The Flaming Lips at LouFest 2012 - 8.26.2012
There’s nothing to be said for The Flaming Lips’ live show that hasn’t been said at this point — it is, in this photographer’s opinion, the greatest live show on the planet. I’ve said so before. Heck, I’ve met Wayne Coyne (as he delivered gummy skulls to our local record store, Vintage Vinyl).
I’ve seen The Flaming Lips five times, and shot them three times. I’m not tired of it, and I doubt I ever will be.
At its core, a Flaming Lips show is about celebrating the weird, wonderful corners of love, joy, loss, and life.
Photo-nerdery
There are two aspects to consider when photographing The Flaming Lips — the wide angle and the telephoto.
The wide angle comes in useful for capturing a ton of the madness at once, and if/when Wayne rolls across the crowd in his famous human hamster ball, you’ll want to reach for a fast, wide lens.
On the other hand, a fast telephoto is perfect to capture individual moments and expressions, of which there are tons — the Dorothys at the side of the stage, Fearless Freaks in the front row, and individual band-members are all interesting subjects in and of themselves.
A word of advice: be prepared to be overwhelmed if you’re in the photo pit. It’s not an easy gig by any means, but it is an experience you’ll never forget — no matter how often you’ve shot them.
