Photo Review: Castle Rat at The Belasco

I recently got to photograph Castle Rat at The Belasco. I did a review of the set for US Rocker Music, which you can read here. For me, at least, there was an unusual occurrence on this particular night. Usually, at these larger venues with a photo pit, photographers can to shoot the first three songs before having to leave the pit. For Castle Rat, it was the first two songs and then they let us back in towards the end of the set. 

Castle Rat at The Belasco

It dawned on me during that third song why they wanted photographers to come back into the photo pit. First off, I should say that the whole set was both a concert and a theatrical production. We were asked to come in during a particularly dramatic moment where the Rat Queen (Riley Pinkerton) is killed and then resurrected.

This photo is when she mistakenly believes she has won her battle. Shortly thereafter she is killed. 

One may actually say there are two issues with this photo. First, I've watched a number of YouTube videos and I know that Dutch angle photos are largely frowned upon. Second, at the moment of the photo, there are red lights and generally photographers (me included) hate red lights. 

I should mention up front that this photo has no edited done to it. I shot it at ISO 5000 with a shutter speed of 1/250 and at F/2.8.

Regarding the Dutch angle, I personally love how the ceiling lights are aligned around her raised arm. Also, a Dutch angle is supposed to create a sense of danger and her celebration is pre-mature and her death is just seconds away. I also like how the sword is slanted and fully captured.

As for the red lights, there is something about the shade of red used at The Belasco. I actually like it. A year ago, I was shooting at the venue and they also had red lights going on (a similar shade, but with less brightness) and I totally loved it. Somehow, The Belasco knows how to use their red lights. Other venues should learn from The Belasco.