CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2008I am a Photo Journalist and specialize in Music Photography.
*PHOTOGRAPHS - GIGS - NATURE - PORTRAIT *
* Hi, My passion is for art, music, and words, and how they inter-play. I combine all by taking photographs and writing. My photographs are about capturing the passions and joy of live music – and the way it can take us to another place. My aim is photos that tell stories.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ON THIS PAGE ARE © COPYRIGHT PAULINE KEIGHTLEY
My favourite thing is great live gigs and festivals. I started taking 'live gig shots' 3 years ago and began to take my photography seriously since purchasing my handy SLR in the summer of 2006. My photos have been used as promotion for Websites & Publications - the SUNDOWE PROGRAM, the SUNDOWE website, MUGDOCK Music festival, KILSYTH festival site and brochure, the MARTIANS, DAVID SNEDDON, THE PLACE FOR MUSIC, CHRIS TOWNSEND website, JULIAN PERRETTA. I hope to expand my festival work in 2008. I can provide promotional photographs for music-related publicity, and take shots for CD art work.

MY PHOTOS - http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulinekeightleyMY REVIEWS paulinesmusicreviews.blogspot.comPhotographs - are a truly ‘eye-opening’ and blessed experience. You have to be highly observant and able to see those magic moments. Whether the blue-greys of a new day, the long glow of dusk, shared laughter, intense depth in a singer, or majestic mountains. My aim is to capture those rare moments of quiet or intense reflection, an inner sense if special connections. This being in touch is highly rewarding, makes you appreciate beauty and soul wherever you might find it.

* FEEDBACK ON MY PHOTOS
'Pauline, Thanks a million - you really got it! Some great pictures right across the park - very good close-ups and crowd scenes too. You seem to have captured the whole event, bags of atmosphere, you used the light exceptionally well: rain and sunshine too with bags of contrast. I've posted some of the best as a pdf slideshow on www.kic.me.uk' - Cheers, Rob Kilsyth festival
'Pauline I just loooove your shots! They are so full of life and really catch the spirit of the festival! You have a wonderfully observing and imaginative eye. Great stuff fullstop!' X Katarina
'Cool, love the pics! How did you get the crowd in there? We don't remember them being there?' Martians
'Many thanks for the lovely photos - they are really good and show what a superb photographer you are.' Helen
'The pictures on the fan site are out of this world. Best ever.' Carole

Eliza CarthyAnsel Adams The most respected photographer of our time has an exhibition in Edinburgh Feb – April 2008
Within the stillness and the huge permanence of the landscapes.. Adams records, there is always movement, movements of clouds, of light, of water or the mountains. In 1920s High Sierra, Adams had a transcendental experience of mystical beauty. QUOTE: ‘ The silver light turned every blade of grass and every particle of sand with a luminous metallic splendour. I saw more clearly than I have ever seen before or since the minute detail of the grasses, the cluster of sand shifting in the wind, the small flotsam of the forest, the motion of the high clouds streaming above the peaks.’
Thus he captures as only photography can do, with some supreme clarity with which he records all these things, the continuous tension that somehow we have constantly to resolve; the tension between the transience we know and the permanence we feel; between time and eternity.Celtic Connections Festival Glasgow - Jan 2008. The colours this year were warm reds – as this festival is designed to bring warm cheer to the cold January winds of winter.

The 15th annual celebration of folk traditional music, the festival is a showcase Celtic singers and musicians. Scots - Karine Polwart, Kris Drever, Mike Scott, Julie Fowlis, James Mackintosh and Ewen Vernal. Irish - Heidi Tolboot, Sharon Shannon, Luka Bloom, Damien Dempsey, Karan Casey, Michael McGoldrick and Jim Murray. Plus the wonderful Kate Rusby. It was interesting to see so many artists perform..it made it clear how much of music or any art is about the ‘personality.’

Nick playing with Kirsty McGee and Mat Martin.INDIESCENELIVE!
I’ve been a music fan for years, and grew up singing and playing piano. My 18 year old is a serious musician. I enjoy singer songwriters – my biggest heroes being Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Richard Thompson - and the way they combine imaginative and inspired words with magic melodies. I am also a big Beatles fan, no one did it quite like them! Bands – I enjoy Radiohead, U2, The Shins,..more. I also love classical music, mostly Mozart and Chopin.
I enjoy discovering young indie artists with something new to say. Recently Patrick Watson, David Sneddon, the Martians, Vivien Scotson, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Steve Adey, Joe Allen, Marwood, The Dead Beat Club, Collette McHendrick. I enjoy folk/rock, acoustic, indie, rock, pop, classical, I care about good music by the authentic and genuine artist.

