New Jersey Band, Concert, and Rock Photography, Photography Tips and Band Thoughts "Far Better Than The Competition"
So I have gotten a few emails asking me about how the band photography process works. So I thought I would address this here.
Band Photography
Initial band photography steps.
So if you have gotten to the point where you have emailed me I am going to assume that you have checked out my promotional band photos and also looked at my live band photos and that you like what you have seen. At this point I am hoping that you have an idea of what you want your pictures to look like. I will respond to your email with a series of questions to try and get an exact idea of what you want and if I am confident that I can deliver what you want. Once we come to an understanding as to what pictures you want we will discuss price and I will memorialize this understanding in a written photography agreement.
Steps leading up to the photo shoot.
Send me your music and links to any websites or promotional material you may already have. I want to be able to get a feel for the attitude of your band and what strengths and artistic elements I want to highlight in the photography. If you want promotional band photos I will scout potential locations that I think will be in-keeping with your bands style or upcoming album ect. We will discuss the potential locations and pick one that we both think would lead to the best pictures. We will discuss wardrobe and I will suggest that you bring multiple changes of clothes so we can experiment with the combinations. If you want me to photograph a live concert you will need to get all the venue location for me and the appropriate permissions for me to shoot there.
Day of the Photo Shoot.
The day of the shoot we will meet at the specified location. We will discuss last minute details and start shooting. I will take a bunch of photos of the band and show you previews of what we have. Once we have a good amount of material that we are both pleased with will conclude the shoot. If the shoot is for a live concert then we will meet quickly before your act plays I will just move around back stage on stage at the front of the stage trying to get as many amazing live action pictures as possible.
Post band photography processes.
I will look at all the raw material that we generated and select the best shots that we have. I will touch up and perform post production magic on the best pictures. Once I am happy with the way things look I will send you low resolution images of the pictures. Then you will decide what you like and what you do not. I will make any changes you recommend and come up with final photos. I will then send you the high quality images of your band with a photo purchase agreement that will give you full rights to the use of your pictures however you want. On of my favorite promotional band photography pictures looked great before editing but even better after.
- Kait
KGrussPhoto@gmail.com
Amazing Band Photography
“Far Better Than The Competition”
Live Band Photography
- Is a subdivision of photography that focuses on the art and skill of capturing photographic images of musical acts, either at live performances or in staged posed photo shots, for promotional, artistic, or archival reasons.
Definition of Band Photographer
Live Band Photography by Kaitlin Gruss
Band Photographer
- Is a photographer who posses great energy, artistic vision musical passion, skill and combines these attributes to specialize in capturing photographic images of musical acts, either at live performances or in staged posed photo shots, for promotional, artistic, or archival reasons.
Back to Band Photography Home
- Kait
KGrussPhoto@gmail.com
Amazing Band Photography
“Far Better Than The Competition”
New Jersey Photographer
See me on Thumbtack.com!
So I saw that there is the competition for band photography and band photographers happening in England. I am going to submit some of my best promotional band shots and live concert photos and see how I do. I have included the article below for anybody who is interested in submitting pictures. This competition is only for band photography but I am sure all photographers that have music related photos would be welcome to apply. I am sure they would be shocked to get entries from over here in New Jersey, but bands are band and pictures are pictures no matter where in the world they come from.
- Kait
KGrussPhoto@gmail.com
Amazing Band Photography
“Far Better Than The Competition”
Norfolk music photography exhibition opens for entries
Keen photographers are being asked to zoom in on Norfolk’s music scene, with the most creative images going on show in an exhibition.
Music: in Focus will pull together photos snapped at gigs, rehearsals or events in Norfolk and pictures of local acts playing further afield.
The exhibition will complement this autumn’s BBC Music Video Festival, documenting a year of Norfolk music.
Entries are invited from both professional and amateur photographers.
The project has been put together by the organisers of the BBC Music Video Festival and the Norwich-based Outline magazine.
PDF download Application form[48Kb]
The most compelling and sharply-crafted photos will go on public display at The Forum in Norwich from 26 September to 1 October 2011 – with images also dotted across city shops, bars and venues.
Music: in Focus runs at the same time as the BBC Music Video Festival and the second Norwich Sound and Vision convention.
Everything from gig photos of top touring bands snapped on phones to carefully shot promotional pictures can be entered, with organisers keen to hear about the story behind the lens.
The exhibition will showcase images taken from summer 2010 up until the closing date of Monday, 1 August 2011.
Entries must be submitted in the first instance as jpgs (max 10MB) along with the application form and e-mailed to musicinfocus2k@gmail.com Source
March 30, 2011
SEND ME YOUR PHOTOS!
