Jenna Madonia Photography

The year 2014 will be my year. 

Already I have some success this brand new year. I am now interning for Louisville record label, Little Heart Records! When I shot LHR's 8th Anniversary Show, it had been one of the first real shows I had ever shot. I impressed myself and also Bryan Puckett, owner of Little Hearts so much that I gained the opportunity to take this internship. 

We were to meet to talk about the internship, and I nervously drove to the coffee shop we were to meet at. Chain smoking cigarettes and listening to my beloved punk music, I thought of the opportunity that was arising. I would be doing something I didn't think I would be able to do for a long time.

After a couple hours of talking, it had been decided that I would in fact be the newest photography intern. Puckett and I talked excitedly about upping the amount of live show photography to a stronger number, while I will also be shooting promos for the bands and merchandise shooting. A smile so big it hurt my cheeks spread across my face as I left, feeling confident, strong, and alive.

For the year 2013 held many challenges for me. It was definitely one of the harder years I have had. Battling depression, I was unemployed for much of the year, with only shoots with Clay to bring me up a small amount. 

I had lost track of who I was, what I wanted to do. I was a walking zombie to most. Not the happy go lucky Jenna everyone knew and loved. And for the first semester in a long time, I passed with C's and B's. I knew something had to change. So that night I shot that 8th anniversary show, I decided many things. Which have helped lead me here.

I spent last week in Panama City Beach, FL with my family. Sitting on the balcony I thought about my previous year. Thought about who I had been and who I wanted to be. Getting out my notebook, I wrote many things, including my resolutions and goals. I am going to share those goals with you, hoping maybe to inspire others while also keeping myself in line. 

Photograph every show possible. Including those outside of LHR.

Learn and practice marketing in order to expand my viewers.

Do at least five art shows.

Purchase a Canon 50mm F1.2 L lens.

Purchase the Canon 5d Mark iii.

Kick ass in the LHR internship.

Do at least 2 of the concept shoots I have in mind.

Work on portfolio every month.

Never lose sight of where I want to be again.

This year I have a lot of resolutions. A lot of goals. Inside and outside of my photographic career. I will accomplish them all and I will be the photographer and person I plan to be by the end of the year. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS58AC3NqU8

Ten days ago I sat in the drivers seat of my car, smoking a cigarette while the awful smell of Mountain Dew’s “Game Fuel” filled my nose. My twin sister Jordan and I were on the way to Cincinnati to see Alkaline Trio, & instead of Code Red she mistakenly bought that nasty crap that tastes like someone added water to pixie stix.

That really did not matter though, because we were on our way to see one of the many bands we grew up listening to. Soon, Matt and Dan would be on stage before us and we were ecstatic.

I took my camera, ready to try my hardest and get some good photographs of Jordan’s all time favorite band. Nervous, I told myself that I would probably not get many great ones, and that would be okay. Even if I just got one awesome one from the night I would be eternally grateful.

I got over thirty images of Alkaline Trio and about a million of H20, the band opening up for them.

It was not at all easy however. Standing in line freezing and being hit up by people for cigarettes after barely finding a parking spot made me never want to return to Cincinnati, Ohio for a show ever again in my life. We finally got into the venue, and somehow made it to almost the very front of the room. Standing two people away from the fence that separated the crowd and the stage, I was ready. I had my camera, a Canon Rebel Xsi with my-not-so-awesome-50mm F1.8 but trusty none the less ready to go.

Once H20 came on, a guy standing in front of me offered me his spot so I wouldn’t have such a difficult time shooting. Beaming at him with thankfulness, I pulled Jordan up with me, now behind only one person. Capturing awesome shots of H20, I still couldn’t wait for Alkaline Trio to come on.

They soon did, and I was right in front of Dan Andriano. With moshers behind me, an enthusiastic Jordan screaming lyrics right behind me, and crowd surfers above me, shooting conditions were less than admirable. Matt Skiba was on the far left of the stage and I had great trouble getting shots of him with a fixed 50mm lens, but still managed to get some awesome ones.

What I learned from this adventure is this:

          I never want to shoot such a well known band from the crowd again.

Thus I will push myself even further and never give up. I will have press passes to shows such as this and eventually I will be one of my favorite bands official photographer. I will be a concert photographer with the ability to shoot from other places but the crowd.

You just have to tell yourself you can, and you will.

 Now here are just a few of those moments captured...

Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio

H20

H20

Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio

Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio

Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio

https://www.facebook.com/H2Ogo

https://www.facebook.com/alkalinetrio

Listen/purchase: The Getaway by Youth at Heart

On Friday November 15, 2013 I sat nervously in my car, chain smoking cigarettes & listening to Eminem’s new CD on repeat. I was waiting for a friend and avid supporter of mine, Matt to get to the Vernon Club here in Louisville, Ky. For in a matter of minutes I would be photographing the 8th Anniversary show for local record label; Little Heart Records. 

I am Jenna Madonia, photojournalism student and concert photographer. In March of this year I began interning for an amazing photographer, Clay Cook. Many mindsets could have occurred during this time, but for me it was what I call “just the photographers’ assistant” mindset. 

Put simply, this mindset is this; I assist, I do not do. I quickly found myself doubting my own work and competency as a photographer while working for such an esteemed and hardworking photog. As the year progressed I knew my internship with Clay was going to be up soon. When I was informed of a new intern, I lost it. I freaked out, nervous of where my career was going to go from there on. 

Enter, Bryan Puckett owner of Little Heart Records. I knew Puckett, but we had never been close, never really sat down and talked about myself working as a photographer for the label. So instead of messaging him on Facebook about going to a show and shooting, I just did it. 

I contacted Matthew Haas, friend of mine and also of Pucketts. Matt informed Puckett of my plan to attend the show and photograph, thus gaining me a spot on the guest list. Borrowing Clay’s Canon 5D Mark iii, I felt good, excited… until I sat by myself impatient and nerves on red alert in my car. 

See, until Friday night I had only been shooting a local cover band, who yes, love their music, but do not move very much during shows. Here I was about to be shooting many different pop punk bands, knowing they were going to be all over the place. 

As Matt got there, I calmed a bit, smoking one more cigarette before walking into the venue. I saw the band, heard the genre of music I have a great liking for and…

Every bit of my anxiety left me. I shot, waiting for those perfect moments when emotions and actions were high and in sync. I achieved some of the best work I ever have, and gained some promo shot work with some of the bands who quickly saw my work. 

Hopefully, I will now be interning for Little Heart Records. Impressing Puckett, Matt, the bands, Clay, and most of all myself. Since last Friday I have been on a high, have been focused, and fought off this “just a photographer’s assistant” mindset. 

I am in full get to where I want to be mode. With that being said, here are just a few of the shots I captured.

https://www.facebook.com/YouthAtHeartBand/app_204974879526524