BEFORE YOU ENTER THE ARCHIVE...
Things to do while you're here...

Welcome to Front Rows, Pits and Pavements, the website of photographer Carsten Windhorst (that would be me). Click on any of the four categories below - i.e. Live Photography, Portrait Photography, Video Production Stills, Reportage - to see a selection of my portfolio shots or scroll down to read my blog. To find out more about me, check out my Biography or head to the Tearsheets section of the site to see where my photos have been published. Last but not least, if you want to get in touch, please send an email to carsten.windhorst@gmail.com. Enjoy your stay!

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ARCHIVE
Blasts from the past...

28 May 2010
Meet me on the walk-way

It was big production time yesterday in the shape and form of the Black Eyed Peas who returned to London's O2 arena for two more shows - following their gigs there earlier this month. A rather enjoyable shoot - and we even got 2 1/2 songs - half a song more than we were promised. Yippee! As usual I'll post more shots soon but for now check out the starter portion.



27 May 2010
His name is Jónsi

Jónsi is the lead singer of Icelandic band Sigur Rós (I'm only mentioning them to show off my accent-mark skills - yes, I'm THAT clever)! Last night I shot him at the Forum in north London. Alarm bells should have been ringing when I applied for a pass for this gig - I mean, whenever a band or artist plays at the Forum you know the lighting's going to be shit (ISO 8000 anybody? It was a first for me I have to say). Another reason why I think north London is dull, grey, cold and dark and has zero appeal to me. Anyway, I'd better not fuck off the North London Tourist Board any further and direct your attention to my photos instead. Voila...
View the 'Jónsi' gallery



26 May 2010
Weller's still in style

Last night I finally got to shoot Paul Weller - not sure why it's taken me this long but at least I can now cross him off my list. It was the second of five shows Mr Weller is playing at the Royal Albert Hall this week - a rather lovely venue to shoot at I may add. The lighting was pretty good - certainly better than what I had to work with at the last three shows I shot prior to this one. Regardéz below for evidence...
View the 'Paul Weller' gallery



25 May 2010
Holy Fuck

Third time lucky in terms of lighting? Nope, I don't think so. Last night I headed to Heaven to shoot Holy Fuck in the dark. Yes, it was as much fun as it sounds. I think I got 10 useable shots - not that I took a lot more than that really. In other news, my Alicia Keys pass got pulled yesterday as Ms Keys now doesn't want any photographers in the pit at tonight's show. As a result it's now a mixing desk job and as a further result there isn't much space so only five photo passes have been issued for the show. Fine by me! I would have loved to shoot Alicia again but I'm not shooting from the mixing desk - well, not unless you pay me, of course.



23 May 2010
That's Culture for you

A pleasant surprise awaited me this morning when I bought a copy of the Sunday Times and saw one of my Tom Jones live shots on the back cover of the Culture Magazine. The photo was taken at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre in Las Vegas in May 2009 when I was flown over to shoot two of Tom's shows there. Good times. OK, so it's "only" a tour ad but hey, at least my shot can be seen in its full glory on the back cover. Maybe one day one of my photos will make it onto the front cover...

In other news, one of my Chemical Brothers shots from Thursday night was printed in the review section of the News of the World today but it's a rather small review and the photo doesn't look great so I won't bother posting a scan here. I have, however, finished editing my Faithless shots from Friday night so here is another photo for you from the show and a link to the full gallery.
View the 'Faithless' gallery



22 May 2010
Let's dance again

It's not often you get to shoot two of Britain's biggest dance bands on two consecutive nights but after Thursday's Chemical Brothers show at the Roundhouse I found myself at Brixton Academy yesterday evening to photograph Faithless. The lighting was tricky but I think I got some decent enough shots of Maxi Jazz and Sister Bliss aka two thirds of Faithless (for those of you who don't know). Stay tuned for more.



21 May 2010
It wasn't Massive but it wasn't bad!

I headed to the Roundhouse in north London last night to shoot Chemical Brothers playing the first of four shows at the venue - it was also their first live performance in 18 months, I believe. I really like Chemical Brothers but the show (well, the first 10 minutes of it) wasn't that much fun to shoot. We had to stand on the balcony and basically photograph the screen behind them - as you couldn't see the guys at all. Massive Attack in Sydney with their impressive live show this was not.



