The Beauty of Simplicity

“It’s difficult to keep it simple.” – George Brooks

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” – Steve Jobs

There are some who have mastered the complexity of simple. Richard Vannoy is one of those people. Known for his expertise in sound, I recognize him for something else, his genius in lighting. The simple elegant lighting at The Saxon Pub always give me the best opportunities of any venue to get great shots. Richard takes the time to make certain lights are positioned on the musician to cast them in the best lighting. The Saxon Pub is the only venue where such care is taken. Two to three performances each night and prior to each one adjustments are made.

Last night, Ray Bonneville was on stage. Solo performance, so Richard placed the spotlight on him. Perfect!!! Nothing more was needed. Richard could not understand why I complimented his choice after the show. To him, it was the obvious selection. To me, the photographer, it was a stroke of genius. The lighting not only created an intimate scenario but gave me the opportunity to focus solely on the musician with little to no background disturbances.

When determining a location to photograph, my first and foremost thought is the lighting of the venue. I do not shy away from challenging venues but such will deter me from going if I am just not in the mood to be challenged. That is why I go to The Saxon Pub so much. There, bad photography is a result of my failures, not the venue.

It is my belief that many venues fail for the following reasons: 1. Lack of knowlege; 2. It is not important; 3. Lack of equipment; or 4. They try to do too much. Many can learn from Richard.