Category Archives: Photography
Spring Fever is in the air!
All Time Low and Pierce The Veil are taking over the US on the Spring Fever tour, supported by Mayday Parade and You Me At Six. The tour is sold-out at several dates across the country, including Sundays show at the outdoor stage at Philly’s Electric Factory. The 50 degree weather certainly didn’t stop fans from lining up early and enjoying the show!
Band Aid Records Photography Services
As a band, having a professional photographer take pictures of the group is incredibly important. Not only will this draw new listeners in, but it may entice record labels, booking companies, etc. If you have a poorly taken photograph that looks like it was taken with a cellphone, someone will easily pass right by your band. However, if you have a professionally taken image that truly captures the essence of your band, there could be a world of possibilities.
Brittny from Band Aid Records does photography for bands, and she is based in Mobile, Alabama but is willing to travel as well. You can check out her work with Favored Sons above, and if you’re interested in setting up a shoot with her, you can contact her here (prices may vary).
Feature – Matt Burke
What is your official job title?
I am a photographer.
What projects are you currently working on?
I have a bunch of shows that I am shooting this month that are all listed on the calendar section of my website. Aside from that I have an enormous trip coming up this summer that I’m in the process of planning and getting all squared away so I can’t talk about it yet, but it’s all starting to come together and I will be releasing details about that as I find appropriate.
How did you become involved in the music industry, particularly with photography?
I moved down to Florida 9 years ago and almost right away was kidnapped by a band called Unsung Zeros (Eulogy Recordings). I spent about 3 years touring on and off with them and it sparked an interest in photography to capture everything I was seeing. I toured with a few other bands and I just loved the rush of shooting photos. Also, through the years I have just become friends with so many people in the industry that I began to have the opportunity to get to shoot some incredible bands and then the internet and boom. Here I am.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about photography?
As far as music photography goes, I hear people in the front rows saying negative things to me and saying ‘oh, give me that fancy camera and I can get good photos, too!’. That bugs me because it is difficult to work with the low light we are left with at most clubs. Also, I’m not just firing away… I lock my lens on a member and they become my target. I study them with my lens and wait for the exact moment when true emotion will show and I chase it. It’s a lot more than just clicking a button, basically.
What is one thing you wish people would have warned you about the music industry before you became involved?
Oh man. So many things. I guess the main thing is I wish I would have been told how much it completely takes over your life. From shooting to editing, to networking, to booking photoshoots, talking to magazines, managers, etc, it’s non stop. It’s a great time, but it’s also extremely stressful.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received and how have you applied it to your career?
It’s kind of basic but: No fan boying/girling. This is very difficult for a lot of people to understand. As photographers, we all have artists that we want to work with for whatever reasons, and having the opportunity to work with them is incredible. But you need to put your business face on and not freak out over them. They deal with fans freaking out and drooling over them every second of the day, so when they’re doing work related things they want it to be as professional and relaxed as possible. I have 1 artist that I am a total fanboy of and I don’t know if I’d even work with her if the opportunity presented itself because I wouldn’t want to embarrass myself. If you have ever been on my tumblr it’s very easy to figure out.
What has been the best experience in your career so far?
This whole ride is an incredible experience, but if I had to pick one I’d have to say shooting Blink 182. That band played a huge role in my life and to be as close to them as I was and to have Mark Hoppus stare at me for a portrait was just mind blowing. Mark Hoppus looked at me.
What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn?
The whole ‘starving artist’ thing is true. When the work is coming in, it’s awesome, but when there’s no work to be found you are broke and being kicked out of your 2nd apartment in 3 months.
Was there ever an incident where you felt you or someone else was treated unfairly in the music industry because of your/their gender?
Well, I’m a dude, so fortunately for me, I am a part of the majority in this business, but also, I have not seen this happen directly, but I have certainly heard of it happening. It sucks and is definitely unfortunate, but there are a few ladies out there that are killing it in their respective occupations and making a positive impact for females in the industry that excites me. We need a new revolution…
What artists are you currently listening to?
