SF Concert Photographer Spotlight: Amber Gregory

The Photographer / Amber Gregory

This interview is the first in a series of profiles of San Francisco Concert Photographers. By asking each photographer the same series of questions, common ground and differences can be easily discerned and become grounds for constructive discussion.. The series kicks off this week with a profile of the SF Concert Photography Examiner herself, Amber Gregory.

How did you become a concert photographer?

I've always been a music lover, and I've been passionate about photography for about ten years--but the desire to become a concert photographer didn't really coalesce until 2007, when a friend showed me his ticket stub diary and made me realize how passive I had been in my music discovery habits.

I made a vow that night to seek out new music, to go to more shows, and to really make an effort to get involved somehow in the music scene. Over the course of the next year, I discovered last.fm and with it dozens of bands that I consider my favorites today. I began going to substantially more shows than I had been going to before, and right away, a pattern emerged: I would spend an inordinate amount of time at each show clutching my sub-par point & shoot in my hands, shooting daggers at the official photographers through narrowed eyes, staring at them sometimes more than I was staring at the artist I had come to see. The intense feeling was jealousy, and it only grew stronger with time.

The trouble was that I had no idea how to market myself, nor did I feel confident enough in my abilities (I am completely self-taught) to approach an aloof professional concert photographer and try to see how to break into the business. Anyway, I already knew without asking that concert photography was like so many other jobs: it is all about networking. If you know the right people, you'll go places. And at that time, I knew no one. I just kept photographing, concerts and everything else, as best I could while continuing to build my skill set and upgrading my equipment. In 2008, concert photography was still just a dream.

The best part of this story is that when I finally got my big break, it happened completely on accident. Early in 2009 I became friends with two girls in Los Angeles who, like me, are huge fans of We Are Scientists. We talked online for several months before meeting in person for the first time at a W.A.S. show in Costa Mesa in May. We had a great time, the show was epic--but since I had been so nervous about meeting my favorite band that night, I forgot to charge my camera battery and only got one shot before my camera died. One of my friends, also a photographer, noticed my camera and soon we were talking online about concert photography and how she had gotten her start, and every time she would shoot a show I would express both my admiration and my envy at her position.

In early June, I received a message from my friend, out of the blue: "Remember how you said you wanna know how to get photo passes to shows? I know a guy who may need your services..."

Her friend Darren, also a photographer, was reviving his music blog and magazine, Rockscope, and needed a San Francisco photographer to shoot shows for him as he covered L.A. We connected almost immediately, and began a symbiotic relationship. I am always very enthusiastic to shoot shows, and Darren is really great at putting everything together on the other side (not to mention getting me those coveted photo passes--he interacts directly with PR for me). For almost six months I have regularly shot SF concerts for Rockscope, and this gig led directly to my current opportunity with The Examiner.

What inspires you to take photographs, what are you hunting?

Live music is fleeting, and there is a great challenge to being able to capture the mood (emotion, physical dimensions, sense of space, the thickness of the air) of a live performance in a series of still images. I want to capture tangible proof of the unique qualities of these fleeting moments.

I also strive to take images that reveal something intimate and unintended: artistic vulnerability, raw emotions, a facial expression. I am hunting honesty and truth.

As a former student of Psychology, I must mention one more point. I always ask myself whether I am seeking objective honesty, objective truth ("the camera doesn't lie"), or whether my perception is inextricably linked to it--making it my honesty, my truth that I seek. I haven't fully decided yet, but I am leaning toward the latter. Everyone sees through different eyes, after all.

What is important to know while shooting a concert?

First and foremost, always remember that no flash photography is allowed. I've found shooting without flash to be a blessing in disguise, because natural stage lighting creates mood, unique effects, and frequently leads to happy accidents. So much of the character in concert photography goes back to stage lighting, so just make sure you have the right equipment and don't worry about light too much.

The standard is that you get to shoot the first 3 songs only, then exit the pit and move back. In larger venues and many mid-size venues this is always the case. I shoot mostly smaller venues with a maximum capacity of a few hundred people, and I have found that these venues tend to be more lax with their policies. I've stayed anywhere from five songs to three-quarters of the way through a set, to all the way through a set. I've been to small venues that don't even do photo passes. Despite this variation, I always go with the assumption that I will be asked to leave after 3 songs, and make sure to concentrate during those three songs and get a large quantity and variety of shots.

Next, do your homework. Have you been to the venue before? If not, look them up. See what others are saying about it. Essentially, try to make sure that you are as prepared for the venue as you can be.

