The Milky Way

Baobab Ridge, Kruger National Park, South Africa

To photograph the Milky Way, you need to be in total darkness. Not so scary if you’re in Yosemite or Joshua Tree, but when you’re in Africa surrounded by predators, it is Stephen King-level creepy! Once I got my tripod and camera set up and turned off my flashlight, every grunt, snarl, or twig snap I heard in the bush….

As published in Modern Drummer Magazine - November 2021 issue:

Charlie Watts - A Personal Remembrance and Tribute

By Rob Shanahan

Ringo Starr and I waited at the top of his Los Angeles driveway. It was November 2006, and as noon approached, I turned to ask Ringo, “When was the last time you and Charlie saw each other?”

Behind the scenes of the Charlie Watts replica Gretsch drum kit build from Ridgeland, South Carolina!

80 years old today and almost 60 of those years drumming with the Rolling Stones. Amazing!

It's been an honor and a great joy of my life to get to know Charlie through the years...

Go on stage with Paul, Ringo, and David Letterman!

Gallery prints now available.

It was my fourth and final show on the Rolling Stones No Filter tour...

Read on...

There is nothing quite like being in the presence of one of the world's most magnificent beasts.

Read on...

We posted this shot last week on my Insta and, as always, it gets a lot of attention. I can tell you this, it felt pretty awesome throwing a perfectly good drum kit in a swimming pool! (I channeled my inner Keith Moon). I soon realized the drums would not sink to the bottom as planned, so we punctured the drum heads with a knife to get the drums to fill with water. Problem solved. This was back in the film days so I was using a Nikonos underwater 35mm camera. I shot a test roll and ran it to a local 1-Hour photo lab (remember those?) and realized it was missing something. I called a friend and asked her to grab her bikini and come on over. There she is - in the background. Shot complete. 

Client: PAISTE Cymbals
A/R: Rich Mangicaro
Drummer: John Dolmayan - System of a Down
Model - Alana

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Happy this beautiful print is finding a home in the Bay area. I shared the unforgettable story behind this image with the buyer, now sharing it with you! Read on...

We've officially launched - glad you are able to join us! As you can see, I've decided to combine my travel and great adventure photos with my rock photos. Because really, photographing an illusive snarling lion in the African bush is not too unlike photographing Keith Richards! Read more...

Enjoy my new website, check back for future blog posts.