JonnyUps[dotcom]

Hyper-Snare, GO!
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

This is my #10 most viewed photo on Flickr.com. It was the first real concert I shot with my camera. I have the pleasure of knowing this band (www.AsILayDying.com) via this guy, Jordan, whom I worked at Wetzel's Pretzels with back in our early years. He and I have also grown up in the same church. I was house sitting for his singer and was able to get a photo pass for their show when they came through town. I hadn't seen Jordan play drums in years, so I was rather excited to see how he had progressed in his mad skills.

I was not surprised, he was pretty amazing. His band's light set up was pretty great too, allowing me to get some good shots.

I learned this night to shoot on my manual setting. It was scary, but it worked. It also started to sprinkle a bit and I was scared of ruining my camera so early on in my career. Everything ended up working for the best, and out of the 700 photos I took of this band that night, I came out with a few that made all my hard work worth it.

As I Lay Dying is currently writing a new album right here in San Diego, and it will probably be their biggest album to date.