As I am typing this Of Mice & Men is on my shuffle. I listen to a lot of The Story So Far, The Gaslight Anthem, City & Colour, Mayday Parade, Go Radio, Secret Lives of the Freemasons, Adele and a bunch more. That Adele record gets played more consistently than most others. (I kid you not as I was answering the next question Adele came on shuffle.)
What advice would you give to those who are trying to break into the music industry, particularly with photography, but are unsure how/where to begin?
If you’re looking to be rich, look elsewhere! You’ll make some of the best friends in the world and meet some incredible people, but with the exception of the really big names, there isn’t much money in this game. Be prepared to have your power shut off or not be able to pay rent. It happens way more often than you would think.
Ryan Russell Posts Picture of Other Butterfly Wings From Brand New Eyes Photography
Ryan Russell posted a picture of the other butterfly wings he used for Paramore’s photographs featured in their album, Brand New Eyes. These wings were pictured for the song, ‘Brick By Boring Brick,’ which features lyrics about the wings of a butterfly that symbolized Hayley William’s dark fantastical view of childhood.
‘It’s all about the exposure the lens I told her
The angles were all wrong now
She’s ripping wings off of butterflies’
Feature – Ashley Osborn
I’m a live music photographer and reviewer for multiple outlets.
I started shooting about a year and a half ago. I networked a lot and I quickly got my first ‘job’ working for Fueled By Fans (no longer exists). Since then I’ve worked really hard, improved and just kept pushing and networking.
I genuinely feel like people don’t understand that shooting shows isn’t a walk in the park. It’s a serious thing. I didn’t just wake up one day and get handed the ability to be able to do something I am so passionate about. It’s hard work, a huge investment and something I’ve had to work at for a very long time. I’m constantly improving everything I do, networking and critiquing myself in every way possible. It’s one of the hardest parts of my life but it’s the most fulfilling.
I don’t think I really ever realized how hard it is to be taken seriously and rise out of the crowd. I really wish I would have caught onto that much earlier in the game. I don’t think I started out networking enough. There are thousands of people who do what I do. I dream of going places with my photos, but sometimes it is really hard to not give up. Finding that motivation seems impossible sometimes.
The best advice I’ve ever received has to be being told that simply every failure in life becomes a lesson learned. I find myself so scared sometimes to continue on pushing for my dream, you know? You must keep pushing for your goals no matter what. It’s so important. If you just so happen to completely fail or completely takeover the industry you’re going to learn something about yourself or life in general in the end and to me that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.
The people who genuinely appreciate my work. I get the nicest messages, tweets, support and I get to meet the people who motivate me to keep doing what I love at shows. I think that’s the most exciting part about all of this. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve the support I’ve received from all of these amazing people. It’s out of this world and words will never be able to explain how much I appreciate them.
This year was my second year shooting Warped Tour. During the summer I live in Minneapolis so I shot in Minnesota. However, Milwaukee is my favorite date of Warped so I made it out there for the third year in a row this year. I was able to shoot Paramore live and that was literally the most emotional experience I’ve had in ages. It was a dream come true. The fact that I’ve been able to shoot so many bands that have genuinely changed my life is an honor.
When it comes to competition I tend to be really easily brought down. I don’t exactly know why. I think it’s always really difficult to see people moving further ahead. Of course I understand why, but it can be so discouraging. I recently learned how important it is to build up thicker skin and keep on keeping on. If it’s meant to be, it’s going to happen. Everybody is where they are for a reason
Oh jeez, my music taste is all over the place! Recently I’ve been obsessed with Passion Pit, The Naked and Famous, Manchester Orchestra and Two Door Cinema Club. Death Cab is my favorite band. You Me At Six’s new album is absolutely amazing! So many great bands have put out new albums lately – New Found Glory, Blink-182, Lights, Mayday Parade, La Dispute, Transit and more!
I feel this way 90% of the time to be honest. I have incredible amounts of respect for women photographers who have made it in this industry, but there aren’t enough of them. It’s so difficult to break through all of the guys in the industry. However, a lot of this has to do with the way some girls act. For any girl that wants to make it in the industry as a photographer Megan Thompson is probably the main person you should be looking up to. You need to keep it classy. Nobody is going to take you seriously if you are sleeping around with band members and crying when you meet the artists you take photos up. It’s so hard for girls to be taken seriously in the industry. You’ve got to learn to be professional.
