Photographer Profile: Drew "Rukes" Ressler

[Rukes]

hi, nice profile!

but this is not club photography, this is stage or concert photography.
since djs have stage shows like rockstars, there is no difference.
club photography, what i know, is in dark and foggy clubs with no lights.
concerts like this in the profile have a lot of light, you dont need a lens like 1,2/85.

if you looking at his gallery, the clubphotos from avalon (f.e. felix da housecat)
there is boring frontflash, not the best choise. also the view of the dj from behind,
i dont like this so much. this could be better - that is possible.

microbi

Err, no. Look at the galleries on my site; the ones on my profile are mix of concert and club stuff. 90% of my work is club stuff.

A majority of the clubs I shoot at are extremely dark (Avalon) or have little light source. There are lights called strobes which help with most of the photos. As a lot of people don't get, I succeed in using what's available to use the little light to make it look bright, hence the confusion on your part.

Avalon is very dark, so for profile pics, like for the Felix pic, it's either front flash or a completely black pic.

And no, front shots don't look too good if there isnt a big crowd, so i only do it on packed nights (see Sebastian Ingrosso)

[Jon S]

It's great to see Drew featured on here. I have done quite a lot of club photography myself and I can tell you that it's an extremely challenging environment. Drew's images have always been among the best and a lot of the other club photographers really look up to him.

Drew, I hope to see you soon. If you didn't know, Linda and I have moved up to the Bay Area (which is why you don't see us out in LA anymore), so let us know if you're up this way sometime.

[Rukes]

Err, no. Look at the galleries on my site; the ones on my profile are mix of concert and club stuff. 90% of my work is club stuff.

yes, i saw your photos on your website. but in the profile are mostly concert/stage photos.
a friend of mine taking club shots since years. thats club photography, very close to the action.
check it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ultraberlin/sets/72157594414320580/

Yes, and your point? My profile is a mix of different types of stuff I do. If you haven't reazlied, photographer profiles on here can't spam a full gallery of 50+ pictures to go with it; we have to pick ones that stand out and I chose to put some variety in there. I'm sorry you think I should hide some of the other work I have done for your personal approval. Not to mention some of the discussions dealt with Motley Crue, so I have to put some of that in there.

So basically "You do the same type of work my friend does, but you suck because you didn't put most of that work in your profile".

A majority of the clubs I shoot at are extremely dark (Avalon) or have little light source. There are lights called strobes which help with most of the photos. As a lot of people don't get, I succeed in using what's available to use the little light to make it look bright, hence the confusion on your part.

i know what we talking about. but why did you use extra light like a strobist?
or ask the light manager for extra light - thats pro!

I don't understand your point. I am not a strobist. I don't use any "extra" lights. The only flash I use is the one mounted on my camera.

Also you have to factor in DJs too, it's their show. Some DJs like it really dark and tell the lighting guy to keep it way down. I have to respect that and work with that.

Avalon is very dark, so for profile pics, like for the Felix pic, it's either front flash or a completely black pic.

be creative and try to get some extra light in the club.
do you know radioslaves?
clubs can be really dark and normally you cant get a photo,
but its on the photographer to get the picture thats show the athmosphere.
use the clubstrobes, the ambienlight and photostrobes and bring it together.
the felix pic could be better, for sure.

Raidioslaves and any extra flash other than your main one, I hate, in my opinion. A majority of venues don't have enough room to pull that off on the DJ booth, so for starters you probably can't use the same setup in most clubs.

Second, I feel having extra flashes, eye level with the DJs gear, is kind of rude. I don't really want a DJ looking down at a CDJ or his laptop and seeing a huge bright flash out of the corner of their eye.

Third, the light source is usually pretty obvious in all the pics. I don't want every single one of my shots having the same light from the same angle. Having the flash on the camera and dead on usually blends it in with most of the rest of the club's lights.

I like variety, I don't want people to look at my pics and say "oh look, another shot where the light is only coming from the bottom right corner and partially illumiating the face". I see that all the time with other photographers, and usually it gets really boring after the second or third pic. I know a few photographers in Chicago like Shea that pull it off well, since they have the flash on a cord and use different angles all the time, though (but like I said, he doesn't just mount the flash in the booth and leave it to get the same strobist lighting in every picture).

No offense, but how exactly is a photostrobe that YOU bring to a club and YOU mount on a DJ booth showing the atmosphere of the club? It's not part of the club's lighting system. All it shows, to me, is that you brought in your own light that is not part of the club at all, to simulate a small "strobe".

---

Overall, remember, just like every other photographer, some days are good and some are bad. Note that I have worked at Avalon almost 130 times, so just because my most recent gallery, I would consider an off day/gallery for me, don't concentrate on that and look at other ones.

