Austin Carson Band Rocks the Beach
The final big event at Bellmere Winds is the Labour Day celebration. There's a lot going on during the day for the kids (scavenger hunt, bouncy castles and the like), a resort-sponsored dinner by the pool, and later in the evening, a concert right on our own beachfront! As in the past Labour Day events, we were treated to a live music performance by the Austin Carson Band. This talented group of young men (including lead singer Austin Capell, a Bellmere Winds employee) played a mix of their own music along with some excellent classic rock and pop covers.
As my wife and I were heading to the beach, lawn chairs and drinks in hand, one of the other cottage owners caught my eye and asked me where my camera was (I have - ahem - developed a bit of a reputation as the resident photographer). To be honest, I hadn't given any thought to taking pictures, but I dutifully turned 'round and went back for my DSLR. And I'm glad I did; the lighting - both natural and artificial - made for some very dramatic photos, especially from "back stage".
My favorite shot angle for the concert was from behind the trailer/stage. It was also the best way to get some decent photos of the drummer.
The colour and texture of the sky made for a dramatic backdrop to the concert. I was shooting handheld at ISO's ranging from 3200 - 5000, with a fairly wide aperture for the majority of the photos.
The great performance was followed immediately by one of the best non-professional fireworks displays I've ever seen. This is a (poor, admittedly) 20-second clip of what was close to a 30-minute show.