Blast from the Past

I used to do a lot of concert photography. I loved taking pictures and loved going to concerts, and the combination of the two seemed a logical next step. And then I stopped!

The Black Box Revelation

I started taking pictures at concerts because I was taking pictures all the time anyway. It turned out to be fun so I did some research on the technical side and just went at it (this sounds extremely similar to the way I taught myself how to sew. Or knit. Or... Most things really). My first pictures were pretty terrible, but I got some lucky shots sometimes and that was very encouraging.

Andrew Bird

Taking pictures also gave me something to do: I was super shy at the time and since I couldn't always find people to join me to a concert the camera gave me a reason to go by myself, something I never would have done otherwise. It gets easier if you have something in your hands and a clear purpose.

Grizzly Bear

I was also attracted to the technical challenges. Concert photography is hard: you have a combination of very low light and potentially lots of movement, which can make things tricky. I always took loads of pictures and was stoked if I had five good ones.

Dez Mona

I posted my photos on my previous blog, and after a while I was contacted by a group of young concert photographers in Antwerp. They had a deal with a local concert venue: free entrance in exchange for pictures, and they asked me to join them. I didn't even think about it!

Absynthe Minded

It was pretty fun for a while. I saw at least one concert a week and got to see a lot of bands I wouldn't have seen otherwise. But then I realised I had another hobby that was slowly turning into work, like drawing.

Vivian Girls

After a while, I just got a bit fed up with it. Sure, I was seeing a lot of concerts, but I had to go home right after the end to edit my pictures. I had deadlines. And if things just didn't work and none of the photographs turned out any good, I just felt bad instead of shrugging it off.

Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele

I didn't enjoy my hobby anymore. I wanted to listen to the music and watch the bands play without thinking about light and composition all the time. So I stopped taking pictures at concerts.

Mauro Pawlowski

This whole story is the main reason why I'm wary of turning sewing or knitting into more than a hobby. What if the same thing happens? What if pressure and deadlines make me not like it anymore?

Dez Mona

So, there it is. I used to take pictures at concerts, and I don't anymore. They do make for some nice memories!

like this one!