This was my first big assignment for
the Daily Tar Heel. I probably took 500 pictures over the course of the festival. It was my first time using a 70-200 mm lens, and I took advantage of it. I shot a lot of close ups of the musicians' hands playing their instruments. The lighting was great and allowed me to get some really great shots. The story that ran in the paper was packaged with multiple art, which was really cool for me.
The Raleigh-based performance group, The Magic of African Rhythm performed at the festival. I've seen them twice now, and they are an incredible show. A majority of my shots from the festival are of the group, just because their vibrant outfits and unique instruments. This photo is of a Kora, a traditional West African stringed instrument typically made from a hollowed out gourd and animal sinews.
I ran into Larry Thomas backstage right after The Magic of African Rhythm got done performing. I mistook him for a member of the group because of his colorful threads. He was actually one of the emcees for the event. I found out that he had actually written for the DTH on the Arts desk as a UNC grad student back in the 80's. Small world.
Photos shot with a Canon EOS 30D