All Images Copyrighted ©2012 G. Mitchell Davis
Sorry but images of Rock stars are not for sale… don’t even ask!
Welcome to the Blog…..
This is my new blog. I’m not going to bore you with everything I shoot, just some of the highlights. If you have never been here before I suggest that you start at the begining with my first blog entry (Click Here) and read forward. Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away there was a planet called Nikon………
Posted November 19th, 2010 at 4:32 pm.
It’s been a long time since I Rock & Rolled…..
I started putting together a 2TB photo server so that I might be able to quickly search for any image in my database. I’ve gone back and stated scanning this stuff called film, some of you may remember it.
Last night I ran into this image of Led Zeppelin, one of the first concerts I ever shot. The image shows Jimmy Page playing his famous Gibson EDS-1275 12/6 double neck custom guitar. 35 years ago! This is actually from a famous concert… or should I say infamous concert. The first photo is from the 1977 riot at Tampa Stadium. Zeppelin played 3 songs and it started to rain so they stopped the show. The tickets said no refunds, show goes on rain or shine. 30 minutes after the promoter delayed the show, Police ran in wearing riot gear and carrying billy clubs and the craziness began. Check it out here: Led Zeppelin Official Website 1977
Posted November 10th, 2011 at 12:15 am.
Gone to the Dogs…..
I got to do a shoot for Blue Pearl Veterinary Hospital. It’s been a while since I’ve done a commercial shoot. Dragging my lights from one side of the building to the other. It was very challenging shoot. For the shot of the surgical ward I actually had to sterilize my camera and gown up just to enter the room. I ended up rigging my camera to my laptop and remote firing the shutter from the computer in another room. In between set ups I would just grab my camera and fire off some candid shots. These turned out to be my favorites. I have never met such caring people.
Posted November 7th, 2011 at 11:25 pm.
iRemember
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
Posted October 5th, 2011 at 8:10 pm.
Stage Diving 101….
Morgan Rose drummer for the band Sevendust attempting to fly. This is my first tag team photo series. The first frame was shot by my friend Chris Bradshaw. Chris is a great photographer, even if he does shoot with Canon equipment. Actually Chris is so good he scares me!
This was shot at the Rock Star Uproar Tour in Tampa. You would think that my buddy Morgan would let me know he was going to jump so I could be ready. At the end of the show the band aways walks to the front of the stage and thanks their fans. Next thing I knew Morgan dove off the stage. Chris grabbed the first fame and I shot the rest of the images. I keep forgetting to ask Morgan if his fans have ever missed catching him? Click on the thumbnail.
Posted September 3rd, 2011 at 8:12 pm.
RIP Clarence Clemons
Rest in Peace Big Man! The E-Street band will never be the same.
Posted June 19th, 2011 at 11:30 am.
Hello Cleveland….
OK if there was a real band that Rob Reiner used for his research for “This is Spinal Tap” it had to be Iron Maiden. If you have never seen the movie, It’s a Hysterically funny Rockumentary of a legendary British heavy metal band. Maiden is the poster child for the quintessential 1980′s Heavy Metal Hair Band. “Remember our’s goes to 11!”
Posted April 17th, 2011 at 10:27 pm.
Bite the hand that feeds you….
I shot Lady Gaga last night and I would love to show you some of the images but I’m not allowed to. I had to sign a release form saying that I would only use the images once.
What I don’t understand is that it’s not the Pro Photographers you should worry about. We do this for a living and the last thing on our minds is to shoot ourselves in the foot. The Performers really need to worry about the person in the front row with the camera phone. Their the ones posting videos of the concert on YouTube DURING the show! Since I can’t show you a photo from tonight, here is one from 2008, when she was an opening act for New Kids on the Block! I didn’t sign a release form for that show!
Posted April 16th, 2011 at 7:43 pm.
Anyone got some Steak Sauce?….
I got a chance to shoot the PBR when they came to town this week. I just found this video online. Listed as one of the top 10 Crashes of 2011 J.B. Mauney vs a bull named Crown of Thorns. Keep an eye on the Rider when he gets slammed into the shoots. As his hand comes over the rail he almost punches me in the mouth. Click the link to see the Video from the PBR Click the Thumbnail to see more photos.
Posted April 9th, 2011 at 1:54 pm.
Chicks that Rock…
This week was 98 Rockfest and I got a chance to work with a couple of bands that I was not too familiar with, Halestorm and Skillet. That’s when I realized, there should be more hot Girls in Metal Music like Lzzy and Kory. Click on the thumbnail to see more of the photos.
Posted April 2nd, 2011 at 12:30 pm.
Nuclear Cowboyz…..
