Shooting Mötley Crüe’s residency at Dolby Live inside Park MGM for PRG was all about capturing the scale and design of the show — the lighting, screens, trusses, props, and overall scenic layout that made this production such a spectacle. My focus was on wide compositions, where symmetry and balance are everything. When you’re working with a stage this dynamic, good geometry is what keeps the chaos beautiful.
For this shoot, I used my Nikon Z6III, mainly because the mechanical shutter handles large LED walls and complex lighting much better than the electronic shutter on my Z9. I paired it with Nikon’s 14–30mm f/4 and 24–120mm f/4 lenses — a perfect combo for clean, versatile wides. I usually start at 1/60th of a second and adjust based on how the LED screens behave; with wide shots, you have more latitude to manage moiré and banding without losing sharpness or impact.
As a Las Vegas concert photographer, working inside Dolby Live is always a highlight. The staff at Park MGM are incredibly accommodating — it’s one of those rare venues where I never feel like I’m in the way. That kind of environment really lets you focus on the craft.
Before the show, I had a quick conversation with Lighting Designer Michael Cooper while photographing his portraits, which helped me better understand when to step back and capture the full stage picture. Knowing the venue well also helps — I’ve learned the routes, the stairways, and how long it takes to move between levels. The center of house, for example, is occupied by the lead sound engineer, so shooting dead-center isn’t an option. It meant I had to adapt, find balance off-center, and still deliver clean, structured frames that told the story. That’s part of the challenge — and the fun — of shooting a show like this.
I’m genuinely grateful to have had another opportunity to work with PRG — true leaders in live production. Shoots like this are a reminder of how important it is to understand what your subject really is. In this case, the set itself was the subject — brought to life by the band, but the priority was capturing how the design, technology, and energy all worked together. My job was to make the set look as powerful and alive as it felt in the room.
PRG did an amazing article on this show from an artistic and technical standpoint. I highly suggest reading it here!
