The Story Behind the Pictures, 2006

Most of the time I do not put captions on my images due to time constraints. I might take anywhere from 100 to 300 images at an event so trying to name everyone in every picture would take forever. Some of the better known bands or artists need no captioning but the circumstance might need explaining or perhaps the uniqueness of the situation needs to be told before it fades from my memory. What follows are some of those images from 2006 that have a story worth relating. Some of these images have never been posted. Some are poignant or funny or someday might even be historical. No ill will or embarrassment is intended to any of the participants pictured, but I just want the fans to get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes, backstage, or on stage.

"The Apprentice"

There are the known photographers (Greg, Sam, Rose, Xap) and the unknown photographers. In April during Fiesta Week at the Cattleman's Explosion, this gentleman was feeling pretty good. As you can see he broke through the beer banner barrier and then crawled on his knees to get the shot. Closing one eye to view the LCD on the back of his digital camera was a nice touch. Now that's dedication.

"The Octopus Man"

It is not often that I can photograph the drummer of any band. usually they are up against the wall with no way of getting behind them. Or the stage is so crowded and there is no way of getting a side shot. Front shots usually do not work either for a variety of reasons. Above is Adam Garza from DLG y LM at Cattleman's during Fiesta Week. The rear of this stage is usually open with perhaps a fabric printed with a beer sponsor on it flapping in the wind. Before the performance started I asked Adam to give me some drumming motion with both arms. My flash has a multi-strobe function where it will go off several times in a fraction of a second and in this frame it did. Even though only 6 arms are visible, people would ask me how I took "The Octopus Man" picture? My answer . . ."With lots of practice."

"Have You Been Diva-tized?"

Tejas Records called wanting a group picture of the 3 Divas in action so that they could use for a publicity photo which they would autograph for their fans. Their next scheduled performance was under the highway next to the Market Square during Fiesta Week. First, I made the mistake of leaving too late to get a nearby parking spot. So I ended up parking further away which was going to make me late for their performance. Secondly, I had also brought along a kitchen step chair to get me elevated, but left it in my truck because it would slow me down getting to the stage. Once I reached the stage it was very hot and stuffy under the bridge. In April there is a nice wind from the southeast but the the Market Square building blocked it entirely. In no time it was very sweaty despite wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Before the show started the crowd thickened and before you know it gorditas and non-gorditas are bumping me like crazy as the crowd jostled for position. As the show got under way, the very high stage reminded me that I should have brought my step chair so I could shoot above the crowd rather than through the crowd. I realize the only way to shoot the Divas is to hold the camera high above my head as far as my hands could stretch. I shoot and review, shoot and review as I go along. At some point I feel a cold beer traveling down my right leg because the crowd is excited and all of those wavering beer cups seem to be angling towards me. The above shot is an unpublished one in a publicity photo mockup. On the way back to my truck I ran into some friends from Dallas. After seeing my wet shorts and wet socks they asked me where I had been. I told them I had been "Diva-tized."

"My Favorite"

John and Jason Torres are two brothers that make up the group "Los Amables." For their CD shoot we were roaming around San Antonio with Ruben Cubillos leading us around. One of the rare summer rain storms was off in the distance. Somewhere on the southside of San Antonio we stopped at one location, jumped out, and I started shooting. Although I frequently am found of saying to others that "I am just a monkey pushing a button." Sometimes that monkey pushes that button at the right time. Rarely does the light, the pose, and the expression really make an impression on me. This time I knew I had magic. The above image made the cover of their CD and I have to rate this as one one my top images from 2006 and it remains my personal favorite.

"The Breed"

With the relocation of the Tejano Music Awards to Eagle Pass, TX, the weekend of the Fan Fair prior to the awards has gotten real popular. One of those nights I was trying to be in 2 places at once. I had promised Stefani Montiel that I would catch her performance at one end of the Market Square. What I had not anticipated was the crowd in front of the other stage where the Latin Breed would perform. It was jam packed and I knew if I maneuvered myself into position up close I would never make it to Stefani's performance. I then looked up and saw the overhead bridge. I went up the stairs that lead to the parking garage and saw that the gate to the bridge was open. I flashed my "LeftyRay.com" badge to the 2 police officers who were there and proceeded to set up my gear. Above are 2 images from the bridge. As the evening progressed I kept looking at my watch and noticed that "The Breed" was playing way beyond their allotted timeframe. These 2 stages face each other but the performers are staggered so that they do not overlap. Typically one stage is being setup for the next band while the other stage has a band performing on it. I knew the longer I stayed up there, the harder it would be for me to get into position for Stefani's show. At some point I left and wormed my way towards Stefani's stage. Below is the top Stefani shot from that night.

"Stefani"

"Cuatro Caminos"

Another Cattleman's photo. Ram had opened the night and hung around for the Los Desperadoz performance. Somewhere during their performance they called Ram on stage. Ram sang (unrehearsed) "Cuatro Caminos" which was a hit when he was with DLG y LM. Los Desperadoz mentioned it would be on their next CD ("Whatever it Takes") with guest vocalist Ram and Jay. I had shot several frames during the song and figured I had it covered. I turned to my right and started to head out when I heard Ram call my name. I turned around and saw the four of them posing for me.  