The Nuclear Cowboyz Freestyle Chaos tour has the greatest cast of freestyle motocross riders ever assembled. The show is Mad Max meets Easy Rider. It’s amazing what these riders pull off. When you look at the photos what you see in the background is the Top Floor of the Forum. We’re talking the nose bleed section. About 90 feet from the HARD concrete floor Click on the thumbnail to see more of the photos.
Posted February 26th, 2011 at 9:39 pm.
Busy week in the Pit….
What a crazy and busy week in the photo pit. It started out with Barry Manilow followed the very next night with Linkin Park. “Yeah here we go for the hundred time, Hand grenade pins in ever line, throw ‘em up and let something shine, at the Copa, Copacabana!” What?
Then the following weekend it was George Strait, Reba McEntire & Lee Ann Womack. The hardest night was the country show. We always make it a point to get a gift for the Stars, for this show it was custom belt buckles. The problem I was having was that I needed to be in 3 places at once. So it was run out and shoot Lee Ann Womack’s set, then rush backstage into Reba’s dressing room and photograph Reba and her buckle for the trade magazines. Then it was run back out to the stage, photograph Reba’s set, rush backstage and shoot George Strait with his buckle, then back to the stage and shoot George and then backstage into Lee Ann’s dressing room for her shot. I always joke about wearing rollerblades but this was definitely the night for a pair. Click on the thumbnail to see more of the photos.
Posted January 29th, 2011 at 11:24 pm.
The Six Million Dollar Dog….
Gentlemen we can rebuild her, We have the technology, We have the Capability to make the worlds first bionic dog! Better than she was before, Better, Stronger, Faster! Ok, Keeper the wonder dog tore her ACL and had to have knee surgery this week. Thanks to the wonderful folks at Bluepearl Veterinary Hospital and Dr. Cory Pinel, she now has a Titanium implant in her leg. Any idea what it’s like to have a 100 pound Rottweiller jacked up on pain pills and suffering from cabin fever?
Posted January 12th, 2011 at 5:47 pm.
Leave it to Bieber….
I would love to tell you what a great concert this was but I did not hear anything except 20,000 screaming girls! My ears are still bleeding.
Posted December 19th, 2010 at 2:34 pm.
Cat Fight on the 10 Yard Line….
Tonight was the opening home game for the Tampa Bay Breeze of the Lingerie Football League. We played the Miami Caliente. The game ended with a bench emptying riot in which the Tampa coach got punched by one of the players from Miami. Tampa won 34-25.
Posted December 17th, 2010 at 7:07 pm.
Jingle Balls…..
Once again Radio Station 93.3 threw the Pop Christmas concert of the year, “Jingle Ball”. This year’s lineup was much bigger with, The Ready Set, Mike Posner, Bruno Mars, B.O.B, Train, Enrique Iglesias with his new girlfriend and Maroon 5! Click on the thumbnail to see the rest of the shoot.
Posted December 12th, 2010 at 6:24 pm.
How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat!…
Tonight was the 30th Anniversary of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” Roger Walters has really re-worked this show, it’s a photographer’s dream to shoot. I mean how many concerts start with a plane flying through the arena and crashing into the stage? Click on the thumbnail to see more photos.
Posted November 16th, 2010 at 9:13 pm.
Get in the Hole!…..
Today I worked the Oakley Pro-Am, I must say I was a bit nervous about shooting my first golf tournament. I had pictures in my head of a stuffy country club crowd with a red velvet rope and a man holding up the quiet sign. It could not have been further from the truth, this was more like “Happy Gilmore” With DJ Dax spinning tracks at the 9th hole and a number of the Tampa Bay Rays playing, it was a very hip crew. I got some great shots and didn’t even get hit by a stray ball. I’m actually running out of sports that I have not shot, I think the only thing left is Curling!
Posted November 8th, 2010 at 7:32 pm.
Carrie Underwood – “Play On Tour”….
Carrie Underwood stopped by the St. Pete Times Forum tonight. I was never a big fan of America Idols but this girl has a serious set of pipes. An amazing show and stage, including “34″ costume changes.
Posted October 25th, 2010 at 8:10 pm.
Hockey Stars & Guitars….
Tonight was the opening of the 2010-11 Lightning Hockey Season. We had Hockey Stars, The Lightning Ice Dancers and oh yea Stone Temple Pilots. Scott Weiland looked better than I have seen him in years. Click on the thumbnail to see more photos.
Posted October 8th, 2010 at 8:00 pm.
The Bearded Boys from South of the Border….
Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard (the one without the beard) & Tom Petty stopped by the Forum tonight for a killer show. Click on the thumbnail to see the rest of the show.
