* FLASH * / Back II Front

Interviews don't always have to be long and neither do introductions. This rabbit wisdom initiates a new series of *FLASH* interviews on our site. The first one is about Back II Front, a beautiful photo expo showing the work of Cutting Edge's concert photographers versus on the road snapshots from the musicians themselves. We had three questions for Thomas Verfaille, creative brain behind the expo and one of the photographers.



ROSIE & THE RABBITS: Although the Zebrastraat is a bit outside the historical centre of Ghent, we think it's absolutely worth it. Can you tell us why people should go and have a look?
THOMAS VERFAILLE (Photographer, Cutting Edge): We show almost a hundred recent concert photographs, taken by fifteen different photographers and which have been published on www.cuttingedge.be. To make the concept even more attractive, interesting and accessible, we asked musicians to send us some pictures they made themselves. Pictures taken from the stage, backstage, during the soundcheck, rehearsals, on tour, in the studio, etc., it just had to be linked to their life as a musician. This way, we received pictures from bands and artists such as Triggerfinger, The Bony King of Nowhere, Sioen, Lady Linn & Her Magnificent Seven, Fixkes, Mintzkov and Isolde Lasoen.

The result is a very nice contrast between these snapshots and our own "first three songs - no flash" photographs taken from the frontstage.

ROSIE & THE RABBITS: Is the expo meant for a specific audience?

THOMAS VERFAILLE: I think the expo will especially be appreciated by the music lovers, but everyone is very welcome to come and have a look! You might discover things from another perspective by taking a closer look at certain photographs or just get some nice memories of a concert you attended yourself.

On top of that we have a very wide range of artists shown, from world-famous to not so well-known, from metal to jazz. You can see Madonna, Kasabian, Foo Fighters, Metallica, Jef Neve and Kelis, as well as Arsenal, Florence & The Machine, Channel Zero, Milc Inc and Jamie Cullum. There's definitely something for everyone.

ROSIE & THE RABBITS: About concert photography then: everything has to go really fast. Is that a challenge or a stress factor? How different is concert photography from other photography directions?

THOMAS VERFAILLE: Well, every single time it's a challenge to turn back home with interesting images. Even if the principle is always the same (artist on stage), the conditions differ significantly. The best case scenario is that you get permission to take photographs during the first three songs, but in some cases it's a lot more restricted and you get only one minute. A couple of years ago for example Beyoncé performed at Sportpaleis and we got thirty seconds to take pictures, from a distance of fifty meters. Nowadays there's not even a separate front stage anymore and photographers need to take their pictures from the audience. Or worse: at the back of the room using a heavy tele lens.

All this doesn't make it an easy job, but it's very satisfying if you succeed in making that one killer-photograph.

www.cuttingedge.be

www.thomasverfaille.com