As far as how to take good photos? Shoot wide open (f/1.4-f/1.8 is preferable) at a high ISO (I always shoot at ISO 1600). I take some test shots before the show to adjust the white balance, and usually shoot on Auto or Tungsten. I prefer autofocus in a setting like this for the sake of time, except that it frequently malfunctions in the dark and can't focus on moving people. Play around and figure out what works best--I usually switch back and forth from autofocus to manual dozens of times. Some people suggest shooting on full manual mode, but I find that Aperture Priority works perfectly for me.

Finally--remember to have fun and enjoy the music! The more you are able to do both of these things, the better your photos will be.

Do you get to choose which concerts you want to shoot?

Yes, because I don't work in a traditional office environment with a hierarchy, and I don't have a "boss" per se--I have an editor. Darren at Rockscope and I usually have the same taste in music anyway, and when we have the chance to introduce each other to new music, we do. It's very low pressure!

How important it is to have professional equipment?

I believe it is very important to own professional equipment. I currently shoot with a Canon 5D DSLR, and it is the first camera I've ever owned that has a sensor capable of shooting gorgeous, crisp, colorful photos in extremely low light and at high ISO. There was no way I could have ever shot concerts--believe me, I tried--with my previous DSLR, a Canon Digital Rebel XT. The XT was a great camera while I had it, but in low light the grain would eventually render the photo unusable; it wasn't as fast, and photos were often blurry. I recommend a camera at least on par with the 5D, but it doesn't matter what brand you buy beyond that; its up to personal preference.

As for lenses, right now I shoot concerts exclusively with a 50mm f/1.8, and it has always done a great job. Some people prefer wider angles, some prefer more of a telephoto effect, but the key here is to have as wide an aperture as you possibly can. I would recommend a fast prime no more than f/1.8, and ideally f/1.4 (f/1.2 tends to be very expensive and can be difficult to focus). While I am happy with the 50mm right now, I plan to add an 85mm f/1.8 and a 28mm f/1.8 lens to round out my collection.

How do you use your photographs after shooting?

My photos are published on Rockscope and on my Examiner page, where I write an article to accompany them. I also eventually post them to my photography blog as well as my Flickr stream.

Do you consider concert photography creative work?

Yes, I absolutely do! Concert photography is just as much about artistic talent and creativity as any other type of photography. Certain photographers seem to have a little extra "something" that others don't have--that is the mark of a successful artist, the intangibles, the instincts that kick in. If you go into concert photography thinking it isn't creative, it is my belief that you will not be successful, and your images will lack heart, passion and personality.

How would you describe an excellent concert photograph?

An excellent concert photograph is a very intimate photograph; it conveys to the viewer something beyond the physical, certainly something emotional, about what is being performed or the person(s) performing it. It should capture a moment in time, suspended between motion and stillness, so that you imagine you are there in the scene. It is technically sound and not overprocessed.

What is your greatest achievement in concert photography?

In a professional sense, becoming the SF Concert Photography Examiner is my greatest achievement. On a more personal note, two weeks ago I was told by San Francisco indie band My First Earthquake that my photos were the best live photos ever taken of them. What an incredible feeling, to connect with a band and form a personal connection based upon mutual respect for art. That, to me, is a truly great achievement, and it is ultimately the reason why I find concert photography so fulfilling.

Name some photographers you admire. Why them?

Andrew Kendall -- A former photographer for the NME in London, Andrew has shot many of the best bands of the decade--in addition to tagging along with The Libertines and capturing photos that I consider to be the most heartbreaking, beautiful images I have ever seen. If I could come close to capturing the emotion and context that Andrew Kendall does, I would be a very lucky woman.

The Libertines / Photo by Andrew Kendall

Guy Eppel - Guy is a New York City-based concert photographer who has a signature bold, edgy style, and does a particuarly brilliant job at shooting larger shows and enormous outdoor festivals like Coachella. I have attended Coachella for six straight years and I can't figure out how Guy captures the vastness of the festival in the same frame as a one-of-a-kind, intimate shot of a band.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Coachella 2009 / Photo by Guy Eppel

Show me one of your best concert photographs you have taken. Why did you choose this one?

This is Rebecca Bortman, lead singer of My First Earthquake. I caught this expression near the end of an energetic and theatric show, and it was one of those moments a concert photographer always hopes for: a pose, paused for 5 seconds, seemingly made just for you. It embodies the spirit of Rebecca quite well; and you can read so much in her face.