L to R: Mike, Ram, Lee, and Jess.

"Mis Hijos"

On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I was headed to Arlington, TX to catch the DLG y LM performance at the Desperados nightclub. My plan was to spend the night in Arlington and then continue on Thanksgiving Day morning to my parents' home which  was 2 hours away. As I was approaching New Braunfels on I-35, David Lee came on KXTN to answer questions as to the lineup for Thursday night. For several years David Lee has performed on Thanksgiving night in San Antonio showcasing several of his past lead singers. This year was no different until David Lee let it slip that the show would be videotaped for a "Live DVD" and a "Live CD." Upon hearing this I called their road manager and asked if he wanted me to shoot it. He said the taping idea came together very fast and the required signature releases were just done and the project was a "go." At that point I made a u-turn and headed back to San Antonio. Thank God I was not in Waco.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day,  at noon I had a Whataburger with cheese. I had emptied my refrigerator anticipating being gone for better part of a week so indeed my cupboard was bare. I also turned down offers from friends to come over and even an offer from one of my ex-wives, but I did not want to impact their Thanksgiving day just because my plans had changed. I arrived at the nightclub around 2pm to check out the layout. At 4pm I coordinated with the guy who was going to do the video taping as to where we would be stationed. We positioned our gear during the rehearsal of  Oscar G and the Los Musicales. I took a few test shots and left to check them out and to change clothes before the performance.

I returned around 8pm but the security guy on the side entrance of the club did not have my name on the list (can't say how many times this has happened before), but I finally got in. Gilbert Velasquez was going to do the audio taping. Gilbert plays guitar for the Latin Breed and has his own recording studio, V-Music. All the recording gear was situated in the rear of the Latin Breed's bus which was parked behind the nightclub. To kill some time before the performance I visited with Gilbert and his brother inside the bus. They played back some of the Oscar G rehearsal and it sounded great and Oscar G sounded great.

As showtime neared I reentered the club from the backdoor and got into position or more accurately, got "up" into position. I had placed a 6 foot ladder behind one of the movable structures found inside of the club. Next to me was one of the video cameras on a high tripod. I knew that the anticipated packed crowd would block my movements so my best chance was to elevate myself above the crowd and stay there all night in one position. It was a good move as the club became very crowded and moving around was next to impossible. The evening progressed nicely until the smoke machine went into over-drive. From my position you could not see the left side of the stage. It is a wonder Oscar did not choke to death on the smoke. My saving grace is that I had placed a remote controlled flash unit on one of the roof support structures away from my position. As most people who were there with a camera can tell you, the smoke in the air gets illuminated by any onboard camera flash causing a whiteout or lousy picture. I took close to 600 images, an all time high for sure, but many are hindered by the smoke. Currently I am sitting on the bulk of the photos pending the creation of the DVD and the CD package. Just recently I gave DLG a 4x6 print which included all 4 past lead singers from that night and he said "Mis Hijos?"   

L to R: Oscar G, Emilio, Ram, Marcos Orosco.

"It's real"

Of all the Tejano artists and bands, Jimmy Gonzales remains the most challenging and my favorite to photograph. The location was Legends Studio at Freddie Records in Corpus Christi. Sometimes you know when you have magic and sometimes you do not know until you get back and start reviewing the images you shot. In the above pose, Jimmy was seated at a piano in one of the back rooms of the studio and had started playing it. I had one of my studio lamps with a softbox on it and off to my left side. I just started shooting away. It was not until after the shoot that I was reviewing the images that I saw the piano keys reflecting in Jimmy's glasses. While these were not sunglasses, the shiny coating reflected enough of the piano keys so that it looks like he has extended eyelashes. Several different CD mockup covers were made by Ruben Cubillos and I was surprised and elated when Jimmy selected this one. One of my hallmarks in my outdoor fishing photography is capturing reflections in my subjects sunglasses. In these days of Photoshop, just about anything can be faked, but this one shot is real. Thank you Jimmy.

"Smiling"

In June I got a call from Chente Barrera looking to have his picture taken for his next CD. We met at Gilbert Velasquez's V-Music studio in San Antonio for the shoot. We went through a couple of poses and a couple of wardrobe changes. At the end Chente was pretty well worn out. Most people think being a fashion model is a pretty easy job, but after a day of smiling, and twisting and stretching your body in numerous directions you are pretty wiped out. Above is one of the images from that shoot. This one ended up on the back cover of his "Sigue El Taconaso" CD which was just nominated for a Grammy. Chente now knows "smiling" is not as easy as it looks.

"No Bats in the Cave"

I joke that whenever I have my first art gallery showing it will named "Hasta Las Muelas" because sometimes you can see a performers fillings due to their open mouth. Conversely, accordion players tend to rear back exposing their nostrils to view. Above is David Farias rearing way way back while performing with Los TexManiacs during Fiesta Week. Sometimes I  might have to do a little touch up but in this case none was needed because there were no bats in the cave.

