Laura McCullagh

This was a frustrating one for me and I feel the need to rant a bit, please indulge me.

I’ve shot several concerts at Kirstenbosch over the years and never have I encountered so many photographic restrictions. While we were given freedom of movement around the field and crowd for supporting act (and local legends) Springbok Nude Girls, there was no photo pit for accredited media and we were restricted to shooting just the first three songs (which is standard practice for international acts but usually we get some kind of vantage point for those songs, a pit or platform etc.) from an awkward angle and through the crowd. It was next to impossible.

I imagine this was probably a restriction imposed by the Pixies and not the organisers who, to their credit, listened when the small (a few didn’t seem to show up for the escort, choosing rather to disappear into and shoot from the crowd, unrestricted) disgruntled group of us complained – five minutes before the band started – and allowed us to shoot from the other side of the field.  It was still far away and through people but it was way better than the original position.

These situations happen unfortunately, and sometimes you rally in the face of restrictions and the work you create is all the better for it… For me at least, this was not one of those times. Here are some shots of the Springbok Nude Girls and, if you squint, the Pixies.

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