Filmmaker | Photographer Cale Glendening

During Coachella 2010 I got to experience something I didn’t even imagine possible, for at least a while.  I got the opportunity to photograph one of my favorite musicians ever, JAY-Z.  It is weird how my heart started beating so fast during the countdown to his show.  It seriously seemed to count down slower and slower.  I checked both of my cameras constantly, making sure my settings were correct and unchanged.  Knowing I only had the 1st 3 songs to shoot, I made my rounds very fast and fought my way through the overcrowded photo pit.  My favorite image I captured(above) was actually taken during the 4th song.  The evil CSC rebel force security guards were invading the pit and exterminating the photographers out.  As I was leaving, I turned around and saw JAY-Z heading towards my side of the stage. So, like a Patrick Swayze in Red Dawn, I snuck past the security using the camouflage of retreating photographers, creeping up to the side of the stage.  I stood up just as JAY-Z started pointing to the crowd and I popped off about 5 more shots just before security noticed me and quickly apprehended me.  They put their hands in my lens, blocking my shot, making my powers useless.  As I walked out, proudly,  I roughly scrolled through my images and viewed the last batch. I screamed WOLVERIIINNN….. I mean, VICTORIOUSSSS!  I got very excited when I saw the above image, I just hoped once I got it blown up it would be in focus.  “Persistence”paid off and I walked away with my favorite live shot to date, defeating the tough CSC Security Staff.   Shooting that show has been a big highlight for me. Hopefully things will keep rolling and more unimaginable things will happen.  God is bigger than anything I can fathom.  I am truly thankful to have gotten that opportunity.   Big thanks to KROQ and Goldenvoice for getting me a photopass for Coachella.  Also big thanks to JAY-Z.  Several of the bigger bands called a last minute audible and 95% of the photographers weren’t allowed in the pit to shoot.  Thankfully JAY-Z was cool enough to let all photo pass photographers in the pit, as it was supposed to be. Out of the 300+ photos from his show, here are my favorite.  Hoping one day to actually do a set up shoot with him, however this will definitely do for now.

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JAY-Z welcomes Memphis Bleek to the stage.

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“The most essential factor is persistence – the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.”
- James Whitcomb Riley

Cale Glendening