The Real World Guide to Hiring a Photographer for Your Band

The Stray Birds

Band photos have been a promotional tool for three-quarters of a century, but now that most music marketing is done via the highly visual medium of the internet, good photography has never been more important. That’s why one of your very first steps as an aspiring band or solo performer should be to invest in quality photography. In the beginning you can probably get by with a decently lit cellphone photo, but once you start to move beyond the occasional opening slot, it is time to invest in real photography. While the prospect of doing a real photo shoot may sound daunting, it doesn’t have to be.  As long as you put some thought into what you need and the vibe you want want, and find the right photographer, you’ll be golden! “But Nate, you’re the Sweet Guitar Tones guy. What do you know about photography?”  Quite a bit, actually. For the past 7 years, photography has been my primary artistic pursuit.  It grew out of my time managing bands and has taken on a life of its own. I’ve done promo shoots with regional and national bands.  I’ve also been fortunate enough to photograph some of my heroes live, like Brian Wilson, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Gov’t Mule, and the Pretty Reckless.

The Basics

So what do you really need? At the most basic level, you need at least one high-resolution photograph that represents your act well. Let’s be clear about what we mean by resolution. Think of the photos you take with your iPhone. When you go to email a photo to someone, you get size options, right? It’s usually something like small, medium, large and actual size.  At the very simplest level, you’re looking for that actual size photo. (Sometimes you can get away with large, but that may be pushing it.) That doesn’t mean you can get a friend to take a cellphone photo and send it to you as the actual size image and call it a day.  No disrespect to the smartphone manufacturers of the world, but their little cameras just don’t pass muster when it comes to press-quality images. While a cellphone photo may work for a Bandcamp page or even social media outlets, it won’t be good enough if you score a prestigious gig that comes with advance press coverage.  If you’ve ever seen a grainy photo in a low-budget magazine, you get the idea. Not a good look. If you’re lucky, an actual photographer went to one of your shows and sent you some shots with their watermark on them. While these photos probably look great on your phone or computer screen, they are almost certainly not high resolution because the photographer understands the value of high-resolution images. It might be tempting to pass off these marked photos as your own, or to try to remove the watermark in Photoshop yourself. Don’t do it. If the photographer catches you (and they will, especially if they’re a fan of your band), you and any media outlet using the images will be in a lot of trouble. Do the right thing and pay for the high-res versions. The photographer will probably be happy to sell them to you for a small fee. But for the sake of this post, let’s assume that there are no professional images you can purchase and you’re starting from scratch.

Inspiration Photos

If you already have a idea what you’re looking for in band photos, you’re ahead of the game.  If you don’t have that mapped out yet, start by going online and looking at band photos (or other photographs that speak to you). Pay attention to what you like and don’t like in these inspiration shots. This will save time when you reach out to a photographer, because “What style are you looking for?” will be one of their first questions. Laugh all you want, but this is a great excuse to check out Pinterest.  Pinterest is not just for wedding planning and DIY decorating projects — it’s also full of killer photos! You can even make a board to keep track of the images that you really like.

Fire in the Field

Before you get too far into your planning process, make sure everyone in your band agrees on the intended focus.  The last thing you want is an Almost Famous-style band argument because the photos show a frontman surrounded by some blurry people.  That may be fine if the band is a bunch of hired guns supporting a central figure, but you don’t want the drummer to see the proofs and feel like a second-class member of the band.

Hiring a Photographer

Thanks to the proliferation of “prosumer” photography equipment, there are many more photographers out there doing quality work than there used to be. But there’s no accreditation or licensing process for photographers, so anyone can claim to be one. That means you’ll need to do some research before paying someone for photography. If you’ve got friends in the scene who have great band photos, you can start by asking them who they worked with. But let’s assume that you’re new in town. How do you find a good photographer? Start with the local art paper.  There’s a good chance that the person shooting musicians for the paper would love to grab a few extra bucks shooting your band.  If they’re too busy, they’ll likely be able to point you to someone reputable.

Novel/ Novella. The woman is actually significantly shorter than the man, so I edited this image to create a more balanced effect.

Turning to social media is also a great idea.  Most photographers tag the location where they shot their images, so finding active photographers in your area shouldn’t be a challenge. Also, you can scan through their social media accounts to check out what else is in their portfolio.