20 May 2010
Dash Zoom Run

Two different shows, two different venues, two different stage times, one Tube line, one uncle called Bob. Yup, yesterday I got to make the most of London's often-flawed-ocassionally-brilliant transport system when I got passes for Scouting for Girls and Marina & the diamonds. Scouting for Girls played the Apollo in west London and came on stage at 9pm, while Marina took to the stage at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in central London at 9.45pm. Thank you Unkle Bob for getting me there in time.
View the 'Marina & the diamonds' gallery



19 May 2010
IShoot, YouTube

Here is a showreel for Ashlea Mackin who was Live Event Producer at Bauer Media until a few months ago. I've only just come across this but pay attention from the 40 second mark onwards as all the live shots you see in the video from that point - i.e. Kasabian, Mr Hudson, White Lies, Biffy Clyro, Lostprophets, Paloma Faith, The Drums, Sonice Youth, Mumford and Sons, Blackout - were taken by yours truly. Enjoy!



15 May 2010
Come back brighter

No rest for the wicked and with that motto I headed to the Apollo last night to shoot the fantastic Florence + the Machine. I expected the lighting to be better than it was but you can't have it all. I guess after Thursday's phenominal KISS show everything will seem a little underlit for a while so I'd better get used to it.
View the 'Florence + the Machine' gallery



14 May 2010
Let's KISS and make-up

One of the most enjoyable and fun experiences you can have as a live photographer is to shoot KISS. Not only is their show visually stunning but the guys just love posing for the cameras and you're bound to leave with a smile on your face and some great images. I have not finished editing the full set but you can already check out the first part of the live gallery.
View the 'KISS' gallery



13 May 2010
A night at the Fridge

Keane played a rather intimate album launch gig at the Fridge in south London last night so I thought I'd pop down there to take a few shots of the band.
View the 'Keane' gallery



12 May 2010
Joanna and the Vaterland moustache

OK, Joanna Newsom's roadies take note - you need to set up her microphone differently because I'm sure there is a nasty photographer out there just waiting to snap Joanna with what looks like a Hitler moustache. Yup, in case you haven't guessed, I shot Joanna Newsom at the Royal Festival Hall last night but the first 15 or so photos I took are pretty much unusuable as the microphone stand was so oddly positioned in front of Joanna that it looks like she's got a moustache. It's not often that photographers voluntarily move away from the front of the stage at a gig but it really was the only way to get some non-comedy shots of the rather fantastic Joanna. Maybe one day I'll post the 'Deutsches Reich' shots so make sure to check the site in 5 years' time to see them...



9 May 2010
Double the fun

Two birds, no stone, no kill, but two camera bodies - I'm sure you could turn that into a saying if you were so inclined. Anyway, last night I headed to Brixton Academy - not easy considering the tube wasn't running in my neck of the woods - to shoot La Roux and her support act, Ms Sting, er, I mean Coco Sumner, er, I mean I Blame Coco. Faster than the speed of light is the motto of today so I have already created the galleies for you to check out. Now THAT is what I call a productive afternoon!
View the 'La Roux' gallery
View the 'I Blame Coco' gallery



7 May 2010
Still Massive...

A day full of interesting developments which makes a nice change. I know this is a news blog where I'm supposed to share info and photos with y'all (as they say in the US) but it's too early to talk about certain things that are currently bubbling under and hiding in the pipeline so instead I shall just post some new unseen shots here for you.

Below are a couple of snaps of Robert and Grant of Massive Attack off and on stage in Sydney back in March. I was told before the shoot that I couldn't use flash for the portraits so that initially threw a giant spanner in the works. Thank fuck for Nikon's high ISO performance. I took a few shots of the guys and Robert asked if he could take a look at them - as a photographer I always think that's equivalent to asking a musician if they could play me the first demo they've recorded of one of their songs before they've even had a chance to listen to it. Luckily, Robert really liked the shots so I quickly said 'Cool, can I take a few more then'? Anyway, go and get the new issue of Q Magazine to read the excellent 4-page live review and treat yourself to a copy of Massive Attack's new album 'Heligoland' as it's truly excellent!



6 May 2010
Fuck this and fuck that

Yesterday Hole played a show at Brixton Academy so I got to spend 10 minutes of my day in the presence of Courtney Love who said 'fuck', fucking' and 'fuckers' about a zillion times. It's election day here in the UK today and when the predicted poll results are announced I shall be saying these very same words repeatedly for about an hour...
View the 'Hole' gallery



3 May 2010
Raw power

Yesterday Iggy + The Stooges played the second of two shows at the Apollo. The band is currently on tour to perform their classic album Raw Power in its entirety plus some of their best known songs - well, at least I hope they play extra stuff otherwise those gigs will be rather short. Anyway, Iggy was on fine form - jumping round, spitting, screaming - and if you didn't know who Iggy was or what he looked like you could be forgiven he's your neighbour's three year old having a mega tantrum...
View the 'Iggy + The Stooges' gallery



Continue: April 2010 archive