In five years I want have graduated Columbia with a Marketing Communications degree. I’d really love to be working PR for various artists. My dream is to be touring and working closely with artists. As long as I’m in this industry I guarantee that I will be happy.
Three key things. The first is that you have to network in every single way possible. Second is that you have to invest in great equipment. I saved the most important for last — third is you have to be able to be at a point in your musical life where you feel that you can act professional in any situation. It’s important to obtain the ability to have that last one. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to be serious about what you are doing. Good luck!
Feature – Matthew Vogel
| What is your current job?
I’m a photographer, full time student, music director for idobi Radio, run two web design companies, and an astronaut.
What projects are you currently working on? Photography related, I’m in a bit of a lull right now. I’ve been trying to balance all my responsibilities and have had to put photography on the backburner a bit, but I still get out to shoot a couple shows a month.
How did you become involved in photography, particularly within the music industry? When I was 14, I started doing lots of graphic design work. By the time I was 17 I really wanted to take my own stock photos that I could use in my work, so I would steal my mom’s camera and take pictures of random stuff. I really liked messing around with her camera, and eventually saved up enough money to get my own. Around the same time (when I was 17) I started going to tons of concerts, and bringing my camera with. What are some of the biggest misconceptions about your job? That I make a lot of money off of it, or that it’s even a ‘job’ in a traditional sense. There aren’t a lot of music photographers, especially in our specific ‘scene’, that do it full time. There are tons of people who would love to, but it’s just not financially viable for most. There are people like Adam Elmakias who create awesome work and have a great business sense and can make it happen as a full-time gig, but not everyone is quite that awesome. There are really too many music photographers out there for it to be an actual job for everyone, but the really, really talented ones make it happen. It just sucks that a lot of times people will do all their work for free, therefore nobody feels that paying a photographer is worth it, even if their work is considerably better. I haven’t done band promos in over a year, because any time I quote a (perfectly reasonable) price, they just contact their friend with an iPhone to do their promos instead, for free. What’s one thing you wish people would have warned you about the music industry before you became involved? How well connected everyone is. I had no idea that everybody knew everybody (or at least knew OF everybody). It’s really cool, but at the same time, if you get a certain reputation it definitely spreads fast. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? It’s hard to pinpoint one thing; there are tons of things people have said that have helped me. That’s one of the coolest things about most of the music industry – people are so willing to help one another. In any other industry, people would treat each other as ‘competition’ – in the music industry everyone just loves music and connects over it. What’s the most rewarding part of your job? I love meeting people from all over. I love music more than anything, and it’s amazing to be able to connect with people who feel the same way just about every day. What has been the best experience in your career so far? There are so many great things that have come out of getting into music photography. It’s let me go to hundreds of incredible shows and take pictures of all my favorite bands. I’m way lucky. I still think the best part about it all is the people I’ve met. I feel like I’ve definitely made some lifelong friends, and get to know people from all over the country who do amazing things. What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn? Patience. For a very long time I would shoot as many shows as I possibly could and keep trying to get better. I wouldn’t get any feedback or views on my Flickr. It was kind of disheartening, but I was doing it because I loved it, so I kept shooting. One day it felt like someone just turned on a switch, and all of the sudden people started paying more attention. It’s really cool to share what I love doing with other people. What artists are you listening to now? This past week a ton of awesome new albums came out! I’ve been listening to the new Saves The Day and The Cinema plenty… and I may have acquired a certain new album that comes out a few weeks from now, by a certain punk rock band that reunited a few years ago… *cough* blink-182 *cough* Was there ever an incident where you felt you or someone else was treated unfairly in the music industry because of your/their gender? Sometimes it seems like girls in the industry have a harder time being taken seriously. There are ladies in the industry who kill it, though, so girls just need to work hard and take pages from those fine females currently making things happen for themselves. Photographers; see Megan Thompson. Where do you see yourself in five years? I’m trying to get to a point where I can shoot photos a lot more. I’m working on making enough money to be able to fly out to some cool festivals on weekends next year as well. Five years from now, hopefully I’m travelling all over, taking lots of photos, and eating many tacos. What advice would you give to those who are trying to break into the music industry, particularly with photography, but are unsure where/how to begin? Work hard, would be my first piece of advice. It’s really very easy to become a music photographer. The hard part is not being ‘just another music photographer’. If you think of your favorite music photographers, each of them probably has their own individual style that is completely recognizable. When I’m hanging out on the internet and looking at pictures, I can almost always tell if a picture looks like it was taken by Maysa Askar or Adam Elmakias or any of my other favorite photographers. Find your style and thrive! |
Feature – Adam DeAngelis
What is your current job?
