Concert, St Multose Church, Kinsale

I was contacted by soprano Carol-Ann McKenna - www.carolannmckenna.com - last week and asked if I'd be interested in photographing a concert that she, Aisling Ennis- www.aislingennis.com - and Mary McCague -www.marymccague.com  -would be giving at St Multose Church, Kinsale on 1st April on behalf of the Kinsale Community Hospital.

I was flattered by the invitation and I accepted readily. Photographing such a concert was something I have always been  interested in doing but the opportunity never arose. And now, out of the blue, came Carol-Ann's phone call. Serendipitous or what?!

I am happiest perched on a rock by the seaside or halfway up a mountain with my camera on a tripod and the ISO fixed on 100. Photographing the concert was going to be a different challenge entirely. Flash was out of the question (apart from a few shots at the end) and so depending on the ambient lighting I would have to use high ISOs, something that I've never done.

Luckily, the concert was being filmed and the video lights meant I was able to vary the ISO range between 800 and 1600 and I was happy with the results. I used the Canon 5D Mk11 and the Canon 5D fitted with the 24-105L and the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 respectively. The Sigma was used for most of the shots. Use of a tripod wasn't desirable as I was afraid it might fall over with a mighty clatter during a quiet passage of music. I therefore used my Manfrotto monopod for additional support and it worked very well.

Below are some of the images from the night. I was happy with my first venture into concert photography and look forward to doing more. Thanks to Carol-Ann, Aisling and Mary for their confidence in me. The concert itself was sublime - beautiful music and song.