"The Rose"

Another Cattleman's/Fiesta shot, this time with Ram Herrera. At the beginning of the second set Ram will bring out a dozen roses and hand them out prior to singing "Rosas para una Rosa" which was an early hit for him. Ladies will often crowd the stage and cause a stampede in anticipation. Backstage during the break, Ram asks me "What time is it?" I told him the time and he tells the band "Lets go." I had forgotten about the roses and took my time getting to the front of the stage. When I got to the front he was already tossing out roses. I say "tossing" because there is a barrier to keep the crowd back away from the edge of the elevated stage. This gap also allows me to pass from one side of the stage to the other without fighting the crowd. To give away the roses from the band stand, Ram had to toss them to the ladies behind the barrier. I had one lady to my left behind the barrier screaming her head off trying to get Ram's attention. When he noticed her, he tossed her a rose. I was nowhere ready with my camera. I had the wrong lens on, but I raised the camera and hit the button. Above you can see the rose in flight which she caught.

"The Last Fan Photo'

In October Jimmy Gonzales and Joe Lopez reunited for a handful of shows across Texas. In Dallas they planned a 2 night performance (Friday/Saturday) with the first night being filmed and taped for a live DVD and CD. I was there on Saturday night to shoot the event. Joe came out first and played a little bit over a half an hour. Jimmy then came out and played his set. At the end of the evening they both came out and performed together. When the show was over I went backstage and at this nightclub that consists of being outside and behind the building. By then Jimmy was in his truck ready to leave. Joe was next to his van chatting with some people. Right before Joe jumped into his van I took this last photo of the night of him and this fan. Two days later Joe's trial began and he was convicted 5 days after that. The reunion performance planned in San Antonio the following Friday did not occur making this the last fan photo with Joe Lopez.

"Small Rig"

A lot of people will comment "Nice camera" when they see my "big rig" camera setup. I smile and politely say thank you and move on. Inside I chuckle because when you invite someone over for dinner, they never say "Hey that's a nice Amana stove you have there." Typically they comment on the food. The same thing applies to cameras. It is not what you have but what you do with it. The above photo is Mike from Los Desperadoz taken with my small point and shoot camera or as I call it, "the small rig."

"Dancing"

I was in Houston on another project and got wind that Jimmy Gonzales was playing at Roy's Palmers Ice House. The place was very small and the crowd was light, but then it was a weekday. Once Jimmy started to play most of the people there started to dance. This one couple was pretty much "lost in the music" and in themselves. As I panned the camera to the crowd, the guy unexpectedly raised his hand as I hit the shutter on my camera.

"Let's Crash In"

In October Tejas Records held a media day which is a day where their artists come in and talk to radio stations, film TV shows, or broadcast live from the studio. Jay was in a back studio being filmed and interviewed by a Laredo TV show. Lee from Los Desperadoz had been pushing their new CD which included a song with Jay as the vocalist. He had a free moment and asked me who was in that back studio. I told him Jay. He said "Let's crash in." Before I knew it he had opened the sound tight door and jumped in front of the camera man showing off his new CD much to Jay's dismay.

"It's a Wrap"

It has become a tradition to shoot a group picture after a CD shoot. This is the group "La Cima." They were my first Norteņo group. They are 5 young guys with their whole lives in front of them. The first release is rapidly climbing up the Billboard charts.

 L to R: Eduardo, Ruben, Ramiro's dad, Ramiro, Joe Trevino, myself, Sergio, and Miguel. Photo by Ruben Cubillos.

"The Future"

In September, 13 year old Candace Vargas (center) from New Mexico had a CD release party at the Cadillac Bar in San Antonio. Also in attendance were Megan Leyva (L) and local teenage favorite Demi (R). This is what I call the future of Tejano music.

"Mish Mash"

The Tejano Academy had its 2006 Tamalada in San Antonio in late December. It included eating tamales and performances by a mish mash of artists and performers. This event is not open to the public. The image above shows the opening artists. Join the Tejano Academy and you will get invited to events like this.

L to R: Richard Garza (DLG y LM), Richard Solis (Latin Breed), David Lee, Gilbert Velasquez (Latin Breed), Joe Posada, & Mario Ortiz (Jay Perez band).

"Grammys"

At one of Jimmy Gonzales' CD photo sessions at Freddie Records in Corpus, one idea involved showcasing Jimmy's 5 Grammys. Before he arrived I tried different lighting setups. Not having a stand in, I had to resort using myself as the test dummy while triggering the camera via a remote control. That is why my right hand is hidden.

Final Note

Shooting a "live event" might sound glamorous, but in reality it is hard work. Often I have earplugs in my ears, blurry vision from looking through the viewfinder all night, and cramps in one shoulder from hauling my heavy camera bag around. You don't get to dance and you barely hear the music through the earplugs. I have had numerous drinks spilled on me, been hustled out by 3 burly security guards because of a miscommunication, and had a coked-up lunatic jump me from behind (and that was just in one month), but yet I keep going back for more. I have inhaled enough smoke to trigger dozens of smoke alarms and dragged in at 4:30 am more times than I care to remember, but the music and the bands have been great and the army of friends more than fantastic. See ya next weekend.