umbradigital

So I missed Deathpunkfest this year.
Why? I was up to my armpits in girls in tutu's.



( MOAR (Plus a couple of backstage shots, and a rather dodgy test self portrait) )

Looks like I've found a new favourite location...



\m/

1 Hour Gym session 3x a week.
1 Hour walk 2x a week.
0gm Sugar a week.
Meat 3x a day.

6kg's loss in 2 weeks.

Screw you diabetes, I'm going to kick your ass!

So, Raggamuffin.
Hotter than Hell, Cooler than James Dean and, uh, more second hand pot smoke than the entire filming of a Cypress Hill video. Seriously there was a thick smoke haze above the crowd for much of the day!

Needless to say I had a fantastic time hiding in the shade of the non-existant media area while getting slowly baked... haha.

And now for an image of each of the acts I shot that day.

Kora.


Inner Circle.


Arrested Development.


Shaggy.


Ali Campbell.


Eddy Grant.


Ziggy Marley.

So it seems it's not just Big Day Out. As of today I am no longer shooting Nine Inch Nails, Underoath, Poison The Well, Iron Maiden, The Veronicas and Eric Clapton. I could go into some long winded tirade against nz media or stupid concert promoters but I won't. I'm done. I can't handle this rejection any more. Music and music photography was my life. I'm sick of watching people who only do it for the money waltz in and gain photo passes, i'm sick of watching people who know/are related to the promoter gaining photo passes, i'm sick of people+with+cell+phones+or+point+and+shoot+digital+cameras+in+the+photo+pit,+and+most+of+all+i'm+sick+to+death+of+being+one+of+New+Zealand's+best,+if+not+the+best,+live+music/concert+photographer+and+yet+being+constantly+denied+access+to+shoot.+Fuck,+I+have+even+offered+to+work+for+free+for+everyone+and+still+i'm+not+wanted+nor+needed.+So+as+I+said+before,+this+is+it.+This+is+my+resignation+from+the+world+of+live+music+photography+in+New+Zealand.+I+will+shoot+Raggamuffin+this+weekend+(isn't+irony+a+bitch,+this+is+the+one+event+i'm+not+excited+to+shoot)+and+i'll+be+hanging+up+my+skinz+and+chucks+until+such+time+as+promoters+and+local+media+realise+what+they're+missing+out+on.+That+or+I+blow+this+country+for+places+where+being+a+concert+photographer+actually+matters+and+isn't+a+job+given+to+a+relative+with+a+camera.+Time+to+start+saving+I+guess...++++

wow - fifth year in a row to be denied a photopass for big day out. This time it was tearaway magazine - and it was the first time they had ever been denied. Absolutely gutted to be missing the headless chickens - they were the band i was most looking forward to shooting this summer... Big day out has sure turned into my elanore!

The last day, and the big one. Weather was very hot, I spent most of the day hiding in the shade of the media center - only venturing out to watch the nekkid watersliders or to shoot the fantastic array of acts on tonight. Got a minor crush on Julia Deans, loving the new look... Midnight was amazing with a spectacular pyro show and a great set from Carl Cox, a great start to the new year!

Unfortunately upon returning back to the car at 4.30am I found some lovely person had crashed into it causing over $500 worth of damage. Next year I'm going to carpool to the site I think!

Today I shot


The Tutts


Fur Patrol


The Black Seeds


The Datsuns


Shihad


Carl Cox

Happy New Years everyone!
2009 is going to be a good one...

No rain today, thank goodness!
All the mud is gone, the sky was overcast and there was a slight breeze. Perfect festival weather...
Met and shot quite possibly the nicest guy in music today, the legendary Carl Cox. There's just something about the english accent that makes people seem so friendly. Looking forward to catching his midnight (NYE) set tomorrow night.

Today I shot:


SJD


Anika Moa


The Pheonix Foundation


Ladyhawk


Cut Copy

and...


FLAAAAAAAAAAVA MOTHERFUCKING FLAAAAAAAAAAAV (or Public Enemy).

Rain, rain and then a little more rain with a side dish of wind.
Day one was impressive for the fact that it was so wet yet everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives, especially the young lady who insisted she had to do the waterslide in the rain completely naked. Fun times.

So with no further ado, these are the bands I shot today...


Liam Finn


Santogold


The Kooks


Franz Ferdinand

FOR TRADE:

Apple MacBook Pro
Matt Screen
2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
NVidia GeForce 8600M GT
185 GB HDD

Wanting to swap for 24 Inch iMac + Cash.

Any takers? I've fallen in love with the HP Netbooks, so am wanting to go for a Desktop/Netbook combo instead of this beasty piece of technological wonder...

I had a blast this weekend - whirlwind trips to Wellington staying in $600 a night rooms, photographing the (true) alternative underground of New Zealand, hanging out with a few good mates...

If I had to choose one image to sum up my whole weekend, it would be this one.



Rock and Motherfucking Roll!

Just saw the 'Codeine Like Candy' music video on C4.
Why the fuck has no-one told me about these guys before?

Seriously, if the rest of the E.P. is as cool as the video DO WANT.

I am looking for Male support / grief counseling type forums on the internets.
I've looked but all I can find is Gay and Bisexual Male support forums, and well, I'm neither of those.

Anyone out there in Internet land know of anything?

Feel free to drop me an e-mail (umbradigital@gmail.com) if you wish to remain anonymous from the masses.
Thanks.

I never thought I would see the day.
And now it has come and the people shall rejoice.



Now I'm stuck with a nervous twitch trying to work out how to afford it...

Ok, cats out of the bag.

All you sexy bois and goils in the P. North area who want to shoot with greatness (heh) had better get e-mailing me.

Why?

Due to family reasons as of 16th December 2008 I will be jobless, homeless and ready to rock and roll... Who said relocating has to be a total bore?

Taupo won't know what's hit it when the Umbra Digital Misery Machine (or is that the Ambient Light Mystery Machine... shhhh) rolls into town ready to set up camp on a permanent basis.

So what are you waiting for, only 14 weeks until blastoff...

As of Friday 18th July Umbra Digital Photography will be experiencing a self imposed downtime from all photographic related activities to sort out a few personal matters.

If I have contacted you in the past couple of days regarding photoshoots or commercial work they will still be worked on as per our agreement.

Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Doug Peters
Umbra Digital Photography

http://www.umbradigital.co.nz
info@umbradigital.co.nz

Thats it folks, I've had enough.

I will be appearing at a few select shows throughout the year, so keep an eye out and come up and say hi.

I will be available via e-mail or text for those of you who just can't live without some sort of UmbraDigital goodness, and for everyone else, well I'll see you in 2009.