Freelance. Starting a clothing company soon with Brad Elterman. More details on that to come!
What projects are you currently working on?
Currently, a Polaroid book, a magazine with my good friend Joe Perri, documentary about what it’s like to be on tour with a non-profit that I shot this summer on the Vans Warped Tour, clothing company, and a book called “semicolon; sibley”.
How did you become involved in photography, particularly within the music industry?
I use to use my dad’s 20D at family functions and I was always in charge of taking photos. They weren’t anything special but just the thought of having my own camera seemed like a great idea. I saved up a little and bought a Rebel XT. I shot my first show, Dashboard Confessional and Brand New. Had no idea what I was doing. Then I started to email publicists asking if I could shoot certain shows. Back in that day (which makes me sound really old) you didn’t really have to be shooting for a publication. Not every kid has a DSLR because they were rather expensive (still are). I shot any show that came into the DC/MD/VA area. Finally, I upgraded to a 40D, and then to a 5D Mark II, the rest is history.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about your job?
That it pays the bills. It doesn’t. This is just a side hobby of mine. I love doing it and have the time, at the moment, to work at it. With kids these days giving away their work for free, it is really ruining the photography business. Also, bands don’t really want to cough up money, so they find people to do it for free. Photography can only survive if those who are taking the pictures can keep paying for their gear or travel costs.
What’s one thing you wish people would have warned you about the music industry before you became involved?
Do extensive research before committing on touring with a band. Granted, you’ll miss some things at times as I have. But do your best and learn from mistakes.
What was the inspiration behind the creation of 11:11 A.M.?
Andrew McMahon’s music has always been an inspiration to me. When he got sick, I wanted to get involved with awareness somehow. Thanks to Jenny and Melissa, we made that happen and started 11:11 A.M.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
For 11:11 A.M.: Don’t take no as an answer and keep trying (cliche but I have it written down).
Photography:
– NEVER do work for free. No one gave you your cameras for free. You shouldn’t have to give your work for free. (Chester Simpson told me that, everyone should check his work out!)
– To shoot the unseen. No one wants to see what everyone else is shooting. Everyone wants to see what they haven’t discovered yet. (I took one photography class in college and my teacher told the class that, not exactly that but similar)
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Working for my dad at his warehouse. I pretty much cleaned and organized the warehouse. Not fun.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
The time I worked at the White House.
What has been the best experience in your career so far?
Going on Warped Tour and being able to take pictures of everything and anything that looked interesting. Living with amazing people who have been my friends since the beginning.
What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn?
Always remember some people are in it for themselves and only look out for themselves.
What artists are you listening to now?
Guster (Lost and Gone Forever), Jack’s Mannequin, Leeland, Mat Kearney (new album: Young Love), and Matt Nathanson (new album: Modern Love)
Was there ever an incident where you felt you or someone else was treated unfairly in the music industry because of your/their gender?
Yes. Many.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Either NYC or DC working on policy work for a non-profit. Hopefully.
What advice would you give to those who are trying to break into the music industry, particularly with photography, but are unsure where/how to begin?
Work for a publication. Doesn’t have to be a large one. Any. In order to get credentials, that is a must. Also, network! You can’t get anywhere unless you know those who work in the industry. It’s about who you know. Which isn’t a horrible thing to say because it’s better to know the person you are hiring. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.
Feature – Megan Thompson
What is your current job?
Photographer of bands, models, and t-shirts. Occasional Director of video do-dads.
What projects are you currently working on?
