Not so long ago, I started keeping a log with some of the questions that I have been asked about being a photographer and what got me started. The focus of these are going to be concert photography. These questions and conversations have come from a variety of places; Social media, face to face with friends and from strangers that I’ve met at concerts.
Favorite band growing up? Growing up, my favorite band was Mötley Crüe and Iron Maiden, running in a very close second. I would buy every album, cassette tape and CDs when they came out. To date, I have seen Mötley Crüe live the most at eight times and Iron Maiden three times.
Favorite band now? Not so sure that I really have a favorite anymore. I listen to a lot of different bands and go through phases listening to them. A couple years ago, I think I went a whole year of listening to nothing but Wednesday 13. Right now I’m listening to Kurt Deimer, GunShine and a couple local bands from Tampa called F.I.L.T.H. and Level The Planet.
Have you ever played in a band or any instruments? Yes, from around age fourteen or fifteen up to about twenty-one, I played bass. My first bass was a Fender, and I don’t recall the model. At seventeen I had saved up enough money from cutting grass and anything else I could make a few dollars at and bought my dream bass, B.C. Rich Ironbird.
What was your first concert? Judas Priest. This was one of those right time, right place. I was staying the night at a friend's house. His older brother called and said he had a couple extra tickets if we wanted to go. I was nervous and excited at the same time.
Who was the first celebrity musician that you met? I believe it was Joe Lesté of Bang Tango. It was around 1990 or 91 at Baity's in Winston Salem, NC. Around the same time was also "Dizzy" Dean Davidson of Britny Fox, Though I believe Joe Lesté was first. That was a long time ago.
The last? Friday June 3, 2022, Kurt Deimer and Phil X. This was the first time meeting both of these guys. This was at the Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. My daughter and I were there covering the show for Rock at Night magazine and their tour manager invited us back to meet the guys. Meeting them both was a great experience. We all talked, laughed, shared experiences and we were treated as if we had all been friends forever. Before heading to the car, they took photos with my daughter and myself and also holding a recent issue of Rock at Night magazine.
What made you want to photograph bands? Growing up, I would go to a lot of concerts and would fight my way to get as close to the front as I could. More times than I can count, I made my way right up to the barrier that kept the crowd from getting to the stage. While there, I would see these guys taking photos of the bands. AC/DC was one of those shows that I got right up front, and that's when I realized that this is what I wanted to do. I was in my early twenties then and I am fifty now. It’s been a long road and a long time getting where I am today.
Any influences? Jeremy Saffer. Love all of his work. Check out his work. You will too.
What’s it like getting to be up front in the photo pit? It has its pros and cons. Pros: You get to bring an actual camera into the venue and don’t have to try and get decent photos with a phone. You are also the closest to the band and you have a shot at getting some outstanding close-ups. You also get to meet some great people (photographers and fans) before the show and during set changes. Some fans like to talk to the photographers about what they are doing and who it’s for. Picking up guitar picks and handing them to the fans that can not reach them. Imagine watching a guitar player throwing a pick to the crowd and it falls short. When you pick it up and hand it to someone, you get to be the hero, if only for a few seconds. Cons: Unfortunately, yes there are some cons to being up there. This doesn’t happen every time, but there are times it does. You get wet. This is from performers spraying water or whatever up into the air towards the crowd and you are the first person it reaches. This part works booths way, other photographers getting in your way and you in theirs. Having to tell a fan no. When someone asks you to take a photo of the band with their phone, this could cause the photographer to lose their photo credentials if caught.
Do you have a favorite photo that you have taken? I do. I have taken a lot that I like and go back through from time to time. If I really had to pick out one photo that I am really proud of, it would be one of Larissa Vale of Black Satellite. The photo is a live shot that was taken at just the right angle where the front top stage white lights were on and the color lights were off. This put her in the light and the background blacked out.
Do you have a bucket list band you would like to photograph live? I do, actually I have two. Mötley Crüe and Iron Maiden. As mentioned before, these were my two most favorite bands growing up and I have yet to photograph either.
What is the hardest part about photographing bands? Photographing people on stage can present challenges. They are always moving around, so you have to be quick and patient at the same time. With photo credentials/pass you generally only get to be in the photo pit for the first three songs and then you have to clear out. With this short time period you have to be quick to move around to get a few shots of each band member.
If you could tell a band one thing to not do on stage, what would it be? For those who wear a hat on stage, Look up once in a while. We can't see your face. The bill or brim blocks the light from the top position of their face, causing their eyes to be blacked out in the photos. If you want to wear a hat, look up a little once in a while so we can show the world your face.
For this same question I would also like to add a couple things that can kill photographers' shots. This goes for the band and or promoter. I can’t speak for every photographer, but I can speak for the ones that I have talked to personally.
Lighting: Using only red or only red and blue backlighting with no front white light makes for a not so great outcome. The majority of photographers will not spend a long amount of time to post-edit these photos to pull out enough color to show detail and see your faces. This will result in a lot of black and whites.
Fog: Fog machines are really cool and put off a great effect if used correctly. Yes, It’s cool to have fog on stage, but too much too often is not so cool. If the audience can not see the drummer sitting in the back or even the band, you are using too much fog.
Lighting: Using only red or only red and blue backlighting with no front white light makes for a not so great outcome. The majority of photographers will not spend a long amount of time to post-edit these photos to pull out enough color to show detail and see your faces. This will result in a lot of black and whites.
Fog: Fog machines are really cool and put off a great effect if used correctly. Yes, It’s cool to have fog on stage, but too much too often is not so cool. If the audience can not see the drummer sitting in the back or even the band, you are using too much fog.
What kind of camera and lenses do you use? I only shoot with Nikon cameras and lenses. My setup also depends on where I am shooting at and the circumstances. If I am at a smaller venue where there is no photo pit and the stage is only knee level with decent lighting I use a D850 body with a 14-24mm f/2.8 and a D610 with a 105mm f/1.4, sometimes a 70-200mm f/2.8. If the lighting is not so great, I will use a D850 with a 35mm f/1.4G and D610 with a 105mm f/1.4. At larger venues with bigger stages and outdoor events, it’s a D850 with a 24-70mm f/2.8 and D500 with a 70-200mm f/2.8. There are times I will change it up a little and shoot other lenses, but these are my main setups.
What do you do with your photos? This depends on the event. If I am asked by a band to come shoot their show, I will send all post edited photos to the band. Currently, my reviews, photos and interviews can be found at Rock at Night magazine.
How do you get your background on bands that you see for the first time? National level bands I use Wikipedia, their website and social media. Local bands I use their website if they have one and their social media. It’s important for bands to have a little background information available to the public. They never know when someone is going to show up at a show and write a piece about the show. If they can find nothing to research, it could lead to a dull read or nothing written at all. There have been multiple times where I had to skip a write-up because I could find nothing about the band's background. No-one knows who every band is. It's nice to have a little background to tell the world who they are before telling about their show. It helps paint the picture.
