newcastle music photographer

Without People You Are Nothing

“Without People You Are Nothing” – this quote from Joe Strummer has resonated with me. Although I work alone mainly  in my photography I could not do it without people to photograph or help me.

Tonight is the opening of my A A D exhibition at The Cluny.

At the time of writing I am so busy as I have to finish up preparations for the exhibition  so I  will keep this brief

However I want to thank every band that has taken part there are 28 and counting I will name them all and add a gallery soon.

Thank you to the bands playing tonight So What Robot, Retriever and  The Union Choir – it is an absolute honour that you are playing the gig as part of the opening.

As ever The Cluny have been absolutely fantastic and always helpful and friendly. Paul Burgess has done a magnificent job with the posters . Digitalab have done a fantastic job with the printing on a very short notice. Mark at Art for Art’s sake has done an amazing job framing everything yesterday morning – an absolute star.

Tonight Daniel Robson and Lewis Norvid are doing the DJ duties  – I am super grateful that I do not have to worry about the music I know it will be amazing.  A huge thank you to my wife Jill for her help and editing skills. Thank you to everyone who has helped me and publicised he exhibition. Also check this article out by NE;MM it perfectly describes my project http://nemmonline.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/david-wala-a-d-photography-exhibition.html

David

x

Also as well as the people I need to use a camera 🙂

 

The camera that has been used for most of my project

The camera that has been used for most of my project

 

 

This has been used to take every picture in the exhibition

This has been used to take every picture in the exhibition

 

 

Kickstarter Campaign ?

For sure there are many more worthy causes than my Kickstarter campaign. Deep down I have many reservations about asking people for money to fund my project.  I really do feel uncomfortable about doing it, but I have decided to go ahead and start a Kickstarter campaign. I am not asking for something with nothing in exchange I think the range of rewards are valuable – I promise I am not offering to cook you a meal or go on a date.  Also a big thank you to the people who have kindly supported the project – that means a lot.

I was discussing this with a local musician yesterday and he told me  that some people  do not think twice about asking to use my work for free or just  a credit – actually some people do not even bother asking :-).  I should also add there are many that do ask and support my work – they all know who they are.

The link to my Kickstarter campaign is here  AAD Kickstarter campaign

Here is the video I made

<iframe width=”480″ height=”360″ src=”http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/davidwala/a-a-d-photography-exhibition/widget/video.html&#8221; frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”>

 

This is a personal project and I am doing it just because I enjoy it, and hope other people will too. Also thanks to everyone for taking part in the project without them there would be no project 🙂

More importantly I would like people to come along and enjoy the exhibition and the free gig on 6th November

A A D Project Exhibition At The Clunny In Newcastle Opening 6th November 2013

For nearly two years I have worked on a project called A A D. A project all shot with a medium format analogue ( Hasselblad) camera with the subjects taking the photograph with a cable release. I have a photographed touring and bands from the North East including Howler, Hooded Fang, Art Brut, Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs.

There will be an opening on Wednesday  from 6:30pm at The Cluny in Newcastle and a free gig featuring So What Robot, Retriever, and an acoustic set by The Union Choir  – please come down. For more information please see the Facebook Event. I also have a Kickstarter campaign with some unique rewards from the exhibition.

A poster for the A A D exhibition at The Cluny in Newcastle

A poster for the A A D exhibition at The Cluny in Newcastle

Sylvain Sylvain Tim Burgess And Radkey – Instamatic For The People

Although I am now super busy with preparations for my A A D exhibition opening at The Cluny on 6 November 

I have had time to keep working on my Instamatic for The People project

For me the New York Dolls are such an important band and I always privileged to have seen them recently starting with their first comeback gig at the Royal Festival Hall back in 2004.  It was an absolute honour to add Sylvain to my Instamatic for the People project.

It was also great to have the legend that is Tim Burgess to my project  such a cool guy and feel really privileged to have him as part of my project.

