Faces of Faith in Lalibela, Ethiopia
Lalibela is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been a place where faith, history, and daily life are carved into stone. Over the course of three unforgettable days, we explored the ancient rock-hewn churches, captured portraits of quiet devotion, and witnessed the Feast of Saint Aregawi, a powerful nighttime ceremony filled with centuries-old chants and rituals.
Lalibela is unlike any place I have been in the world, a sacred place of devotion and faith that has stood the test of time for over 800 years. The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela were built in the late 12th to early 13th century, during the reign of King Lalibela, who ruled Ethiopia during that time.
According to tradition, King Lalibela commissioned the churches as a symbolic "New Jerusalem" after Muslim conquests made pilgrimage to the Holy Land difficult for Ethiopian Christians. There are 11 monolithic churches, carved directly from solid volcanic rock, and they are still active places of worship today.
Though our visit lasted only three short days, we were able to gain a great understanding of the culture with the help of a local resident, tour guide, and Lalibela Deacon we met named Desta, also known as 'Happy.'" Happy let us know that there was a special event taking place in the first evening we would be there and he said that we could be front and center to the event, the Feast of Saint Aregawi. This important Orthodox Tewahedo Christian holy day honors Abune Aregawi, one of the nine founding saints of the Ethiopian Church, and is marked by a national pilgrimage.
I felt that black and white images better captured the timeless, ancient atmosphere of this unforgettable visit. These are just a few of the many photo opportunities I encountered while there.
Two men having a quiet conversation in a church in Lalibela, Ethiopia.
We spent most of the day going through the rock hewn hand carved churches and around every corner there was an opportunity to photograph a place and people were time just seemed to stand still. Men sat in quiet conversation or read from scriptures, sometimes centuries old, bound in worn leather covers. Though the image below shows what appears to be a newer book, the door next to him is probably 800 years old and the old chain slowly carved out grooves as it swung back and forth through the centuries.
Elder reading scriptures in Lalibela, Ethiopia.
In Lalibela, religion felt central to daily life, and I was struck by how the traditions of worship and ritual have continued almost unchanged and uninterrupted for over 800 years. It’s not just something practiced on special days but is a true lifeblood and focus of the community. While exploring the various churches, we were required to remove our shoes out of respect for the sacred spaces we were entering.
A gentleman in Lalibela kindly helped Linda with her shoes after we entered one of the churches.
I remember a gentleman who followed us around to ‘watch’ over our shoes and he took his role very seriously. It reminded me how, in many Western societies, we’ve lost a bit of that sense of reverence for sacred places. In contrast, removing one’s shoes is still a common practice in many Southeast Asian countries when entering temples or Wats, a simple part of showing respect.
Watch the video above for a look at the sights and sounds of a religious ceremony that we witnessed taking place in the Saint Maryam Rock Hewn Church in Lalibela, Ethiopia.
Finding a quiet place to read and reflect.
The architecture of the churches is quite stunning. If you look closely at some of the images in this post, you can see where the rock was expertly chiseled by hand. The sheer scale is impressive as shown in the photo of Linda and Destaw below.
Linda and Destaw in Lalibela.
Of course, my main focus was capturing the shots I had dreamed of before coming to Lalibela and with the backdrop of centuries-old churches, I wasn’t disappointed. Below are some of my favorite images, but don’t miss the ending. We attended the nighttime ceremony, and I’ve included the video above so you can hear the ancient songs and chants that have been passed down for centuries.
If you watched the video above, you’ll notice that we first observed the ceremony from above. But the most powerful experience came when, with the help of our guide Destaw, we were able to step onto the floor of the church and witness the ceremony up close. As a photographer, there are moments when you feel the need to put the camera down and simply be present and this was one of those times. Rather than keeping my lens at eye level, I wanted to soak in the atmosphere: the rhythm of the chanting, the echoes of the music, and the devotion filling the ancient stone walls. Below are some of my favorite images from that evening, captured as we stood among the worshippers on the ground level.
