My #1 tip for any photographer– or any creative professional– is to BE A STORYTELLER. I know, maybe that seems obvious to a writer or actor, but it applies equally to photographers and other visual artists.
This week, I’m privileged to be shooting the buildout and performance of the iHeartRadio Music Festival for the 3rd straight year. As a lover of concerts from the audience, I’m fascinated how many moving parts there are backstage, and just how long it takes to set up such an elaborate show! This festival clocks in at 5 days of pre-production! I see myself not only as the photographer, but also the biographer of the event. There’s a story here, and it’s my job to tell it.
In my mind, the story of the buildout revolves around all the little parts that come together to make up such an enormous event, so it’s my mission to think outside of the box and document the elements in as artful a style as I possibly can. I’m looking at the bigger picture with my wide angle lens, but focusing on all the small, overlooked elements with my macro. In any situation it’s the photographers job to turn nothing into something, just as the iHeart Festival is being created from thousands of little parts that on their own are meaningless. With a sharp eye and the right tools, the storytelling possibilities are endless…
