Fest for Tigers: part two

"The Roots' drummer Questlove keeps the beat while MC Black Thought (not picutred) pauses during the band's set at Tigerfest on Burdick Feild at Towson University, Saturday night."

Tigerfest is labeled as a spring music festival and attracts thousands of students to Burdick Field each year.

While the events keep attendees busy throughout the day, people come for the bands.

As I made my way through the naked, the intoxicated and the passed out on Saturday, I couldn't wait for the The Roots to start playing so I could wrap up my long day.

I could have easily parted early and left the fate of The Roots images to one of my other five photographers covering the event, but I had been shooting all day and had stayed for the main performance.

Also, some of them are still infatuated with shooting "celebrities" and often lose their focus. Nothing wrong with being excited, I just feel they are shooting it for the wrong reasons sometimes, so I wanted to cover my bases.

While I mentioned I had a lot of fun shooting Saturday, I am not much for shooting concerts.

Not that they're not my thing, I just tend to think the crowd and the actions of people at a concert are more entertaining and make better images than the performers.

Around 7:40 p.m., I grabbed my coat from my car and debated to bringing my 300mm lens. I knew three of my photographers had credentials for the pit (the "safe" area between the band and the crowd) and I wanted to get something different from them.

However, I knew the crowd would be large and wild, so I didn't want to risk getting it banged up.

The Roots took the stage on time at 8 p.m. and drew the largest, loudest crowd of the day despite light rain and chillier evening weather.

I opted to start in the pit anyways to mainly get some crowd images. Multiple scuffles between audience members broke out before the start and between myself and another photographer, got some interesting images.

After the first song, I moved to the back of the crowd to get some different images, before submerging myself into the wrath of the crowd.

I knew I could get some interesting images by going into the heart of the audience.

I got pushed around, smoothed by sweating loud students and often had to watch for falling bodies when those around me decided not to hold up crowd surfers anymore, but it was worth it.

Extra effort always goes a long way, and frankly it's always more entertaining putting yourself into the story itself without effecting the outcome.

I stayed for three total songs so I could beat the rush of the crowd. My band photos were OK, but as a friend once told me, "a monkey could shoot a band."

I'll try and get some more images up Tuesday, but I doubt it. I have the day off since it's my birthday (officially now 12:01 a.m.) along with some of my other friends: Dave, Arianne, Aj, Eric, and Cara.

I know I forgot some people, but isn't that weird that five of my friends and I all have the same birthday?