Photo Shoot with The Memorials

I got a call a month or two ago from Thomas Pridgen (world-renowned drummer and formerly of the Mars Volta) that started off with him saying “I need you.” Not a bad gesture. His current band,The Memorials, needed some promo photos done for their new record Delirium (June 5th on iTunes).

After discussing some crazy ideas, we settled on a nighttime shoot in Berkeley, CA where we actually set up his drum kit outside on a dock in the marina. I brought my fellow photog Jen Cash with me to assist with lighting, and it was surely an interesting experience for us: setting up photo equipment in the cold, in the dark, on a dock, while the drummer of Mars Volta wails away on his kit for an audience of 6 or 7 onlookers who happened to be passing by.

Was a ton of fun, regardless. Thanks to everyone involved for putting up with the complications and making it happen!

Viveca Hawkins, Clay Lancaster, and Thomas Pridgen

The Memorials 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Lancaster Media Promo

Well, with the multi-media direction I've been taking lately (as opposed to just still photos), it only seemed fitting to finally revamp the image of Lancaster Media.

In case you weren't aware, my brother and I formed Lancaster Media in 2007 with the idea of being sort of a tag team. In the years following, I focused mostly on wedding and promotional work while he (Keith) began his career as a cinematographer/editor in Los Angeles.

Fast forward a few years, and all of a sudden our interests and fields are starting to overlap again: I've been doing more and more video work, and Keith is headed to Paris this summer to learn some still photography).

Don't worry, I'm still very much for hire if you're getting married! In fact, my schedule is busier than it has ever been.

But to commemorate the resurgence of the Lancaster Media name, here is our new intro/promo:

Enjoy!

Clay & Keith Lancaster

Weddings, Foxy Shazam, and Rock N Roll

Hi folks,

It's been a little bit since my last post. What I thought was going to be a low-key first quarter of 2012 has quickly become a busy few months.

Weddings


A few weddings have come and gone, which spanned everything from fancy hotels to city hall, to a rainy spot on the California coast. Here are a few of my favorites:

Kids are funny at Weddings. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Stinson Beach, CA Wedding. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Stinson Beach, CA Wedding. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Foxy Shazam

I got to chat with Foxy in San Francisco for theFIVE10.com before their show at the Fillmore in support of The Darkness. Was a super interesting interview, enhanced by some crazy guy interrupting us in the park and calling me a liar for saying I was Armenian. Which I never claimed to be. Yeah.

Clay Lancaster and Foxy Shazam's Sky White

Rock n' Roll

I was also recruited to do some media work for a band called Dallas, which resulted in 10-12 hour days at Dallas Ranch here in the San Francisco bay area. Not all of that time was spent "working", but it's been a blast and hopefully there are some cool things coming down the pipeline.

Megadeth - Gigantour - San Jose, CA

Photos from Megadeth's Gigantour stop last night at San Jose State University Event Center with Motorhead.

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Megadeth performs in San Jose on Gigantour 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Motorhead's Lemmy performs on Gigantour in San Jose

Motorhead's Lemmy performs on Gigantour in San Jose

Motorhead's Lemmy performs on Gigantour in San Jose

Mutemath - The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco.

The New Orleans-based Mutemath is certainly one of those acts you just have to see in concert to truly understand. I shot for them before in 2009 at The Fillmore, but this time around I was scheduled to sit and chat with singer Paul Meany for an interview on theFIVE10.com and discuss their current record Odd Soul.

After spending a good 8 hours at the Regency Ballroom (or anywhere else within a 1-block radius), I think I got the content that I was looking for.

To read (or stream) the interview, click here.

Otherwise, have a gander at some photos by... yep, Clay Lancaster.

Clay Lancaster chats with Paul Meany of Mutemath, on theFIVE10.com

Mutemath's Darren King, getting down and dirty. Regency Ballroom.

Mutemath at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco

Mutemath's Roy Mitchell-Cardenas

Paul Meany of Mutemath rocks the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco

Paul Meany of Mutemath rocks the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco

Nick & Sarah Engagement in San Francisco

Later this year I will be lucky enough to photograph Nick & Sarah's wedding, but we first headed to the Legion of Honor in San Francisco to get a round of engagement photos done.

Such a fun couple, and we all had a blast exploring around the cliffs that overlook the Golden Gate Bridge, or climbing the stone steps of what remains of the Adolf Suttro mansion.

Samples:

San Francisco City Hall Wedding

Sometimes things drop in your lap. Actually, that's been most of my business lately.

A friend of mine (who routinely browses Craigslist for various things) came across a couple looking for a last-minute photographer for their quick ceremony at San Francisco City Hall. He copied the link and posted it onto my Facebook wall, of all things.

So when I woke up in the morning and saw his message, I figured "why not?" and sent an email reply to the couple. Within about 45 minutes, we had the event booked.

I hopped on the train into San Francisco for the short and sweet (as city hall weddings tend to be) ceremony, followed by a little bit of just hanging out with the newlyweds and snapping some photos. Here are two of my favorites: