On the Road with Seal 2010-2011

On the Road with Seal 2010-2011

By Steve Huff

Besides working on this site every single day, I am also a working photographer and when I get the chance to shoot something I enjoy shooting, I jump at that chance. Shooting live shows and concerts has always been something I wanted to do and in 2010 and 2011 I was lucky enough to live that dream.

Going on tour with recording artist and photographer Seal for two years was been a blessing for me. I was able to hang with a great guy, shoot his shows, talk about cameras and photography, and travel the world all at the same time. It’s a photographers dream job. Does it get any better? Besides being an amazing recording artist, Seal is a passionate photographer himself and even donated a signed Leica M9 for a huge contest that took place on this website many years ago.

Below is a collection of some of my favorite shots of Seal in concert as well as a few behind the scene shots.

All images below were shot with a Leica M9, 28 Elmarit ASPH, 35 Summicron and 50 Noctilux.

There are also some “lost” images from the tour HERE.

 

One of my images from Paris made the cover of Seals CD “Soul 2”. This was a real Live shot, not a posed and lighted shot. The M9 and Noctilux delivered this.

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Buenos Aires Argentina – 2011

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Belo Horizonte Brazil 2011

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Brazilia Brazil 2011

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Rio Brazil 2011 – 2011

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Santiago, Chile – 2011

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Sao Paulo Brazil  – Two Nights – 2011

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Racife Brazil 2011

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Mexico City, MX – Two Nights – 2011

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Zermatt Switzerland 2011

First a few shots in and around Zermatt…

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and showtime!

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Cape Town, South Africa – Intimate Private Show

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Parnu, Estonia 2011

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Brussels, Belgium 2011

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Vienna, Austria 2011

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Moscow Russia 2011

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Budapest 2011

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Pula Croatia 2011

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Rotterdam Holland 2011

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Paris France 2011

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and a just for fun video I put together of clips from the SA tour!

62 Comments

  6. Great work Steve!! You truly are a master.. I was in the Seal concerte in Belo Horizonte/Brazil 2011… seeing those pictures brought me back! Amazing stuff.. congrats

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  9. BILLOWING BACKPACKS! I have never seen, and probably will never see, photographs that surpass these in their category. Very few photographers impress me. You’re one of them.

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    • Thanks so much for the kind words 😉 Taking these shots fulfilled a 20 year desire to do such work, so when I had the chance and opportunity I was very passionate about it. Was a great two years of my life.

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  13. Amazing capture of a great artist, in all his varied emotions! Well done, Steve; it looks like the tours were a wonderful experience for you and his band. The opportunity alone to meet him would have been enough for me, but I’m happy that you got the chance to tell the Seal story. Besides, he’s quite the Leica fan as well, right?

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  15. Photos to be pleased with 🙂

    You stood up to your end of the bargain – great images. I imagine those involved were happy.

    Thanks

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  16. fantastic!!! truly inspiring! I am going on the road and was asked to take some photos. have been researching you site because although I could use a Dslr… would like to travel with something lighter. toting around a bunch of gear isnt as appealing to me and my pocketbook. curious if u have any suggestions for concert photography with smaller body and 50 1.8 lenses…(although the leicas are a dream… it may be a future one 🙂

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  18. It would help some of us who are learning, what settings (f, shutter speed, ISO, etc.) you used on all your shots. Thanks

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  24. Hi Steve,

    As a mere ‘hobby’ and occasional concert photographer I take my hat off to you (and Seal) for these great shots. The legacy of the late Jim Marshall is in good hands.

    These days, music is so much about ‘image management’ that concert photography has been dumbed down to the “3 songs, no flash” rule that so many concert photographers have to abide by. Think of the heyday of rock photographers, of Jim Marshall, Pennie Smith, Ed Careff, Bob Gruen and more, and think of all of the great concert shots that would never have been taken if the artistry of the music photographer hadn’t been recognised and they had never been allowed to record artists in the way that they did.

    Well done Seal, for reviving a dying art and well done Steve for rising to the occasion.

    Fantastic.

    Philip

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  25. As a lover of Leica M series cameras, I love this site and your photos taken with an M9….Fantastic….

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  26. Fab pics Steve, I love taking concert photographs too, Maybe one day I can be lucky enough to go on tour with a great artist.

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  28. Wow Steve, what a fantastic job! Those photo’s are amazing and capture the moment beautifully. You must feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a recording artist like Seal.

    Love the site.

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  29. Your. Work is very inspiring. I have gotten interested in mirrorless size cameras that I can use to capture the unexpected. I admire your craft. The way you own all the mechanics in manual mostly to capture timeless moments. Can’t wait for your review of Fuji x pro 1 since M9 is out of my reach but perhaps fuji can help me with this newly born dream of mine. Thanks to you in may ways.

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  30. Thanks for the site – love everything about it and just makes me want to jump up, grab my camera and dog and head off somewhere to get snapping. You really do capture the moment – just wish I could do the same but will keep trying !

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  34. Just read your bio and am looking at these photos for the first time. You call your self a photo “enthusiast”. You are much more than just an “enthusiast”. I have been taking photos for fun and money for fifty years (including performers on stage) and know just how difficult it is to get even a few shots of the caliber of these.
    Really, really outstanding. Beautiful. I agree with the “inspirational” comment, above.
    Thank you for sharing these.

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  38. Your pics are forcing my credit card out soon! Great work! And most importantly, thank you for sharing!

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  41. Thanks for sharing and showing these beautiful images, you are an artist Steve. I live in Cape Town South Africa and I would love to know when and where the intimate private concert was held earlier this year! Keep up the amazing work.

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  43. All I can say is that you have captured some really great moments! I just looked at the wonderful shots with Seal running in the background. Try it and you almost feel that you are in the concert!

    Brilliant work and thank you for sharing the photographs!

    Best regards

    Mike

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  45. Amazing… How did you get all these photos in focus with these MF lenses on constantly moving subjects + in low light?

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    • Years of shooting Leica M…I find it rather easy, in fact, its easier for me to shoot these with an M and Noct than something like a 5D and 70-200 AF.

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      • How come???? I’m kindda new in digital photo, just got myself a D7000 with kit lens 18-105 and single lens 35mm f1.8 My 35mm is my new toy but i do struggle to get sharp focus in low light and i’m not really used to manual focus. I guess i need practice. Really love your work and your website. Your leica reviews just make me dream of having one someday

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  46. Oh – I forgot to write it down – the 1st pic – as already posted way back during the South America Tour – “The Yellow Jacket” – is my personal all time-fav!

    😉

    Congrats Steve,

    regards,

    Michael S.

    Reply

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