Director of Photography for the movie - Shooting Starr
I just wanted to drop a quick post to share some exciting news , I recently had the incredible opportunity to work as the Director of Photography on an upcoming film titled Shooting Starr
The movie stars Emily Maddison and is both written and directed by Christa Rivington of Buttercup Film Productions. It was an amazing experience to help bring Christa’s vision to life, and I can't wait for you all to see it.
For those curious about the story, here's a quick rundown of the inspiration behind it, though don't worry, I won’t spoil the ending:
The Story Behind Shooting Starr
Belle Starr, born Myra Maybelle Shirley in 1848, was raised amid the chaos of the American Civil War. Surrounded by violence and raised among Confederate sympathizers, she grew up alongside boys who would later become legendary outlaws, like Jesse James and the Younger brothers.
After the war, Belle gravitated toward a life on the fringes of society, marrying outlaws and becoming deeply involved in horse theft, robbery, and harboring fugitives. She wasn’t just a bystander, Belle became an icon, often riding sidesaddle in velvet skirts, armed with two pistols, and commanding attention wherever she went.
Sensationalized in newspapers and dime novels, Belle Starr earned the title "Bandit Queen," embodying rebellion and fierce independence in a world dominated by men.
Shooting Starr brings a fresh, cinematic take to the story of Belle Starr, weaving together history, legend, and an unforgettable performance by Emily Maddison. I’m incredibly proud to have been part of this project, and I’ll be sharing more behind-the-scenes glimpses soon!
The movie is currently on the film festival circuit, so stay tuned for the release date and trust me, you won’t want to miss how this story comes to life on screen.
Here’s the IMDB link with the full cast and crew.
Arena - Muckelshoot Casino
Arena performing live at Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, WA. This high-energy show featured powerful vocals, dynamic lighting, and a full band lineup captured in one epic shot. Dive into the post for my top images, behind-the-scenes details, and tips on photographing live music.
I recently had the opportunity to photograph Arena once again, this time at the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, WA. I was genuinely excited to work with them at this venue because the lighting setup was far better than previous shows, giving me a real chance to capture the images I had envisioned. My goal was to make the stage look larger than life and get those epic, dynamic shots that truly showcase the energy of a live performance. What made this experience even better was the freedom to move around the venue. That flexibility allowed me to work with the same lens setup I mentioned in a previous post: mainly the 85mm f/2.8 for crisp portraits, the versatile 24-120mm f/4 for a mix of wide and tight shots, and a few ultra-wide stage captures using the 10.5mm f/2.8.
Prepping for the Shoot
When I’m preparing for a concert shoot like this, I follow a few key steps to ensure I’m 100% ready to capture the best possible images:
Clean the camera sensor — no dust allowed. Even a single speck can ruin a great shot.
Clean all lenses — clarity is everything.
Format all memory cards — I always start fresh with newly formatted CFexpress cards.
Charge batteries — I bring at least three fully charged batteries with me, just in case.
The drive to the venue took a couple of hours, which gave Linda and me time to chat and catch up. She also took the opportunity to read through a screenplay I started writing back in 2013, which I’ve recently been putting some finishing touches on. But that’s a story for another post.
While she read, I was mentally preparing, visualizing the shots I wanted, the angles I’d aim for, and how I’d use the lighting to my advantage.
First Impressions of the Venue
Since I had never shot a show at Muckleshoot before, I arrived early to scout the space and get a feel for the lighting rig. Walking into a new venue for the first time is always a bit of a mystery, but I was quickly reassured: the lighting setup was solid, and I knew I was going to walk away with some great images.
First song out, the lights were all red. For me, red is the worst because it washes out al the facial features and the only way to really save images like this, is to convert them to B&W and you can see in the example above.