Reaching Out

Once you’ve identified a photographer whose style you like, it’s time to reach out.  The good news here is that while some venues may be a little challenging to contact, photographers practically trip over themselves making their contact information easy to find. If you’ve found a photographer who doesn’t make it easy to contact them, I’d suggest that you pass.  They’re not firing on all cylinders, and you’ll be able to find others who will be easier to work with. Just like booking gigs, soliciting a photographer is a business transaction. The person in your band who is trusted to be the point of contact for gigs should also handle this interaction.

Martin England and the Reconstructed

Be Prepared for Questions

Even if you send the photographer a novel about what you’re looking for — which I do NOT recommend! — be prepared for them to come back with questions before they send you a quote. Resist the temptation to immediately assume that they are trying to rip you off.   Yes, they will likely be trying to maximize their payday, but a reputable photographer will recognize that it’s better to work often for good money than occasionally for great money.  They’d rather cultivate a long-term client than shoot a band once and never hear from them again. They’re hoping that if they knock this shoot out of the park, you’ll call them the next time you need photos. That’s right — this probably won’t be the only time you get band photos done. You never know… Your lineup could change, or your group’s look could drastically change (maybe your singer decides to shave his head!). Eventually you’ll just want updated images because these ones have gotten stale. Good photographers ask questions to make sure they understand your vision and can achieve that vision. No photographer wants to disappoint a client, and their only defense against that is to ask the right questions beforehand.

Understanding the Quote

A lot of variables go into the quote a prospective photographer gives you.  The most obvious element is the amount of time it will take for the photographer to travel to the location, do the shoot, and travel home or to their next gig. The less obvious elements are things like editing time, gear rental, location costs, and other factors that the subject of the photos (you) do not have to deal with.  Unless you’re going for a completely natural-light concept like a golden hour shoot, the photographer will probably show up with a large bag filled with lights, stands, and other equipment to make sure you’re properly lit.

North to Port. They wanted to shoot in a friend’s barn, so I brought lighting.

Knowing about these elements can actually help you negotiate the price.  For example, you can save on studio costs if you have access to a great location and your photographer has the gear to shoot there.  If the photographer needs to hire an assistant to help carry gear and provide assistance that does not require photographic training, perhaps a band member or friend can fill that role. While photo studios are great for making sure the proper gear is in place (just like a recording studio), they usually don’t offer much in terms of built-in vibe. Maybe that works for you because you’re just looking for a shot of your band against a solid background. But if you want something more unusual or eye-catching, I’d recommend alternative locations.

Gretchen and the Pickpockets. For this image, the band wanted an infinite white background. To get that, we went to a studio with a cyclorama.

Whatever you do, please do not run to the closest brick wall or set of railroad tracks! These concepts have been done to death.  Frankly, the only bands that have any business being photographed in a railyard these days are string bands, since that at least ties into the origins of the music. If someone in your band has a relationship with a local club, restaurant, or some other establishment that has an interesting look, ask to shoot in the space when it’s closed to the public. I shot a band in a retro diner once, and the photos came out awesome!

Gretchen and the Pickpockets, in a local diner

If your band has more than four members, be prepared for the quote to be a little higher than if it would be for a smaller band.  It’s hard enough to get two or three people to all look great at the same time, and it gets exponentially harder with each person you add.  A large band shoot will take longer and cost a bit more. Your desired deliverables will also impact the quote.  If you want 10 fully edited, high-resolution images, that will cost more than just 5 images.  If you don’t want the photographer to use the photographs for their portfolio (including their website and social media), expect an upcharge.  The reason for this is that they would ordinarily own the copyright to the image, just like you (or your publishing company) own your songs. If you require them to give up those rights as part of the deal, it will cost you.

The Two Sides of Exposure

Bands that are just starting out often play shows where they’re paid in exposure, which is a euphemism for “no actual money.” That gets old pretty quick. If you’d be insulted to be offered only exposure for a gig, don’t pass on that insult to another artist. You might be able to find an aspiring photographer who needs content for their portfolio and will shoot your band for free, but you should be cautious because you don’t know what you’ll get.  If you need photos in the next month for something important, it’s safer to go with a more experienced photographer and pay them with actual money. If your band is more widely known, you should be prepared for the price to be higher than it was when you were starting out.  While your photographer will be psyched that your band is starting to gain national attention, they will also take that into consideration when they give you the quote. Think about a politician hiring a photographer for a headshot —  a politician running for a spot on a small-town school board would expect to pay less than someone running for the United States Senate!