[KyleSTL]

Drew, sorry the crowd here at CR is not welcoming you, whether they appreciate your work or not.  I for one appreciate your work and I wish you the best.  Thanks for the interesting read on your work and experience.  I hope others can find the maturity to stop attacking you and your work.

[pitt monqui]

I've been here most days for about 8 months, and finally registered to say how much I liked Rukes profile and pictures - and especially appreciate the time he's taken in this forum to explain what he does and why.

I'm new to photography and took it up because I spend about 10 months of the year on the road as touring crew for some pretty big acts. Adding a camera to the dream job and Triple-A pass seemed like a no brainer.

I'm really surprised at the stick Rukes has received about his style and technique. His images look cool and are taken in an unforgiving environment of extreme noise and unpredictable lighting where you often have to compromise composure for discretion. Asking the Lighting Designer ("manager") for more light during a live show is like asking Axl Rose to turn the volume down. "Pro" is dealing with what you get, and still getting the shot.

Keep up the great work!

[Rukes]

I'm really surprised at the stick Rukes has received about his style and technique. His images look cool and are taken in an unforgiving environment of extreme noise and unpredictable lighting where you often have to compromise composure for discretion. Asking the Lighting Designer ("manager") for more light during a live show is like asking Axl Rose to turn the volume down. "Pro" is dealing with what you get, and still getting the shot.

Thank you Pitt, and exacly my point and purpose. One thing I love most of all is the challenge of getting a good pic in places where it's a challenge to even get a low-light picture, without any outside influences other than me and my camera. The last thing I want to do is force other people to change thier jobs just to make mine "easier".

[Al_Powers]

I dont normally register on forums just to reply to someone... so this is new for me.

microbi, have you ever shot in a nightclub?

Who made you judge and juror of what is considered club photography? Are you arguing semantics? If the headline would have said Profile on Drew Ressler performance photographer, would you be up in arms?

From your stand point you are saying we should strobe the DJ in different ways because we are the photographer and we should be doing what we can to perfect the shot...

Im sure Drew and I are on the same page on this, we treat DJs as performers, same as a rock band is a performer. If you have ever shot a show, you will know flash is generally not permitted because its distracting to the performer as well as the people that came to watch the show. So scratch your idea of flash. We are there to capture what we see in unique ways that aren't visible to the general public. To create something from what is already there, not adding something artificial.

you are not a strobist, but you are a photographer! you deal with light!
and you loking for the best shot. camera strobes could helps for that.

yes, its the djs show, but you bring it in a picture. speak with the dj, he would be do anything for you and your camera, if he need the picture.
ask him, speak with him, but dont touch the records.
and of course you cant ask the lightmanager to manipulate the stage show!

You sure do preach a lot for someone who doesnt sound like they have ever shot a single frame of a large DJ.

Drew is dealing with the light, he uses the light that is there, and you are absolutely crazy to think that a DJ would do anything for us and our camera because they need the image.

after reading your post thoroughly, ive decided not to finish writing answers to your questions because you are obviously a troll or simply just ignorant to the subject.

so i will stop feeding the troll now...

[Al_Powers]

I find it hard to believe people still think that people like Rukes, Al Powers, or or even people like Ron Galella do not have a place in modern art. Obviously there are formal ways of shooting, and all rules are made to be broken.

People like Drew and Al Powers have literally made people pick up cameras and love to take photos. They have also been selfless in sharing what they know to help others get better.

And, as was already pointed out, judging by Ruke's success, he is doing something right. 

While I am on my soapbox, Please check out:

Nightlife threads on Photography on the Net
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=415099
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=895331

My Friend Srika's Page-His work is Stunning.
http://night-club-photography.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?5-Gallery&s=769633bb40cb692802f328e92cf30b5e
http://night-club-photography.com/forums/showthread.php?10-srika-s-photos-*NWS*

Al Powers-Las Vegas-A former club shooter "gone good". He rarely shoots clubs now. He has also switched to the dark side. :-)
http://powersimagery.com/blog/

Awwww thanks for stroking the ego a bit... i dont necessarily think ive "gone good", but rather "gone ok" still lots to learn and lots to work on. But if i inspire someone to pick up their camera and enjoy the craft then that freakin fantastic! Thanks again. and oooo the blog is soooo outdated. for recent stuff check out powersimagery.photoshelter.com

[Rukes]

i'm not attacking you and your work, i try to give you critic and my opinion to your work.

It's pretty much coming away as the perfect example of why I would never go to schooling for photography.

You are like a professor that has NO clue at all about what I do (and it's pretty obvious you have no idea about nightclub DJs since you keep mentioning "records" and "record cases" which 99% of DJs don't even use) and saying "based on my generic photo knowledge, you are doing this all wrong and should follow these generic rules and these generic steps or your photography is sub-par".