I will retouch and enhance your picture for FREE if you are one of the first fifty (50) people! Use your retouched photo for your Facebook profile, email it to friends and family or print it out and frame it for yourself.
Email all photos to kgrussphoto@gmail.com Please send it to me as a JPEG or TIFF file in the greatest resolution/size possible.
Official Offer
Below is an example of a picture before and after basic retouching. The final result is beautiful flawless skin that looks completely natural!
Before and After
The Hollow Sound
The above picture is of a Massachusetts rock band that I took for promotinal reasons.
I was recently sent an e-mail that basically asked me why band photography.
The short answer is that it is something that I love doing and am lucky enough to be skilled at. The longer answer is that band, rock bands in particular, make amazing subjects for photography. The energy and individual style of each band makes every photo shoot unique and exciting. I also like that my work is not just artistic but can be utilitarian in that bands use my work to promote themselves and their music.
Photographing a live concert is like nothing else, I get to be on stage, back stage or in the front row of fantastic live performances. The pictures I get to take at concerts are pure energy and reflect the flavor of the live show.
- Kait
KGrussPhoto@gmail.com
Amazing Band Photography
“Far Better Than The Competition”
The New Bedfords
I really liked the goofy personalities in this band. It was a lot of fun working with The New Bedfords. An article that includes one of my photos is here.
- Kait
KGrussPhoto@gmail.com
www.kaitlingrussphotograpy.com
”Far Better Than The Competition”
As a photographer you must be ready when the band’s action unfolds, all too often you realize that your camera…
is off, lens capped, or around your neck and you miss the bands best photograph.
Simple solutions to stop these photographer errors.
- Make sure you have more than enough battery for the bands gig, leave the camera on for a few minutes longer each time, or just leave it on in anticipation of crucial band moments.
- Work out, being tired from holding the camera is no excuse! You will be less likely to miss a key band moment if you keep the camera around your neck while still holding it loosely with both hands.
Get a lens filter or a lens hood and don’t worry about it. Also keep a lens cloth to wipe any dust or finger prints off straight away.
Band photographers need to have their eyes on the action
It is easy for a photographer to miss a few key shots of the band when busy…
- checking the lcd screen to look at past shots.
- going through the old shots to delete bad shots.
Simple solutions to stop these photographer errors.
- Wait for real breaks in the band action so you can review the image composition as well as settings. Set you setting before and then trust your camera for a while. If the lighting is unpredictable, or low, you’ll have to check image quality more frequently.
- Try to avoid the decision making of to delete or not, while the band is doing anything. In between bands or sets is when a good photographer will take time to find the bad ones. The most active band photography shots will surprise and thrill you
Other suggestions
If you know your memory card is getting full or your battery is running low, change it early during a calm band moment so that your camera won’t let you down in a crucial band action moment. Photography is fun and photographers should best remember that.
I was asked what is the right amount to charge a band for photography.
There is no hard and fast answer in band or concert photography.
The fee you charge depends on many factors:
ONE: Who is the band and what an they afford and what can they do for you. This is a sliding scale that only you can think about. If the bad is well know and has money you may be tempted toncharge them more because they can afford it, but can you afford to lose the potential promotion if they decide to go some where cheaper?
TWO: The time it will take you to complete the project. This is again serving that will change for each band. Band photography can become time expensive when you consider seeing the band play, determining the message they want to send, taking the pictures, setting up the site or getting to the site, editing the photos and formatting them into a deliverable product.
THREE: Where and what are the photographs going to be used for? This is important because Band Photographers general cahrge more for promotional pictures because they involve much more work, but they are seen by more people. If the band well allow a watermark on promotional rock band photography you should offer a discount. If the pictures are of a live concert and will be used on websites and just highlight candid action of the band pricing can be lower.
FINAL THOUGHT: Never charge per picture because that allows the band to pic three to four great pictures and not pay for all the other hard work and skill that went into getting those amazing few photographs.
Never under estimate the byline “reassuringly expensive”
- Kait
KGrussPhoto@gmail.com
Amazing Band Photography
“Far Better Than The Competition”
Band and concert photographers should listen to Ansel Adams:
“Photography, in the final analysis, can be reduced to a few simple principles. But, unlike most arts, it seems complex at the initial approach. The seeming complexity can never be resolved unless a fundamental understanding of both technique and application is sought and exercised from the start. Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art. Therefore emphasis on technique is justified only so far as it will simplify and clarify the statement of the photographer’s concept.”
Rock band photographers appear to be obsessing with each new offering manufacturers place on the table, and the obsession with technology may often look to be what photography is really about, but band photographers need to be reminded that, “The concept of the photograph precedes the operation of the camera.”
Good band photographers must remember that the photograph is visualized and created in the mind before the camera is even picked up.
