People ask me things about concert photography all the time and I thought I would answer one of those questions. Concert photography is just like other genres really. We are looking for a special moment, we want the performer doing something special or making “that face” while soloing, things like that. A person standing at a microphone playing a guitar isn’t all that exciting on it’s own, we want more, something to make that image just a bit more interesting and memorable. Anticipation of these moments will go a long way when shooting a live show.
Victor Wainright is one of the big acts in Blues music right now and he has a trademark move. He is known for lifting one end of his piano into the air while playing it. If there is one shot you want to get during a Victor Wainright show, it is probably that moment. In this case, I happened to have full access so……….I went to Victor and I asked him if there is a certain time he would be likely to do that, and he graciously told me exactly when to expect it. This gave me time to position myself in the perfect place to capture the image I wanted.
Often when I find out that I’m shooting an act that I have not yet shot, I will go to Youtube. I will watch some footage of that act to get an idea of what to expect live. Often you can pick up on stuff that you can use to your advantage while shooting.
