Jollyjacktar

I’m not a concert photographer, but recently retired after many years doing commercial photography. Here are some thoughts though.

I went to school with a guy who became the biggest rock photographer in Australia and when we last met he told me his story. I’m not surprised the photographers you contacted didn’t want to share their secrets. It’s a paparazzi type job and competition is fierce.

My friend left school a long time before you were born. He became a cook on a cruise ship. As he was traveling the world, he decided to buy a nice camera to record his travels. He was also very interested in rock music so he took the camera to concerts. I think he must have placed his pictures with an agent, because one day an agent said he had sold a picture. So, he just kept shooting and selling pics. It was so easy then to get access to bands. There were no contracts and none of the bands were bothered about what images he produced. Later, when promoters started demanding photographers sign right of approval and limited access contracts etc. he said he signed them all and just ignored them.

He became very successful, toured the world with top name bands like the rolling stones and shot album covers and publicity. When digital came out, he was able to digitize his library and improve a lot of the previous rejects he had through editing to expand his commercial library even more. He ended up as something of a celebrity himself.

If you asked him the secret of his success he would say being in the right place as the right time, just doing what he loved, and luck. I think his career formed back in an easier time, before social media and less competition.

It makes virtually no difference. The difference in surface area is minimal, so it won’t be noticeably softer and the catch lights in eyes won’t look any different at any normal viewing size.

My wife sends out a picture daily which she writes a haiku for. She has a decent following of subscribers who say they love receiving them at the start of their day.

Some say they read the haiku then try to imagine what the picture will be, usually unsuccessfully. Today’s was a picture of a tuna boat being unloaded and a haiku with a theme of self discovery. I love her work.

I’ll add The Photographic Eye because it’s a lot about finding yourself as a photographer, getting through slumps, etc. and is not very much about gear and technique. He concentrates on the art and beauty with many examples. It’s mission seems to be to inspire.