The Limerick Lady 39: Ruth Medjber, "Just Because It's Feckin' Music, Doesn't Mean It's Not Art!"

"I do genuinely adore my job, and I'm dancing in the crowd while I'm taking my photographs"  To drastically paraphrase Jona Lewie, you will always find Ruth Medjber with a camera in her hand at parties. This month's guest talks to us about the things that elevated her to being selected to tour with the likes of Hozier and Arcade Fire. She breaks down the "weird engineering side of things" involved in great music photography - not just knowing your tool, but also having an awareness of the band, the crew, the crowd, so you're ready for whatever's coming next; so you're moving the dials on your camera, as the lights are changing on stage.  She also lets us in on how she keeps herself creatively, mentally fresh so she never loses the love for her work.  "My best ideas, and my source of creativity is idleness… I'm looking for boredom" That being said, she also talks about the downside of boredom and solitude - we touch on the very real impact the pandemic had on folks like Ruth who were living alone - especially folks who'd have previously spend almost every night surrounded by noise and colour and likeminded people. Getting out to photograph friends, family, colleagues and industry workers at a safe distance, through their windows, was Ruth's release, a way to see people, and a way to stop herself from "drowning" in depression. It also resulted in her hugely popular book "Twilight Together".  Also Ann and Ruth found out that they're BASICALLY family.  You can find Ruth at RuthlessImagery on every platform - and you should!  Find the Limerick Lady podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and follow for new episodes on the third Thursday every month The Limerick Lady Podcast is supported by the Limerick Post Newspaper, and sponsored by the Ormston House Feminist Supermarket Follow Ann Blake on Twitter at @annblake78 and Instagram @annblakeplay and her band The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra on twitter @BPLO. Catch her other podcasts, 'Ann and Steve Talk Stuff' on Twitter @annstevetalk and 'Three Things That Matter' #ThreethingsTM Follow all things Emma Langford at www.emmalangfordmusic.com  Follow Ormston House at www.ormstonhouse.com Support the Limerick Post at www.limerickpost.ie This podcast goes out the third Thursday of every month or 'Thirdsday' - if you will. Follow The Limerick Lady on Facebook at TheLimerickLady, on Twitter at @LkLadyHQ and on Instagram at @thelimericklady Tweet using #LKLadyPod Intro music: Demon Darling by Emma Langford