The Red Light Dilemma
The first song kicked off and the entire stage was bathed in red light. For concert photography, that’s one of the most challenging lighting scenarios. Red tends to blow out detail, especially in faces, making it nearly impossible to retain the texture and emotion you want in a shot. It washes out the contrast and creates a flat, almost ghostly look.
The best way I’ve found to salvage images under these conditions is to convert them to black and white. You can see an example above what started as a red-saturated shot actually became a pretty powerful monochrome image. It’s one of those cases where a limitation forces you to get creative.
Dialing in the Exposure
At this point in the show, I focused on dialing in my exposure settings. I switched to Aperture Priority mode, set my ISO to 2500, and kept an eye on my shutter speeds, which typically ranged between 1/320 and 1/500 of a second. That gave me enough speed to freeze the action while still letting in enough light.
To help protect the highlights, especially with those unpredictable stage lights, I shot at -1/3 EV. That slight underexposure gave me a little more headroom in post to recover detail without blowing out key areas of the image.
By the second song, I had everything dialed in. The lighting was spot on, and Darlene was already lighting up the stage with her vocals.
Getting the Whole Band
First order of business: make sure I captured a solid shot of each musician. The drummer, CJ, proved to be the biggest challenge. He was tucked way back in a pocket of the stage with almost no light hitting him. Early in the set, it was nearly impossible to get a usable shot but luckily, later in the show, I managed to grab a few decent frames when the lighting shifted just right.
Next time, I might bring a small LED light to help illuminate his face, or see if Chuck, the band’s lighting guy, can give me a hand. Drummers always seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to stage lighting, and I want to make sure they get their moment too.
Monty Smith on Guitar
Tina Hart on Vocals
Tommy Wall on Bass
CJ on Drums
Capturing It All
The performance was fantastic, running just under two hours and I ended up shooting over 370GB worth of images, totaling more than 8,000 shots. That number might seem high, but there was a reason behind it. I needed a wide variety of images the band could use for marketing, everything from tight performance shots to wide angles, candid moments, and behind-the-scenes energy. I was constantly moving around to get different perspectives and keep the coverage dynamic.
One of the best parts of the night was the lighting. The lighting tech at Muckleshoot Casino did an outstanding job. It wasn’t just static stage lighting the colors and moods shifted throughout the set, giving the show a fresh look and feel from beginning to end. That variety made my job not only easier but way more fun creatively.
Top Shots + Full Gallery
Below are my top ten favorite images from the show, and beneath that, you’ll find a gallery with some additional favorites that didn’t quite make the top list but still deserve a spot.
If you’re looking for a photographer in the Pacific Northwest to capture your band’s performance, I’d love to hear from you. Head over to my contact page and drop me a message with the show date and location, and I’ll be happy to provide a quote. Whether it’s a small venue or a big stage, I’m all about telling the story of your performance through powerful imagery.
Arena - New Seattle Band
Live music has a unique power to unite people, regardless of background or beliefs, creating a shared experience that transcends division. There's nothing like the energy of a live show and Arena put on a fantastic debut show in Sumner, Washington.
Arena played their first show in Sumner, Washington. The band comprises the same talented group as my previous post, 80’s Ladies.
I was invited to shoot this show to help the band create content for social media and marketing. The venue , Purdy’s Public House in Sumner, was a challenging one to shoot in. When I arrived about an hour early, the place was already packed, and the main lot was full. That was my first sign that this was going to be a high-energy night.
Arena brings the best of arena rock to the stage, covering bands like Def Leppard, Scorpions, and Aerosmith. Their setlist turned out to be the perfect mix for both the crowd and the venue.
With a small stage and a packed floor, I knew shooting here would be a challenge but I was ready for it.
First off, I always like to get everything dialed in with the exposure settings and knew I would be shooting with three lenses this time. The 24-120 Nikon Z Lens, 85mm 1.8 Z lens and once of my favorite lenses to shoot with a 10.5mm f/2.8 lens This fisheye lens has been my go-to for band shoots for over 15 years, perfect for tight spaces and still delivering incredible results. The only challenge? It’s manual focus on my Nikon Z8 body, which meant a few missed shots but when it nailed the focus, the results were worth it!