I also photographed Radkey who have just appeared on Jools Holland show and really blew me away with their set at The Cluny – looking forward to seeing them again in 2014

 

Sylvain Sylvain Instamatic For The People 2013

Sylvain Sylvain Instamatic For The People 2013

Tim Burgess Instamatic for the People 2013

Tim Burgess Instamatic for the People 2013

 

Soi Radkey Instamatic for the People 2013

Soi Radkey Instamatic for the People 2013

 

Dee Radkey Instamatic for the People 2013

Dee Radkey Instamatic for the People 2013

Soi Radkey Instamatic for the People 2013

Soi Radkey Instamatic for the People 2013

 

Radkey At The Cluny Tonight

Had a great time tonight at The Cluny in Newcastle saw three high energy bands WTCHRS, Radkey, and Drenge. It was the the first gig in Newcastle by Radkey and they totally rocked

 

Radkey Newcastle Cluny 3 October 2013

Radkey Newcastle Cluny 3 October 2013

Issues Rocking Out at Newcastle O2 Academy 17 September 2013

Issues at Newcastle O2 Academy 17 Septmeber 2013

This is technically not a great picture but sometimes you just have to capture the moment otherwise it is gone. I was pleased to show some of the energy from the gig

A A D Exhibition In November

It’s been a long time. I will be having an exhibition of my prints from my personal project called A A D. I have worked on this since last summer and it will be great to see some large size prints on the walls of The Cluny in November and December this year.

Here is a mock-up of a potential poster for the exhibition ( featuring one of the shots of Howler from the project).

 

Howler Poster for A A D Exhibition

Howler Poster for A A D Exhibition

More details of the project can be found on my website – I will be updating with information about the exhibition opening.

 

 

Turning Analogue Into Digital – New Contact Sheets

The portrait project I started last year and have mentioned in earlier posts is starting to take shape.

I have tentatively titled it AAD ( Analogue Analogue Digital) just like on the back of CDs. Analogue for the type of camera, Analogue for the developing process, and Digital for the printing.

Sometimes I wonder why I am doing this on film – but the only answer is that I enjoy shooting with film and still get excited to see the results when the negatives are printed. Also I think that subconsciously the subjects may have more time and interest in film camera rather than with the immediacy and sometimes clinical nature of digital ( although I shoot digitally most of the time).

Here are two of the latest contact sheets:

So What Robot shot with a Mamiya RZ 67 camera with transparency film. These were taken after a more structured shoot in my studio in June 2012 ( I have just got the film processed yesterday – after an admin error…)

So What Robot Newcastle June 2012

So What Robot Newcastle June 2012

 

 

Gallery Circus shot at Think Tank Newcastle before their gig on 22 February. Shot with a Hasselblad 500 on Kodak Portra film

Gallery Circus Newcastle February 2013

Gallery Circus Newcastle February 2013

 

 

A big thank you to all the bands that have taken part so far. More info can be found  on my website in the AAD Gallery

I must say it is good for the soul to be doing this personal project

David

x

 

WTCHRS Round & Round Video

Following Liam around the stage with a camera was the closest I have come to experiencing the buzz of playing live – I hope this video conveys some of the energy of their live performance and from the point of view of the band members.

It is the first video that I ever made where I have not actually filmed any of the footage – I will write a behind the scenes blog soon

I hope you like it we all put our hearts and soul into making it ( I gues that goes without saying)

 

 

Also they are playing this Saturday at the Think Tank in Hoult’s Yard Newcastle. As the song goes  – Don’t be scared pick up a chair…

 

 

Portrait in Ex-25 Newcastle College Photography Exhibition

I was delighted to be asked to submit a photograph to an exhibition at Newcastle College celebrating the work  ex students who have gone on to work as photographers. It feels so good to be included with  such illustrious photographers.

This portrait of So What Robot was chosen

Photo by David Wala www.davidwala.com

I was so happy that some of them came down to see their image and support me at the opening ( picture below)

Photo by David Wala www.davidwala.com

More information about the exhibition can be found here:

http://tyneandwear.sky.com/events/event/52839

http://newcastlecollegeblog.com/2012/12/06/ex-25-newcastle-college-launches-major-exhibition-of-world-class-photography/

The exhibition ends on 27 January please check the links above for further information