New Found Glory front man, Jordan Pundik’s mother, Maureen Waters, is in dire need of a heart transplant. After being laid off from her job, Maureen’s COBRA health insurance ran out and currently only has 10% of her heart working on its own. Jackson Memorial Hospital is the only hospital in the area that has the facilities and capability to do a heart transplant, but they will only admit her if she can afford to pay for the surgery and hospital recovery.  They need a minimum of $500,000 to be admitted and the surgery may total around $1,000,000.

I am trying to help raise money for her medical costs, via a photographic print sale.  With authorization from New Found Glory and the band’s label, Epitaph Records, I am proud to offer a limited edition print run of six photographs with the hope that the proceeds will help fund Maureen Water’s medical treatment.  Each of the photos will be a limited run of 50 prints and each will be hand numbered on the back.  The photos are from the band’s secret hometown show which I shot on October 16th at Solid Sound Studios.  Each 8×10 print is priced at $40 (+ $5s&h), with the proceeds going to Maureen’s medical costs.  I have launched the site: www.photosforaheart.com also mirrored at: www.theCameraClicks.com/mendaheart.

In addition to my print sale, I have provided Jordan Pundik with three (3) 16″x20″ prints, each a one of a kind printing to be autographed by Jordan and auctioned on eBay, all proceeds going to Maureen’s medical treatment.

I know exactly what Jordan and his family is going through right now.  14 years ago (as of 12/5), my own father suffered from something very similar, in which he was clinically dead for 33 minutes.  With the proper treatment and being in the right place at the right time, he survived and is thankfully out and about today.

Additional information is on the site.  Please email me with anyquestions: info@photosforaheart.com

Please spread this on your own blogs!

Thank you in advance!!!

Ian Witlen

___________________________
ian@theCameraClicks.com
www.theCameraClicks.com
blog.theCameraClicks.com
954-663-5224

Lollapalooza '09 prior to gates on Day 1.

While on assignment for SPIN Magazine to shoot Lollapalooza 2009, the grandfather of music festivals, I shot well over 60 bands during the three days.  I had the opportunity to hear some of today’s top artists, all within the confines of Chicago’s Grant Park.  Three entire days of music from the likes of Hockey, Portugal. The Man, Manchester Orchestra, Jane’s Addiction, Vampire Weekend, Passion Pit, No Age, etc.  With eight stages stretching a span of 1.5 miles and over 150 bands, there is no possible way to see every band playing Lollapalooza, unless of course, you are able to clone yourself.

Most people conceive shooting concerts to be a glamorous, easy going lifestyle, in which the photographer gets to hang around rock stars all day long.  While in some cases this is true, most of the time this is not the case.  Festivals usually entail shooting for 10+ hours a day in addition to editing the photos for daily deadlines.  After the jump, you will find out what I mean.

Day 1: Rain or shine, the show must go on!

After a brief editorial meeting with my editors from SPIN, we left the hotel and headed over to media check-in to pick up our credentials.  We were able to enter prior to gates being open, so I helped get our media booth set up for the day.  With the sky above looking as though it was going to let loose at any moment, I decided to make the 1.5 mile trek to the other side of Grant Park, where the majority of my assignments would take place.  I quickly reached my destination at the Budweiser stage and readied my gear to start shooting.  About an hour after gates opened, the rain began to fall.  I usually prep as much as I possibly can in the days leading up to an assignment, surveying weather reports and maps of the areas I’ll be shooting, but nothing reported the possibility of rain.  I didn’t pack any of my rain gear, so I was left to making a poncho out of a trash bag.  Rain or shine, the show must go on!

I shot the entire day in the rain, and to be honest, I found it rather refreshing.  Whenever I had a free moment, I found myself making multiple trips back to the SPIN lounge in the media area (1.5 miles on the opposite end of Grant Park).  I’d refuel on the energy bars being supplied by KIND and the mint iced tea supplied by Sweet Leaf, then trek back to shoot more bands.

Despiste PA problems, Portland based band Hockey played a funk filled set to an anxious crowd.

The Builders and the Butchers rocked the early morning crowd at BMI stage.

Bon Iver

Andrew Bird

Manchester Orchestra

Kid Cudi

Day 2: Attempting to beat the heat.

A massive crowd assembled for Animal Collective's set on Day 2.

Delta Spirit

Los Campesinos! definitely know how to bring the rock, even when they play in 90+ degree weather.

Glasvegas

Miike Snow

Day 2 headliners, Rise Against, put on the most energetic set of the day. I don't think they stayed still for even a second.

Day 3:  What’s hotter, the music or the 100+ degree heat index?

Day 3 brought along a 100+ degree heat index to Grant Park.  Mix the heat with 250,000 sweating music fanatics and their seemingly endless alcohol supply, and you’re bound to turn up with some interesting crowds.

Some festival goers even climbed up into trees to escape the heat.

Dan Auerbach of Black Keys, wooed the early crowd on the last day of Lollapalooza 2009, getting fans ready for the heavy hitters.

Friendly Fires danced away in the scorching afternoon sun.

Portugal. The Man, turned up the heat with their signature sound.

The Kaiser Chiefs had no shortage of energy, even as the mid-day sun baked overhead.

Silversun Pickups

Vampire Weekend played tribute to the passing of John Hughes during their hour-long set.

Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction closed out the festival with their cool tunes.

Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell during the Jane's Addiction encore.