I double-checked my sensor to make sure there were no dust spots because editing them out later is a real pain. A lot of people are afraid to clean their sensors, but modern cameras have protective glass, making it much safer with a proper sensor cleaning kit. This can save countless hours in editing time, by taking two minutes to clean the sensor.
Once the band started playing, I saw the crowd already hitting the dance floor. I knew it was only going to get tighter in a few songs, so I took the opportunity to grab those crucial shots while I still had room to move.
Darlene Tyler shot with the 24-120mm at 120mm - ISO 2500 - 1/125 sec @ f/4
Tina Hart shot with 24-120mm @ 120mm - ISO 2500 - 1/125 sec - -0.33 exposure comp @ f/4. I was seeing some of the highlights getting blown out so I used a minus 1/3 stop to reduce those highlights.
Monty Smith shot with the 24-120mm lens at 120mm - ISO 2500 - 1/80 sec @ f/4
Craig (CJ) McRae Drums shot with 24-120mm @ 120mm - ISO 2500 - 1/160 sec - -0.33 exposure comp @ f/4.
Tommy Wall shot with 24-120mm @ 120mm - ISO 2500 - 1/160 sec - -0.33 exposure comp @ f/4.
Shooting With the 10.mm Fisheye Lens
Time to have some fun! With the crowd packed at the stage, I pulled out my 10.5mm fisheye to capture those dynamic, ultra-wide shots, perfect for a smaller venue like this.
Monty always knows how to play up to the camera we’ve developed almost a non-verbal rhythm for capturing the perfect shot. And when I stick the lens super close, he knows it’s showtime!
Below are just a few of my favorites shot with the Fisheye Lens.
Back to the 85mm Portrait Lens
I love the 85mm portrait lens, not only is it great for portraits, but it also works well as a midrange lens in a venue like this. I could weave through the crowd and still get solid framing, like this shot of Tommy.
All in all, it was a fantastic crowd. As I worked my way through, people were great about letting me slip into spots to grab the shots I needed.
One of the things I truly love about live music is its power to bring people together. It doesn’t matter what race, background, political stance, or any of the labels society or the media may use to divide us. When the music starts, it unites us all. Live music transcends those boundaries, creating a shared experience that everyone can enjoy. I feel incredibly fortunate to have a front-row seat to this, working with the bands and witnessing the joy and connection it sparks, seeing people from all walks of life come together in harmony.
Live music is an experience like no other, it's not just about the sound, but the energy, the connection, and the community that forms when the crowd comes together. Whether you're into rock, jazz, blues, or any other genre, there’s something about hearing those live notes, feeling the vibrations, and seeing the passion of the performers that creates an unforgettable atmosphere. In a world that can sometimes feel divided, live music reminds us of our shared humanity. It's a universal language that speaks to the soul and brings people from all walks of life into one space to celebrate, feel, and live in the moment.
If you haven't already, make it a point to step out and experience a live show, whether it's an intimate local venue or a massive concert. There's nothing quite like the collective joy of being part of a crowd, singing along with strangers, and feeling the rhythm pulse through your body. It's an opportunity to escape, to connect, and to witness the raw emotion of music in its truest form. So grab your friends, pick a show, and let the music do what it does best, bring us all together.
Gallery of Images
80’s Ladies - Seattle Band
For several years, I’ve been photographing local bands in Seattle, and live music is something I truly enjoy. The dynamic nature of the shows, along with challenges like lighting, small venues, and shooting through crowds, keeps it exciting. In this post I worked with my friends in ‘80’s Ladies’ at the Quilceda Creek Casino in Marysville, WA
For several years, I have been photographing local bands in Seattle, and live music is something I truly enjoy capturing. I think part of the reason is that it’s dynamic and constantly changing. There are lighting challenges, small venues to navigate, and the need to shoot within crowds to get the perfect shot. Unlike larger concerts, there’s no 'three songs and you're out' rule, you usually get to shoot the entire show. It becomes a collaboration between the band, the musicians, and the photographer, making it a win-win for everyone.
