up my street, i think you'd class them as neo-progressive rock bands...
Spocks Beard
click here for a taster (a video on YouTube)
Frost
click here for a taster (a page on www.ProgArchives.com - scroll down to the jukebox containing one of their tracks, a long track but well worth a listen right to the fast end section)
I'm an amateur musician (guitarist/vocalist) and music photographer based in Coventry (UK). Music now takes a back seat to my photography (as this website indicates) but i still play guitar and compose tracks occasionally.
Photography
I mainly do live performance (gig) photography but i've also done a handful or promotional photos for artists and bands too. I started photographing local gigs in around Coventry in the summer of 2007 with the initial help and guidance of professional photographer Annie Chalmers who is very involved with the local music scene. I then spent many hours reading gig/concert photography articles on various websites and forums in order to get more understanding of the techniques and equipment required. Having played guitar in bands since i was 16 i've effectively put my involvement with live music (playing wise) on hold for the unforseeable future and have switched from one side of the stage to the other.
There's nothing worse then being in a band and having no decent live (or promotional) photos and there were certainly none taken of me at gigs during my time playing in live bands. I've taken hundreds (if not thousands) of photos so far and i'd like to say a big thankyou to all the bands and artists i've photographed so far, without your immense musical talents my photographic hobby could be a whole lot duller!
Doing this at an amateur level I mainly photograph local unsigned acts, they're the people who are most in need of some photos and they're often on a limited budget (or none at all). I do this in my spare time free of charge so get in touch if you'd like to arrange a photo shoot of your gig or if you'd like some promo photos. I can't promise i can make specific gigs but i'll try and photo you or your band playing at some point in the future if i can't make it.
Musical Endevours
I've played guitar and (sometimes sung) in bands since i was 16. In the mid-nineties i fronted Coventry-based indie-popsters The Cherry Stones, playing regularly at The Golden Cross, Scholars (on the balcony), the old Browns (when it was in the lower precinct) and memorably with Swamp Donkey (Ferris of The Pockets old band) at a 1997 Battle Of The Bands at Coventry University. We managed to get out of town a few times playing Nottingam and York (Fibbers) a few times but the highlight was a support slot on a Saturday night at Warwick University on the Market Place stage.
Between 2002 and 2007 i played guitar for BAiT and also took on lead vocal duties between 2004 and 2006. BAiT existed in two formats - it was both an originals and a covers outfit. The covers band became quite well know on the midlands club circuit but BAiT originals had a fairly stealth-like existance. The highlight of BAiT (originals) for me was supporting GPS at Queens Hall, Nuneaton and meeting Ryo Okumoto of Spocks Beard fame. The material had drifted more towards a progressive rock feel whilst still keeping BAiTs harmony vocal sound and i was able to solely concentrate on guitar due to the aquisition of a dedicated lead vocalist. It was probably the best lineup the band had ever had but was unfortunately short lived. After the demise of BAiT originals the covers outfit was rekindled as Kill Clouseau and we played some of BAiTs old haunts one last time. Drummer and vocalist John Chivers now plays drums with Mark Yates (Kill Clouseaus second vocalist) in rock covers band Ministry Of Beaver and regularly sessions for Beneva, The Malc Evans Band and Bukechi.
At the moment i'm keeping a hand in music with my studio-only progressive rock project My Kind of Theory - of which I'm making progress at a 'leisurely' pace. I've no plans of returning to do anything in a live context at the moment.
Musical Tastes
All kinds of stuff really, lots of different genres from the classic 80's synth pop, new romatic and spandex wearing metal acts of my schooldays through to britpop, indie and shoegazers of my University days during the 90's. There are countless many other acoustic, indie, alternative, metal and electronic acts in my record collection most of which would be considered uncool by many (particularly bands my dad was into like Supertramp, ELO, 10CC and Steeleye Span from the 70's - oh yes). The only thing i've never been very partial to is punk. Anyway, more recently (thanks to a certain drummer pal of mine) i've got into progressive rock - some of the greats such as Genesis, Yes and Rush and at the moment these two bands are really up my street, i think you'd class them as neo-progressive rock bands...
Spocks Beard
click here for a taster (a video on YouTube)
Frost
click here for a taster (a page on www.ProgArchives.com - scroll down to the jukebox containing one of their tracks, a long track but well worth a listen right to the fast end section)