SF Concert Photographer Spotlight: Valerie Shoaps

January 5, 9:31 AMSF Concert Photography ExaminerAmber Gregory

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The Photographer / Valerie Shoaps

This interview is the third 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 continues this week with a profile of Valerie Shoaps.

How did you become a concert photographer?

I started photography at 13, then later abandoned it when playing music took over my creative need. I was a professional musician for a number of years and had a lot of great times and experiences. After that chapter of my life closed, I picked up a camera again and on a whim, went to a punk show and shot some of the bands, and that was it. I was hooked again. Coming back to photography, it's changed so much with the digital medium. I love the immediacy of seeing what was just shot. That can really build the excitement for me as it inspires me and drives me further.

After playing on stage for so many years, It's really hard for me to "just" watch live music. When I'm shooting it, I feel like I've got an active role and that allows me enjoy the whole experience through the lens and as a fan again.


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

I'm hunting for the "quintessential concert shot". What is it, I don't know. Concert photography is reactive; the performers are doing their thing and my goal is to capture their essence, emotion, a moment or some other slice of the live music experience.  There's that jump off the drum riser or the lead singer hitting their signature high note - those are the big shots. When I go home and I am looking through what I've shot, I scope for the shots that show the personality, the energy or the emotion of the performers. If I can "hear": the music in the shot, then I like it.


What is important to know while shooting a concert?

I think it's really important to know your surroundings. With an eye glued behind the camera, it's easy to become oblivious to what else is going around you. That could be from rabid fans or a wild pit, or it also means having respect for the performers by not getting in their way, and also respect for the audience. They paid to see the show and don't want it ruined by a photographer blocking the stage the whole evening. It comes down to being a decent person and having respect for everyone else. In my experience, that's come back to me as well.

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

At this point, I really don't. I'm trying to build my name and reputation. It's a hard game of dealing with venues, promoters, managers, road managers, marketing departments, etc... to get permission and credentials to shoot bands, in particular for touring bands, but also for some local bands and clubs. Most of the bigger clubs in San Francisco have a strict "No Cameras" policy and enforce it. Without a Media or Stage Pass, there's no getting my gear in. Even if I could, it'd be against someone's wishes and that's just not cool.

How important it is to have professional equipment?

There's a technical aspect that's fairly unique to this type of photography. Even though stage lights seem bright, photographically they're not. To shoot without a flash (a big no-no under most circumstances), it takes certain gear (high ISO, fast lenses) to capture this content. With the latest technological improvements, it's gotten easier since the cameras themselves are extended to this type of photography.

Concert photography is also really hard on the gear. I've dropped lenses during a lens change only to see it get kicked away (accidentally). Drinks flying around always seem to make it onto cameras. My old camerabag has soaked up probably cases of beer. Better equipment is able to handle this sort of abuse and be reliable.


How do you use your photographs after shooting?

The first thing I do is go through all of the material and assign each image a numerical rating of 1 through 5. Then I'll take the 5's and my favorite 4's and do whatever editing and adjusting is needed. Sometimes it's just a simple crop or it could be extensive noise reduction or color work. After that, I create a web page in a secret directory on my website. I pass the URL to the client or band so they can pick, choose or decide what they want to do with them. With their permission, my favorite ones go in my online portfolio.

Do you consider concert photography creative work?

I think it is, in much the same way as editorial and photojournalism is. We're trying to show and tell the story, to illustrate the music, emotion and substance of the musician and the performance. If you give 5 people cameras, you are going to get very different images.

Sometimes it's literally hit or miss. I like to shoot a lot of images and have the option of going back and finding those things that make an image that might not have gotten shot. One example comes to mind is one in which a guitarist had his guitar raised in the classic power chord display a la Pete Townsend. I almost deleted the shot because his face wasn't visible. Looking closer, his face was partially caught in the reflection on the back of his guitar and made for a very cool shot.

How would you describe an excellent concert photograph?

I think an excellent concert photograph is one that translates the moment. It's almost like you can hear it or feel the buzz from the performer. I also love color. So much of the intensity and chill factor comes from stage lighting and I think it really adds to the energy of the image. I also love to see any traditional composition or design elements in a photograph, such as repetition or direction. However, that's usually plain luck in being able to catch those things in the live music element. There's also a certain rawness or edge because it's not something that's planned or contrived.

What is your greatest achievement in concert photography?

My greatest achievement was getting my first concert shot and seeing the possibilities and feeling the buzz from doing it. After that, it's seeing my work published or used. That's an ego stroke which is as good as getting paid (and that's good because there isn't a lot of money to be made!). Opening up a collection of images for the first time and finding some great shots feels like that first time all over again. That's why I do it.

Name some photographers you admire. Why them?

Roger Krueger is fantastic. He shoots a lot of the punk bands that I grew up listening to and seems to capture their energy and attitude so well. He’s a very friendly guy that gave me some advice when I was starting out.

Adicts / Photo by Roger Krueger

Adicts / Photo by Roger Krueger

Lynn Goldsmith knocks me out. I remember her work in Creem Magazine including some early stuff of Deborah Harry live. I also really love her portraits and group shots. She captures musician's essence so well that I feel like I've just had a conversation with them. (See Lynn's website for screenshots!)


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

Guitars, flying hair - I love the movement in this shot. You know that this is loud. That big powerchord is rattling your teeth. I like the colors a lot. It's a dark shot and it's simple. There's a little repetition going on with the guitar necks and mops of hair. This is rock.

Photo by Valerie Shoaps