A Visual Showcase
10 concert photos featured with other Substackers work in online 'Darkrooms'
Since moving “Our Reality Show” to Substack in 2021, I have been astounded by the quality and quantity of storytelling — written and visual — that I find on this platform.
If you have a niche, this is the place for you.
Over the past 18 months, in particular, I have found myself following other photographers whose work, vision, and voice I’ve come to admire. This was in part prompted by Neil Milton’s creation of #photostack — a list of us who publish to the platform — that now has almost 150 photographers.
Marcel Borgstijn, a conceptual photographer from the Netherlands, writes a weekly “Darkrooms” column that includes essays explaining his work as well as interviews with other photographers about their process. He also publishes a quarterly “Darkrooms Magazine” online.
For this most recent issue, published earlier this month, Marcel asked Substack photographers to submit a photo series with a 200-word essay describing the project, process, and lessons learned. He reached out and asked me to consider my concert photography.
Having shot more than 100 performances over the past several years, whittling the list down to 10 was a challenge, but a worthwhile one. I knew one photo that I had to include (Dave Alvin, below, playing at The Birchmere last August), but the rest took some work.
Here is the essay and a screenshot of the last three photos I selected. I hope you will take a moment to look at the entire 245-page issue that contains 22 photography projects in all.
As a photographer, few things thrill me more than shooting a live concert — an unpredictable, whirlwind experience that’s over in a flash. In most instances, you have the first three songs — 12 to 15 minutes — to photograph bands at work. The primary focus usually is on the lead singer, but I try to capture the other band members as well.
Depending on the group’s popularity and the venue’s size, you are jostling for position with several other photographers (the most I’ve been in the same pit with was 11).
Larger venues typically have pits — areas close to the stage — although some don’t. And sometimes the performer requires you to shoot from the soundboard, which can be 100 to 150 feet from the stage. Smaller clubs and outdoor venues are often catch as catch can places, the only requirement being that you can’t interrupt the audience’s experience.
I’ve shot in clubs with 50 to 500 people, theaters that hold 2,000 to 6,000, and arenas with 20,000 screaming fans standing behind while I’m pounded in the chest by a large speaker and a thrumming bass line. The goal is the same: To tell the story of what you witnessed that evening.
It was a true honor to be included with the work of these artists; thank you Marcel! If you’re interested in photography, please subscribe to the others included.
As Marcel writes, “You won’t be disappointed.”
Love Dave Alvin’s photograph!
Great shot of Dave Alvin!