The Job of a Rock Photographer on the Road

When you are young, you are often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  The standard answers are doctor, lawyer, veterinarian, or policeman.  For some, however, the one and only answer is: rock photographer.

A rock photographer takes pictures of rock bands and while that does sound like (and possible is!) one of the coolest jobs on earth, it comes with some demands that the photographer needs to keep in mind. This type of photographer may tour with the band to capture their life on the road as well as their shows.  The upside of this is that you are traveling with celebrities and hanging out with them.  The downside is that you are doing a serious job.  The job of a rock photographer that is travelling with the band is not limited to showing up at the nightly show and snapping a few pictures.  To document the tour, you are taking photos during set up, during travel time, at the diners, during rehearsals, and after the show.  Your work hours are very long and you will be up most of the night.  You are hearing the same concert night after night, day after day and you must always be on alert to capture an iconic rock star photo. Being this type of photographer is not for the faint of heart. 

A rock photographer must be extremely mindful of his or her equipment.  A misplaced camera full of photographs of the band could quickly turn into a scandal not to mention the damage loosing important photos would cause to your professional reputation.  You must always keep your equipment charged, ready and in working order.  The middle of a show is not the time to be running out to the van to look for your flash or telescoping lens.  The show will not wait for you; you must always be prepared. 

Speaking of scandals, you will be privy to the band’s most private moments.  Calm moments with lovers between shows, heated arguments among band mates, or even just moments of acting plain goofy will be captured by your lens.  You will be trusted not to sell these photographs to tabloid magazines or use them to threaten or harass the band.  The right photo in the wrong hands can cause the band plenty of unwanted attention.  You do not want to be the perpetrator due to misplaced photos or unethical behavior. 

This is not to say that the life of a rock photographer is not without glamour.  Few people can say they travelled with a rock band and took photos of music legends.  Few people have the opportunity to take that one defining photo of a rock star that makes history.  The key is to remember that no matter how much fun it is to be a rock photographer, it is a job and a job that must be taken seriously and professionally.

Now having said that, it is never too late to change careers and if you are still wondering what you want to be, perhaps you want to be a rock photographer!