Its amazing to watch 250,000 people pour into the streets of downtown Chicago at the closing day of Lollapalooza.

I currently have a TON of photo galleries on SPIN.com

CMJ ‘09 Music Marathon in NYC: http://spin.com/gallery/best-pics-cmj-2009

New Found Glory’s Secret Hometown Show: http://spin.com/gallery/new-found-glory-play-secret-hometown-gig

Miami Music Scene Photoblog Round 3: http://spin.com/gallery/scene-miami-0

Leonard Cohen Tour Kick Off: http://spin.com/articles/leonard-cohen-launches-us-tour

Hockey plays SPINhouse Live Rooftop during CMJ: http://spin.com/articles/hockey-play-spin-rooftop-cmj-party

Clipse & SPIN Kick off CMJ ‘09: http://spin.com/articles/clipse-celebrate-cmj-spin

The show was scheduled to start at 3PM, so I arrived about an hour early, only to see that a line had already started to form.  Around 2:45PM, they started to let the fans inside and within 10 minutes the small practice space was packed with around 125 screaming fans.  Since Solid Sound Studio’s capacity is around 100 - 125 people, there were about 125+ people locked outside unable to watch NFG’s practice for their upcoming tour.  The band wanted to find out what songs their fans were dying to hear them play, so the only songs played were requests from the crowd.

With over 125 people crammed into a tiny practice studio on a hot day in South Florida, it must have been at least 95 degrees inside.  Just about everyone in attendance looked at though they had just jumped into a swimming pool.  At one point NFG’s drummer, Cryrus, took a five minute break to catch his breath outside.  While Cyrus was outside, Chad jokingly asked the crowd if anyone knew how to play the drums.  NFG fan, Nash Nardone, anxiously responded that he knew how to play “Dressed to Kill”, and was immediately invited onstage to play the song with the band.

NFG played for a little over an hour with fans pouring onto the stage and crowd surfers hitting the ceiling as they made their way towards the stage for a chance to sing along with NFG’s lead singer, Jordan Pundik.

Jordan Pundik and the rest of New Found Glory take a break to cool down during their secret show.

DJ AM - also known as Adam Goldstein - was found dead in SoHo today.  Authorities have released that his body was surrounded by prescription drugs.

I shot DJ AM when he deejay-ed a late night set at Passions @ Hard Rock in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

DJ AM’s laptop

DJ AM at Passions Hard Rock

DJ AM's decks.

The highlight of the day was definitely Gallows.  As the band’s tattooed front man, Frank Carter, took the stage, he immediately jumped onto the photo pit barricade and then leaped into the crowd.  Its from pit that Carter, along with his guitarist and bassist played the entire show.  The crowd immediately made room for the band and formed a circle around them.  I stuck close to Carter for almost the duration of their set.

Just as the AKAs took the stage at Warped Tour, the sky let loose and all the fans ran for cover.  I always pack emergency rain gear, so I just stood where I had been shooting from in the pit.  The band was nice enough to invite me up onstage to take shelter.  We got to talking and one thing lead to another, so I snapped a few frames of them onstage with the sheets of rain coming down behind them.

The A.K.A.'s Josie Outlaw onstage at Warped Tour while waiting for the rain to stop.

Read after the jump for portraits of Dear and the Headlights, Alexisonfire and more.

While shooting Bonnaroo for SPIN, I had the opportunity to watch Dear and the Headlights play two songs for us at our campsite.  I immediately became a fan of the band and they’ve been growing in popularity ever since.

I did a photo shoot with Dear and the Headlights at Warped, prior to the bands set. While this doesn't even resemble the final composition, I found it a bit funny that this outtake from the shoot slightly resembles the band's name.

I had set up some time to shoot the band Alexisonfire after they played their set.  I had an image in my head of the old hardcore band photos that I grew up with, and the backstage area of Cruzan Amphitheater was perfect for what I had in mind.

To see complete coverage of this years South Florida date of Vans Warped Tour, go to: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/slideshow/view/28078268

Having worked with some of Stonefox’s band members in the past, I knew this shoot would be a breeze, as these guys are pretty laid back.  I met up with the band on location and discussed a few options for the photos, as the creative angle was being left up to me.  After setting up my lights, the shoot seemed to fly by.  I spent about an hour with the band and got some solid results.  After showing the band the final photos, they were pretty excited to see them run in print.

From left to right: Dave Barnard, Jordan Asher Cruz and Jeff Rose.

Here are a few of the outtakes:

More photos after the jump:

Read the article written by Arielle Castillo at New Times website: http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2009-07-23/music/a-rock-revival-in-boca/

Listen to Stonefox: www.myspace.com/stonfoxmusic

I am officially one of five photo-bloggers for SPIN.  Each one of us represents a different city.  I have been assigned as the photographer representing the Miami, Florida music scene.  The blog rotates each week and consists of a variety of music related photos taken over the course of a month.

The other day, I spent about 45 minutes on the photo with my editor, who interviewed me about the 16 photos that were selected for the gallery.

Check out the gallery  in full: spin.com/gallery/best-miami-music-scene

More photos after the jump.

This being their last show of tour and for the next six months, the band played a hometown show Freebird Live, to packed audience.

Black Kids

Reggie Youngblood

Reggie Youngblood

More photos after the jump:

Reggie Youngblood and Owen Holmes

Dawn Watley on keys / synth

Knowing how happy everyone was to be home, I decided to surprised the band with a bottle of champagne after the show, so they could toast to two years of successful touring.