This shot was of singer songwriter David Sneddon, at the last night of his sold out gigs at the Edinburgh festival in august 2007– at the dark and atmospheric Jazz Bar in Chambers street. Chris Townsend was supporting....David’s voice is one moment melancholy and then tender, evocative and then forceful, led by his dynamic piano playing. It is about the heartfelt depth of emotional journeys, and the joy of love. It is original, poetic and melodic. It offers a subtle blend of sensitive melody and rhythmic moods. One of my favourite photos of David, it captured him in thoughtful mood. Taken at the Highbarn gig December 2006, which is an impressive oak beamed building and the tallest building in Essex.Patrick Watson band comes out of Montréal’s vibrant music scene. This photo was taken at their King Tuts gig Sept 2007. For their last number Patrick and guitarist took to the centre of the audience to conduct us in Man under the Sea. This band mixed things up – light fun rhythmic, echoing each other…,with playful percussion, varied soundscapes, and expressive vocals.

Julian Perretta , is an up and coming young soul singer, with a passionate voice and a fun personality. Taken at the Regal Rooms London Oct 2007.QUOTES
Dylan's 'Chronicles', what an amazing poet - Dylan saw the song as a challenge rather than a voice of protest Notes he wrote for Broadside 1962 - "Too many people are telling me where the answer is, but oh, I dont believe that. I still say its in the wind and just like a restless piece of paper , its got to come down some time But the only trouble is that no one picks up the answer when it comes down so not many people get to see and know it.. and then it flies away again I still say that some of the biggest criminals are those who turn their heads away when they see wrong and know its wrong.............." It is all about spin when there is no vision, that's what worries me the most. Tony Blair is a lawyer who is about increasing regulations, centralising power and in so doing restricting our basic human rights and freedoms, its very very scary. We have a system in place with no checks and balances to the power of the 'Crown' that resides with our prime minister.

QUOTES: ""Hendrix is asked what inspires you? He replies, the people....." Bono says he mistrusts an artist that is happy with the distance between them and an audience..... ""I put more into this record than I have ever put into an album. The lyrics took me months and months. I wanted to be eloquent, I wanted the lyrics to match up with the music, I wanted everything to be perfect . It is not there yet but, if you ever achieve perfection, you should burn your guitars."" Lightbody, Snow Patrol. "" Quotes: Dylan; """ You never arrive. Words change their meaning. Time changes everything, you can not be wise and in love at the same time. The first time Billie Holliday sing "Strange Fruit" it left the audience spellbound. Strange things go on.' The perceptions in the press, they wanted to label me. I am not the conscience of the people . I am playing to the people. Reaching the audience is what its about.""' ""Songs to me were more important than light entertainment. They were my preceptors and guide into some altered state of reality, some different republic. Some liberated republic,"" DYLAN
RICHARD THOMPSON - 'Popular is a tricky word. People in large numbers don't always have the best taste' """It's an honour to have this job and, to me, the greatest thing is to be up on stage and to feel that connection with an audience... It actually doesn't matter how big that audience is, as long as you get the feeling that there's that musical communication there... that mystical thing that happens in a room full of people. Music is played, things change subtly. It's a beautiful thing'""Van Morrison says on real music – QUOTE: ‘They’re all into the music, and that’s what keeps them going, not if they have a hit or any of that crap… If there is anything out there that’s as good as the real stuff, let me know.’

Mat Martin is an accomplished musician who works with many respected artists - he has a passion for both music and art. I took these shots at Capercaille’s gig on February 2nd 2008 at the Old Fruitmarket where Mat was playing with Kristy McGee Hobopop Collective. He caught my attention with his obvious joy of playing.

Some of my all time favourite Albums:Joni Mitchell - Blue / REM – Automatic for the People / U2 - Joshua Tree / Dylan – Blood on the Tracks / Dylan – Freewheelin / John Mayer – Room For Squares / Richard Thompson – Shoot Out The Lights / The Beatles - Rubber Soul / The Beatles – Sargent Peppers / Radiohead - Ok Computer/ Jeff Buckley - Grace / Dick Gaughan - Outlaws & Dreamers

BEST VOICES: OTIS REDDING - the master of Soul. His voice tears and sears, speaks of emotional depths. (only voice close to Otis for emotion is David Sneddon’s)/ LENNON – for sincerity / DYLAN – many voices. Searching, questioning, angry voices. Richard Thompson – for honesty and drawing characters and stories. / Joni Mitchell - most emotional voice, soaring highs./ David Sneddon - A sensual pure yet hurtful voice. Jeff Buckley - for clarity, passion. JOHN MAYER - most melodic husky rhythmic voice.