I just wrapped up a shoot with Chunk! No Captain Chunk from Paris, and I’m heading out for a week on Warped Tour with Attack Attack! in the beginning of August. Some cool stuff with Love Before Glory and Hide & Seek Clothing are also always brewing at any giving time.
How did you become involved in photography, particularly within the music industry?
I was majoring in Photography at Montana State University and a lot of my friends were in local hardcore and pop rock bands around the state. I started shooting all of them for a personal project, and later published a book called The Forgotten State about the Montana music scene as it was dying out. Working on the book gave me a bug that hasn’t died out yet, and I moved to Los Angeles after graduation to try to do what I was doing in a bigger market.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about your job?
That just because you have a camera, you’re instantly a “professional photographer”. Just because I own some scissors, doesn’t mean I’m a hairstylist! There’s a lot of work and practice, and a lot more things that you can’t learn involved. Right now “Rock Photographer” is the cool job, but not many people take the time to read and learn about what it actually means to be a photographer. Just pushing a button 300 times and hoping for a good photo doesn’t make you a photographer. Nobody ever says, “You have a really good eye”, but I hear, “You must have a really nice camera” every time I show someone my portfolio. People don’t talk about natural talent anymore, it’s just what cool new gear you can buy, and who has the nicest camera. It really makes me sad.
What’s one thing you wish people would have warned you about the music industry before you became involved?
People in the industry will make a lot of promises, and only about 10% of them will keep them. You can become pretty jaded. Coming into this summer I had five job promises for Warped that fell through. You have to have a thick skin, and let it roll off your back, then get back up and keep working.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Anything my professors Chris Anderson and Ian van Coller drilled into me in college. I swear they’re in my brain every time I shoot, or think about slacking off. “What would Ian think of this lighting set up?”, “Would Chris think this looks good?” They’re my surrogate parents, and I feel like even three years later I’m looking for my “parent’s” approval.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
I worked at Hot Topic in college, and I hated it. I have a lot of trouble focusing, and the loud music, and menial tasks drive me insane. But I still somehow won employee of the month like three times while I was there. The people I worked with were awesome, but I was miserable every time I had to walk in to spend an entire day folding Insane Clown Posse t-shirts for $5.75 an hour.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Getting to work with a new band, and watching them blow up. Every now and then I’ll work with a band who act like total rock stars, and they never go far. It’s the humble kids who are constantly in awe of their success who always do the greatest things. It’s amazing to me to be driving down the freeway and have one of my friends songs come on the radio! I’ll never get sick of it.
What has been the best experience in your career so far?
The most surreal experience was probably in 2009 when I was hired to shoot behind the scenes at Blink-182’s first show since they broke up. At one point in the trailer Mark turned to me and said, “I can’t believe tonight is happening.” and I think I just spewed out something like, “Are you kidding me?! I can’t believe this is happening! The first band I ever shot 10 years ago was a freaking Blink cover band, Mark!” and he looked at me and just said, “Well that’s full circle for you, huh?”
That was a crazy night.
But the best experience over all was getting to go on Warped Tour last year. I made so many great friends, and it changed a lot about the way I shoot and work as a whole. It was a great learning experience. I think any photographer who really wants to test their work ethic should do Warped. If you can come out on the other side still being excited to shoot, you know you’re cut out for this.
What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn?
You can be best friends with a band, and come up with some amazing ideas, but a lot of the time it still comes down to the label, and who they want to hire. You can’t hold it against your friends, because it’s out of their hands, but it still sucks.
What artists are you listening to now?
It’s summer and my playlist has been completely overtaken by Hellogoodbye, Two Door Cinema Club, Goodnight Sunrise, Saint Motel, and anything else that’s happy, bouncy, and feels like a party. My zone out and drive CD is Breathe Carolina’s new album Hell is What you Make It. Vegas is about a crazy night we all spent together in Las Vegas on the Fearless Friends tour, and it’s so much fun to listen to, it brings back a lot of memories!
Was there ever an incident where you felt you or someone else was treated unfairly in the music industry because of your/their gender?