I especially love all the comments like
"- 9 shows a gogo from behind - the ass could be find, but the light projection on the tits would be better, the best would be to see her eyes"
Basically stating that with my candid pic, that I could only take from that position (using a telephoto lens to get the angle, there is wall on the other side of her), after I got that pic I should have yelled at her to immediately freeze, told the club to stop working, move the spotlight over the position (it was moving constantly, so this pic was a very rare perfect meeting of her and the light) and have her pose under the same exact light, but in reverse. So basically stopping everyone else in the world, just so I can get some "tits". For you.

I will just say this once. EVERY PICTURE IS CANDID. No coaching, no "I'm going to have you do this because it's better". The only posing ever comes about is if the people I am taking pics of, decide to pose that way. That's it.

...and like Al said, i'm done with you. Not feeding the trolls anymore

[CR Backup Admin]

Sometimes people seem to join just to see how far they can push the moderator.  They contribute nothing positive, and have zero credibility. 

A forum member who has posted over a period of time and contributed positive things to the forum builds up Karma. I give them some leeway to post criticism because they have demonstrated some knowledge or expertise of photography.

I read every post, and delete posts that are objectionable as far as I'm concerned.

In this case, I've been pushed too far!    ZAP !!

[ugur]

The guy who kept on attacking Rukes was a total douchebag. Pardon my French by the way but I had to say it I mean how does someone find in himself the right to call another professionals work boring. Especially if that professional is well excepted and respected by the people who pay him to do the job. Giving advice is ok but saying his work is boring because he doesn't take the pictures the way you think is right is just stupid. Rukes in my eye is a really cool guy because of the way he  handled those comments. He kept his cook and just explained his side of the story without attacking the other guy. Rukes you rock. Keep up the good work. Love your picks but more important than that love your attitude. Thanks for contributing to this forum. I enjoyed reading all your comments.

[bhavikk]

I think photography is very subjective. Every photographer has a vision for their photographs, if people didnt enjoy Rukes vision/photographs then he wouldn't be popular, but its obvious that people do enjoy his photographs.

I didnt notice the photos were slightly tilted until I went back and had another look. Probably because I was looking at the lighting as that is the biggest thing I've been struggling with.

I've been doing nightclub photography for the past month, I'm usually in the middle of the dance floor with everyone else which is different to Rukes style. But if you go and try it you will appreciate the difficulty of the environment. I'm not sure about Rukes but half the time I'm trying to get enough space to take shots while people bump into me or tapping on my shoulder for a  photo.

Also nightclubs vary in there lighting some are very dark, while others have strobes and lasers which makes life slightly easier.

Asking to change the environment, is like asking a photojournalist in a war zone to go out into the middle of the road during a gun fight to take some photos instead of being hidden in a building and snapping away (just a extreme example).

[Rukes]

You need to learn how to straighten your pictures. You could take an extra split second to frame your candids a little bit better.

Well its more "learn how to straighten your pictures in post" than anything. It's nearly impossible to get them straight as-is in 99% of the situations i'm in, so i'm lucky they look 98% of the way straight OOC

[npherno]

I find it hard to believe people still think that people like Rukes, Al Powers, or or even people like Ron Galella do not have a place in modern art. Obviously there are formal ways of shooting, and all rules are made to be broken.

People like Drew and Al Powers have literally made people pick up cameras and love to take photos. They have also been selfless in sharing what they know to help others get better.

And, as was already pointed out, judging by Ruke's success, he is doing something right. 

While I am on my soapbox, Please check out:

Nightlife threads on Photography on the Net
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=415099
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=895331

My Friend Srika's Page-His work is Stunning.
http://night-club-photography.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?5-Gallery&s=769633bb40cb692802f328e92cf30b5e
http://night-club-photography.com/forums/showthread.php?10-srika-s-photos-*NWS*

Al Powers-Las Vegas-A former club shooter "gone good". He rarely shoots clubs now. He has also switched to the dark side. :-)
http://powersimagery.com/blog/

Awwww thanks for stroking the ego a bit... i dont necessarily think ive "gone good", but rather "gone ok" still lots to learn and lots to work on. But if i inspire someone to pick up their camera and enjoy the craft then that freakin fantastic! Thanks again. and oooo the blog is soooo outdated. for recent stuff check out powersimagery.photoshelter.com

Hey Al, you and all the guys from the nightlife thread absolutely made me go out and take nightlife photos. I've learned a lot and still learning a ton, but I think I've learned a thing or two about shooting in low light.

I gotta find some places to shoot in NYC, Where I live, Photographers arent always welcome, and there are NO lights!

[CR Backup Admin]

I find low light photography without flash to be both difficult and rewarding.  It takes a bit of experience, and the right camera and lens, but the results can be stunning.  I admire those who can do it well.