Nick Carter: Tale From The Photo Pit (Flashback 2016)

NICK CARTER

NICK CARTER at HOB/Anaheim photo: Lauren Ratkowski

Flashback: NICK CARTER 2016 concert coverage,,,

What do you do when your editor asks if you can shoot a member of Backstreet Boys, aka Nick Carter, at one of your favorite venues? You agree and grab your camera of course!

It was a typical Friday night in Downtown Disney when I arrived – crowded and buzzing with people. I was expecting to catch the end of the first act when I arrived at House of Blues, but instead I got held up at the box office. There was a tiny bump in communication and I was left without a photo pass. But it wasn’t anything a quick call to the on-site tour manager couldn’t fix.

By the time I got inside, the venue was packed. I went straight into the photo pit as there was no one on stage. I thought I had managed to arrive before anyone played, as there were no other photographers in sight. But I was wrong. The crew was setting up for Nick Carter!

It was twenty minutes before set time, so I made sure my camera was ready while I waited. I expected other photographers to show, but as it got closer to set time, it seemed as if I would have the entire photo pit to myself.

Nick Carter greeted fans with a familiar sound when he hit the stage – the unmistakable beat of Backstreet Boys’ hit “Larger Than Life”. Fans greeted him in return with singing and screaming. There was a ton of energy in the room, so I knew it was going to be a good shoot.

With the photo pit to myself, I had a ton of freedom. All I needed was some great lighting and a lively performance and I was set for a good shoot – and that’s exactly what I got! I was able to shoot at wide angles without worrying about having ends of other photographer’s lenses in my frame, which is a luxury! The lighting was constant, yet not overpowering. This allowed me to follow Nick Carter as he moved to and from his mic stand. It also let me zoom in and get some great on-stage portraits.
After my three songs were up, I headed up stairs to shoot some group shots from above the main room. Getting an overhead view of a show isn’t something I get too often, so I took the opportunity.

Carter and his band sounded great and it was nice to see such a dedicated fan base turn out in support of his solo career. Photographing this show was surprisingly simple, but I’ll be sure not to take those shows for granted as I head into shooting in 2016!