Monty Smith and Darlene Tyler of 80’s Ladies
Before I dive into these photos, I thought it would be a good time to share a couple of personal guidelines I follow when working with bands
1. I believe it’s important to get permission from the band, as they will also know if the venue is okay with you showing up with a camera and whether they want you there.
2. When shooting, always check behind you to make sure you're not blocking the audience's view. If you're working on the dance floor, get your shots, move to the side, and look for your next setup. The goal is to blend in so you don’t become a distraction. Wearing a black shirt is a simple way to help you stay inconspicuous.
Craig (CJ) McRae on Drums
3. If you're sharing your work, make sure it not only represents you well but also highlights the musicians in the best way possible. For this show, I took over 6,000 images, something I’m a little embarrassed to admit! You might wonder, why so many? Well, I set my camera to shoot at six frames per second to capture those peak moments. Out of all those shots, only 134 made the cut. The editing process took about four hours, using Adobe RAW to scan through the images, select my favorites, apply color correction, and finalize them before delivering them to the band.
4. I like to let the images 'marinate' for a bit after I send them before sharing them myself. This also gives the band the opportunity to post their photos on social media first.
5. No flash. If you can't figure out how to adjust ISO and shoot in less-than-ideal lighting, there are plenty of YouTube videos that can help with basic camera settings. One trick I use, some venues rely heavily on red lighting, which is one of the worst conditions to shoot in. When shooting in RAW, I usually lower the exposure by half a stop to prevent faces and foreheads from being blown out. Then, I convert these red-drenched images to black and white for a cleaner look.
OK, let’s dive into the shoot. I keep it pretty simple at a show like this, so my kit isn’t too complicated.
For these images I used the following:
Tina Hart isolated in the shot using the Nikon 85mm Z Portrait lens @ f/1.8
I used the 24-120mm lens for about the first two songs, but I found that the 85mm portrait lens was a better choice for two reasons. First, it’s incredibly sharp, the best piece of glass I’ve ever shot with. You’ll even see me use it for street photography in some of my videos. Second, I wanted to keep the ISO down and was able to maintain it around 640 for most of the night. I shot a lot at f/1.8 but adjusted depending on the musicians' positions on stage, especially when trying to capture two performers in the same frame.
There were a few moments when I wished I would have adjusted the f-stop to around f/5.6, especially in this image of Darlene and Monty. She’s a little soft, but I love the way they interact on stage.
What I Look For While Shooting
One of the most critical things I look for is lighting. A good sound and lighting technician can make all the difference. This show was at the Quilceda Creek Casino in Marysville, Washington. For the first few songs, no stage lighting was being used, even though I could see thousands of dollars' worth of equipment in the trusses. But eventually, it was turned on, and I was a much happier photographer.
I like to capture the initial shots of all the musicians, of course, the guitarists and singers tend to get the most coverage, but don’t forget about the rhythm section, including the drummers and bassists. Next, I’ll start shooting from the side of the stage and from the back, at the center, to get full-stage images that the band might be able to use for their marketing. I began with the 24-120mm lens for these shots and then switched to the 85mm for the rest of the show.
Another technique I like to do is to get into the crowd a bit and use them as a way to frame the musicians. Though this is not the best example, I like this image of Darlene.
I also like to get details shots such as the shoes Darlene was wearing and also shots of the crowd having a good time. These photos can be good additions for Social media and the people attending the shows probably appreciate them as well.
Some of my favorites from the show
Darlene Tyler and Month Smith on Guitar
Tommy Wall on Bass
Darlene Tyler on Vocals
Tina Hart on Vocals
Craig (CJ) McRae Drums