Planning the Shoot

The shoot plan should include the call time for all parties (when they’re expected to be present) as well as the start time (when they’re expected to be ready to start the shoot).  If you’re doing multiple looks as part of the shoot, everyone should understand the order in which you’ll be working and which outfits should be worn when if there are wardrobe changes. Just like with playing gigs, it is important to be on time. If your band has the 9:20 to 9:50 PM slot and you’re not ready to go at 9:20, that doesn’t magically push back the 10 PM band — it eats into your set time.  Similarly, if you’re shooting with a busy photographer and you have booked them for 3 PM to 5 PM, there is a very good chance that they will have to leave promptly at 5 PM to head to their next engagement. So if it’s 3 PM and the singer is still trying on shirts, just know that you’ll have to move faster through the schedule to get it all done. Keep in mind that the photographer will have packed their gear based on the plan you established in advance. Big last-minute changes, like switching from a natural-light-only shoot to a shoot in a dark club, might not be possible unless your photographer happens to have brought extra gear for their next gig.

On-Set Indulgence

Repeat after me:  You are not Keith Richards or 70’s Steven Tyler.  Do not show up to your shoot wasted. Do not sneak off to get high during your shoot. It is obvious when someone is out of sync with the rest of the group because they’re in a chemically altered state. Photoshop is a wonderful tool, but it can’t fix stoned eyes — unless you want to pay for professional retouching services, and I really doubt you do! I’m not trying to push a chem-free agenda here.  If you need to loosen up a bit due to nerves, that’s fine — just know where the line is and stay on the good side of it. For some guidance check out this post from a Brazilian photographer that went viral a while back.

Turnaround Time

Turnaround time should be discussed in advance.  If you have a deadline, you should be upfront about that so you won’t be disappointed and the photographer won’t be taken by surprise. After the shoot, the photographer will cull the worst images from the hundreds (or thousands!)  they took. Next, they will use their professional judgment to select the images they believe have the most potential before they show you any. The next steps vary greatly from photographer to photographer, so you should inquire about their workflow and your desire for input in the planning process. Eventually the ball will be in your court, and you will be presented with a range of images to choose from.  The longer you take to decide on finalists, the longer the project will take — and the more likely it is that the photographer will have to prioritize more urgent projects. Be sure to respond in a timely manner, and get input from other band members as needed.

Credit Where Credit is Due

Once the deliverables are in hand and you begin to use your new photos in your marketing efforts, don’t forget to credit your photographer.  Usually photographers’ contracts require that the images are credited where practical. That means that you don’t have to include the watermark every time you use the photo, but you should definitely make sure the photographer is credited anytime you submit the image for publication. For example, if a newspaper is running the photo with a feature on your band, the photo should appear with the photographer’s name (not merely “Courtesy Photo”). If you had a great experience with a photographer, consider providing them with a reference that they can use in their social media.  They will probably tag you when they share it, and a rising tide raises all ships!

What to Do if You’re Not Happy with Your Band Photos

Hopefully you love your photos, but if you don’t, your first step should be to address the issue with the photographer privately and respectfully.  Most photographers recognize that they are in a service industry, and if their client is not happy with the service they need to make it right. What if your photographer is not responsive to your concerns? This is where documenting your expectations and the plan for the shoot in writing can pay off.  If the photographer agreed in writing to provide X but gave you Y, it is pretty easy to demonstrate that there is a problem and ask for a reasonable remedy. But if there was no agreement beyond “Sure, I’ll take your band photos for $X,” then as long as you technically have band photos and you paid $X you don’t have much to stand on. At all costs, resist the urge to publicly call out the photographer.  If they treat you disrespectfully or your reasonable complaints are met with hostility, a negative review may be in order, but don’t drag your band’s good name into the mud. Just move on and find a better photographer for your next project.

The Press vs. the Fans vs. the Venue

Each player in the music business is after something different when it comes to photographs.  The press wants something it can publish. Depending on how scandalous your band’s image is, you may need to have one image you use in the press and a different image for communicating with your fans.  Even the Beatles once went too far with their photos and had to walk back an album cover – and what was BEFORE the heavy psychedelics that came into the picture after Revolver. The venue usually wants an image that makes a good poster, or can be added to a poster. Part of your planning process with the photographer should be to ask them to shoot a little wider than they normally would. That way you’re keeping your design options open, because the poster can have either a portrait or landscape orientation. That also provides space to add text about the event around the image. You can always crop a photo tighter, but you can’t expand it out wider after it has been shot.