While many of you that come to this site come here to check out the photos, videos and stories behind the scenes of being a hockey writer, it’s not so often that I get to show you that life outside of hockey. As I start embracing who I am and accepting that there are parts of my life I just can’t walk away from (like music), I realize that there are parts of my life that I take for granted, like all of those incredible things that happen in my life.
You know…that stuff that people sit there and say…’That didn’t happen to you. You weren’t there.’ Do you know how many people from home keep looking at my life and the photos I post up on Facebook thinking…’She’s got to be photoshopping these photos or stealing them from somewhere and putting them up as her own?’ I know they say that because some people have said it to me.
Do you know how many times I’ve been told I am not in that locker room? That I’m actually lying about it!
In other words…it’s that life that is just too good to be true to actually be real. But trust me, it’s real. There are things that happen in my life that I’ve stopped being shocked over because it happens so damn much.
Hugh Hefner talks about scrapbooking every single day and taking time out to just talk about what happened that day. To most of us, Hef has the life…why wouldn’t you want to remember each and every moment of that dream?
So as we move through this final season of hockey writing, I’m going to show you my world…one scrapbook page at a time.
Tonight’s page belongs to Constantine Maroulis.
As I write this, I’m listening to Constantine’s album. More specifically, I’m listening to “So Long.”
Now, I almost tweeted to Mr. Maroulis earlier today, “ROCK ON!” Ironically, that song has been stuck in my head for the last week! The Michael Damian version. Imagine my surprise that he opened the show with that song…and then talked about Michael Damian. Weirdness…yes.
One of the reasons why I wanted to go to this show was because I wanted to try my hand in photographing a rockstar up on stage. Figuring out all the 100s of features on this camera has been a challenge. So trying to watch the lighting of the show to decipher at what point I can start shooting and it actually come out right…is a lot like watching me photographing a hockey game…because I’m studying something happening in front of me.
Sure, I can hear the music around me…feel it…but capturing the moment…that’s something very different. I’m studying Constantine’s movements…his bad habits when he’s on stage…his facial expressions…and the light in the room and on the stage.
A lot like how I study hockey players on the ice. I’m watching and studying everything all the way down to the way they push off on their skate. Rock shows…it commands that same amount of attention.
The reason for going to this show…to watch someone doing what they love. Constantine has a way of making you feel that love and passion in what he does. He loves being that rockstar. There’s a beauty in it…and that’s what I wanted to capture.
That is one thing that I love watching people do…doing what they love. There is a beauty in it. It’s just like watching Martin Brodeur golf…there is a uniqueness to the beauty of the moment of watching him golf. He loves it…and that is the moment…photographing someone’s love or passion for what they love to do in life.
Constantine’s photos (as for my first time photographing a concert) actually made me realize that some of his photos were so unique and interesting that I wanted to make a special art series called “The Rockstar.” As you go through the slideshow…you’ll see the art pieces.
Here are a few of my favorites from the bunch.
I better stop now because I’ll end up posting them all up. 🙂
Thank you, Constantine and the band for a wonderful night of rock and roll (and some great photos).
I will say that what was also weird and ironic…you want to know what I miss about my days working in rock music? Those songs that rockstars write about you. On the way to the show, one of the songs my ex wrote about me came on my shuffle. It was about moving on in life…and it was a good sign of things to come.
I left the show and magically another song came on…that one about our breakup and how he saw me. All I could say to myself was…that boy really loved me enough to immortalize that love in music.
Any wonders why I love rock and roll? Because in the end…it’s all about love. And guess where happiness comes from? Love.
