Photography of Musicians, Rehearsals and Performance: The Musical Creative Process
I arrive at the venue early to figure out how I’m going to approach the day’s photography, as my access is different for each concert and festival. Getting close is good but it’s not enough. My goal is to tell the story of the creative process. To do this I need to create photographs from angles and positions that are distinguishable from the audience perspective. My decisions on gear are dependent on the venue and the level of access I am allowed. I go into the performance knowing that I will need to adapt and adjust to whatever lighting the act presents, I accept that I am at the mercy of the lighting engineer. As with everything in photography, it is a mix of challenges and opportunities.
With a couple exceptions, I generally find myself working with a number of other photographers. We have similar goals, the photo “pit” is a small area in front of the stage that has restricted access. I find there is a spirit of cooperation and teamwork to give everyone an opportunity to accomplish their work. With a little luck and finesse I can sometimes work from stage level and backstage.
I hope you enjoy the results and appreciate the wonderful creative process these musicians exhibit.