I’ve had a few band dudes who will remain nameless come onto the bus and ask me who I was sleeping with to be there. Nobody asks a guy a question like that. I hold myself up to some pretty high standards when it comes to how I dress, and act, just so people won’t assume things about me because I’m a girl. But surprisingly the worst treatment comes from other females. I’ve had girls start horrible rumors about me out of jealousy, or god knows why. One time it actually cost me a touring job. I try not to let it bother me, most of the time it’s actually really funny. The rumors about who people think I’m dating are the best! Most of the dudes people think I’m with are six inches shorter than me, or half my size (I’m 6′ tall)… I just have a good laugh about it and move on.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully a lot more settled in. I’ll be 32 (Holy crap, that’s terrifying!), and I’d like to be working with different magazines, and shooting portraits of actors, and personalities, in addition to bands. I’d love to keep moving forward doing video work, because it’s something new and very challenging for me, which I enjoy immensely.
What advice would you give to those who are trying to break into the music industry, particularly with photography, but are unsure where/how to begin?
Get out and meet people. Don’t be afraid to go up to people and introduce yourself at a show. If you’re scared of rejection this isn’t the job for you. Work with the bands nobody has ever heard of, and build a portfolio. Shoot, shoot, shoot! It’s a ton of hard work, but you have to develop your natural talent before anyone will hire you. Don’t copy other people’s style, don’t cheat and use plug ins and short cuts, develop your own way of doing things! Most of all, be a good person, and good things will happen for you!
Feature – Kolby Schnelli
www.kolbyschnelliphotography.com
www.facebook.com/kolbyschnelliphotography
What is your current job?
Photographer
What projects are you currently working on?
I am currently on tour with He Is We. That is my only commissioned project at this time, however, I am working on some personal projects that I plan on releasing the details to soon
How did you become involved in photography, particularly within the music industry?
I was attending a local community college a few years ago for cinematography. As a requirement for the major, I had to attend a film photography class. After one class, I was hooked. I finished out my freshman year and then left..
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about your job?
There are so many! Everyone assumes that working as a photographer isn’t really work. Just because it doesn’t necessarily consist of a nine to five schedule all the time doesn’t mean its not work. Also, everyone thinks its all fun and games. There are a lot of fun times don’t get me wrong, but there are also aspects of this job that suck. Not every client is easy going and fun. Not all projects are enjoyable to edit for hours upon hours on end. The tour/travel side of it has its ups and downs too. On the bright side, you get to see the country and watch the sun set in a different city every night. As for relationships and stability, you have to sacrifice those in most cases..
What’s one thing you wish people would have warned you about the music industry before you became involved?
Hmm.. probably that it’s an extremely hard market to make money in haha!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Keep your head up and carry on. Things could always be worse. Always.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
I once worked at an ice cream factory for about a month in order to save enough money to buy myself a better camera. It was definitely not as fun/cool as it sounds. I would show up before sun up, work assembly lines and leave after sub down. Super depressing not seeing the sun for a month.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Definitely meeting a lot of really cool people! I have made some life-long friends for sure! Traveling is really fun too.
What has been the best experience in your career so far?
Wow. That’s hard to gauge.. I’d have to say seeing my work in The Rolling Stone was one of my greater moments. All experiences, bad and good, are helpful though and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. They make me who I am.
What’s the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn?
Not all relationships can withstand long distance. It’s extremely hard to maintain life on the road and life back home.
What artists are you listening to now?
It’s hard to narrow it down.. been listening to a lot of hip hop, r&b, instrumental/experimental, and on this tour, epic soundtracks haha!
Was there ever an incident where you felt you or someone else was treated unfairly in the music industry because of your/their gender?
Not so much in the industry… Females that come to shows with other intentions than simply enjoying some music might get treated differently.. That’s my biggest frustration with the industry today. The girls.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I’d like to see myself as a successful photographer making enough money to support myself and possibly a girlfriend.
What advice would you give to those who are trying to break into the music industry, particularly with photography, but are unsure where/how to begin?
Start locally. Once you take over the local scene, branch out a little bit. Go to shows and ask if you could shoot some of the “bigger” bands to add to your portfolio. Once you have a small name or buzz for yourself, you can start emailing managers and publicist about paying shoots.. That’s how I did it at least.
Band Aid Agency 