MY 20 FAVORITE 2012 CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY SMILES, CAUGHT BY YOURS TRULY, ME

I'm so grateful for yet another wonderful year for concerts for me, made extra super by being able to photograph shows from my homebase of Seattle all the way to a crazy tourist bar in the Bahamas. I've shot at big arenas and tiny clubs and festivals and on a cruise ship. I've had the luck to be able to photograph some of my most-favorite artists several times in one year. I hope that I have been able to continue to improve as a photographer, while always trying my best to bring back images that are interesting, cool, funny, or thoughtful, and worth your time to view. I really, really love doing it.


I am putting a little spin on "my favorite concert shots that I've taken from this year," because something that I have noticed about myself as a photographer is that I am a "smile stalker." Even if I may be shooting the most dour band in the world, I will wait and wait to find that split second when the joy or absurdity of performance breaks through and there's an onstage grin. CLICK. Why? I asked myself, why do I gravitate towards smile pix rather than moody pix or epic leaping guitar god pix? I think perhaps it's because I smile so much when I am listening to music or watching a show, from sheer musical happiness or chortling at drummer dropping his sticks or confetti landing on Wayne Coyne's nose during a Flaming Lips show. I love seeing musicians enjoy playing music. So, with this in mind, I would like to share with you my favorite onstage smile photos from the shows that I've shot in 2012. Perhaps they will make you smile, too, and that is a worthy and good thing. Please to enjoy!

King Khan, King Khan & the Shrines, Bruise Cruise Kickoff Party The Stage, Miami, FL. 2/9/12

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Brigid Dawson (Thee Oh Sees), Bruise Cruise, Xanadu Lounge, Carnival Imagination cruise ship, 2/10/12

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Mikal Cronin (Ty Segall band), Chop Suey, Seattle, WA. 5/5/12

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Exene Cervenka (X), Showbox Market, Seattle, WA. 5/12/12

IMG_5389w Billy Zoom (X), Showbox Market, Seattle, WA. 5/5/12

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Diego Monasterios (Jacuzzi Boys), Green Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 6/16/12

2S0A0038 Ray Davies, Neptune Theater, Seattle, WA. 7/14/12

IMG_6587 Ray Davies, Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR. 7/15/12

2S0A2320 Todd O'Keefe (The 88) Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR. 7/15/12

2S0A2231 Lars Finberg (The Intelligence), The Crocodile, Seattle, WA. 7/19/12

2S0A2855 Tony Bennett, Key Arena, Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12

2S0A3959 The Young Evils, The Promenade, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12

2S0A4093 Ko Melina, (The Dirtbombs), Tunein Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12

2S0A4535 Billy Joe Huels (The Dusty 45s), Starbucks Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12

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Wanda Jackson, Starbucks Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12

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Jordan Cook (Reignwolf), Starbucks Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/3/12


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Tord Øverland-Knudsen, (The Wombats), Toyota Free Yr Radio Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/3/12

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Ty Segall, Sub Pop Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA 9/3/12

2S0A5581 Lights, Tunein Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/3/12

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Lil' Fan, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12

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