Page 54 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2023 Digital Edition

As you would expect, the photographers own a number
of cameras. Nikon and Canon are the favored brands, with
Sony and Fuji models also in the mix. Several admit to owning
ten or more cameras, and others have collections of vintage
film cameras so they can revisit the bygone era. Another
common thread is that most have a number of cameras in
need of repair. Stringer laughed as she commented, “I have a
tendency to click them to death.”
Joe Rosen learned how to use a camera from his father.
He wasn’t swamped with images as a youngster, like kids are
today. Life Magazine was a common source for a lens-eye view
of the world. In college, he had an epiphany. “I realized that
photography was the only thing I was self-motivated to do.” It
became his life’s work. He has earned a living doing corporate
and editorial work, once focused on newsletters that have since
shifted to websites. That allows him to indulge his passion for
shooting musical artists. In 2015, his book Blues Hands was
published, proving that you can capture multiple layers of
emotion in photographs centered on the hands of performers.
His efforts were recognized in 2002 when he was awarded
a Keeping the Blues Alive Award (KBA) for Art and Photography
by The Blues Foundation in Memphis. Asked about his process
for taking photos, Rosen will preach about “photo patience.”
He explains, “I take a minute to size up the situation, look for a
good background, and how to properly place the subject. Then Joe Rosen. Photo by Ÿ Marilyn Stringer
I wait. There is more to it than sharpen and focus. There should
be emotional and energy content too.” a camera along on every trip. She remembers taking a little
In January of this year, Marilyn Stringer received her Brownie camera to camp, and getting one of the first Sony
own KBA Award from The Blues Foundation for her body of digital cameras that used 3½ inch floppy discs. In 2005,
work. She also caught the photo bug at a young age, taking having just fully delved into digital photography, she took
a photo of guitarist Ronnie Baker Brooks while on a cruise.
Once she got a closer look, the passion of his performance
captured in her shot stunned her. She was hooked from that
moment. Stringer’s work as a self-employed accountant allows
her to juggle the needs of her clients with her travel schedule
for various blues festivals.
To show her appreciation for all the music that has touched
her heart, Stringer started her Blues In the 21 Century book
st
series. The first volume has photos and interviews with over
100 performers. The second volume features a decade of
shots from the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, OR. The
latest volume includes photos of attendees and musicians from
10 years of Blues Music Awards ceremonies. The proceeds
from the books were donated to organizations that assist
blues musicians in need.
Bob Hakins is highly regarded among San Francisco Bay
Area photographers. As a huge fan of ice hockey, he was
buying lots of magazines covering the sport, but he found
himself disappointed by the continual lack of action photos.
“Being 20 years old, and full of hubris, I decided I could do
better. That started the ball rolling. Also being a huge rock ‘n
roll fan, I quickly found myself getting shots at venues like the
old Carousel Ballroom in San Francisco.”
Hakins spent 42 years working for the U.S. Postal Service to
Photogs (l to r) Jim Hartzell, Rick Lewis, Marilyn Stringer, Art Becker and friend. help finance his photography obsession. He estimates that he has
Photo courtesy of Marilyn Stringer over one and a half million digital photos ready to be cataloged

52 Blues Festival Guide 2023