For several years, I have been photographing local bands in Seattle, and live music is something I truly enjoy capturing. I think part of the reason is that it’s dynamic and constantly changing. There are lighting challenges, small venues to navigate, and the need to shoot within crowds to get the perfect shot. Unlike larger concerts, there’s no 'three songs and you're out' rule—you usually get to shoot the entire show. It becomes a collaboration between the band, the musicians, and the photographer, making it a win-win for everyone.

Monty Smith and Darlene Tyler of 80’s Ladies

Before I dive into these photos, I thought it would be a good time to share a couple of personal guidelines I follow when working with bands

1. I believe it’s important to get permission from the band, as they will also know if the venue is okay with you showing up with a camera and whether they want you there.

2. When shooting, always check behind you to make sure you're not blocking the audience's view. If you're working on the dance floor, get your shots, move to the side, and look for your next setup. The goal is to blend in so you don’t become a distraction. Wearing a black shirt is a simple way to help you stay inconspicuous.

Craig (CJ) McRae on drums — Craig (CJ) McRae on Drums

3. If you're sharing your work, make sure it not only represents you well but also highlights the musicians in the best way possible. For this show, I took over 6,000 images—something I’m a little embarrassed to admit! You might wonder, why so many? Well, I set my camera to shoot at six frames per second to capture those peak moments. Out of all those shots, only 134 made the cut. The editing process took about four hours, using Adobe RAW to scan through the images, select my favorites, apply color correction, and finalize them before delivering them to the band.

4. I like to let the images 'marinate' for a bit after I send them before sharing them myself. This also gives the band the opportunity to post their photos on social media first.

5. No flash. If you can't figure out how to adjust ISO and shoot in less-than-ideal lighting, there are plenty of YouTube videos that can help with basic camera settings. One trick I use—some venues rely heavily on red lighting, which is one of the worst conditions to shoot in. When shooting in RAW, I usually lower the exposure by half a stop to prevent faces and foreheads from being blown out. Then, I convert these red-drenched images to black and white for a cleaner look.

OK, let’s dive into the shoot. I keep it pretty simple at a show like this, so my kit isn’t too complicated.

For these images I used the following:

80's Ladies Seattle Band - Tina Hart — Tina Hart isolated in the shot using the Nikon 85mm Z Portrait lens @ f/1.8

I used the 24-120mm lens for about the first two songs, but I found that the 85mm portrait lens was a better choice for two reasons. First, it’s incredibly sharp—the best piece of glass I’ve ever shot with. You’ll even see me use it for street photography in some of my videos. Second, I wanted to keep the ISO down and was able to maintain it around 640 for most of the night. I shot a lot at f/1.8 but adjusted depending on the musicians' positions on stage, especially when trying to capture two performers in the same frame.

Monty Smith and Darlene Tyler 80's Ladies Seattle Band — There were a few moments when I wished I would have adjusted the f-stop to around f/5.6, especially in this image of Darlene and Monty. She’s a little soft, but I love the way they interact on stage.

What I Look For While Shooting

Darlene Tyler and Monty Smith 80's Ladies at Quilceda Creek Casino

One of the most critical things I look for is lighting. A good sound and lighting technician can make all the difference. This show was at the Quilceda Creek Casino in Marysville, Washington. For the first few songs, no stage lighting was being used—even though I could see thousands of dollars' worth of equipment in the trusses. But eventually, it was turned on, and I was a much happier photographer.

I like to capture the initial shots of all the musicians—of course, the guitarists and singers tend to get the most coverage, but don’t forget about the rhythm section, including the drummers and bassists. Next, I’ll start shooting from the side of the stage and from the back, at the center, to get full-stage images that the band might be able to use for their marketing. I began with the 24-120mm lens for these shots and then switched to the 85mm for the rest of the show.

Darlene Tyler 80's Ladies at Quiceda Creek Casino — Another technique I like to do is to get into the crowd a bit and use them as a way to frame the musicians. Though this is not the best example, I like this image of Darlene.

I also like to get details shots such as the shoes Darlene was wearing and also shots of the crowd having a good time. These photos can be good additions for Social media and the people attending the shows probably appreciate them as well.