Concert photography

November rushed by. Somehow my Novembers are always full of fun but it makes time fly by. I have made new pictures but still didn’t find the time to upload more of my archives. Yes slowly I pick up my camera more and more at as Kids Rally, walks in nature (more in 2026 about that)  and concerts. But November to me is always busy with music making pictures at Veljanov in Bochum and I had to sing with the Osse Opera at the Osse Nacht.  On social media people asked me to give some insight how I work with concert photography and why I chose certain pictures.

About 20 years ago I started concert photography as a student photographer. During my studies Documentary  Photography  I worked as a reporter for my own Noize Magazine. Basically my workflow never changed. While most people focused on post- production my focus is on pre-production.

My workflow

• – Check the band and how they represent themselves
  
• – Check the fanbase online but also talk with them at the venue. It tells me more about the atmosphere and how they see their favourite band.
  
• – Respect the rules of the venue and band (mostly it’s making pictures a the first three songs).
  
• – Try to find the setting and right angel to captures as much as possible, even when you are standing in a small corner.  
  
• – Making the pictures take those full 15 minutes of window you have. That means full in from the first second the lights go on, only to even check te light. I work In raw so it gives me some more editing room. But still it’s a quick eye between finding the shots and settings.
  
• – When the camera is down I just try to enjoy the evening. This also helps me with my post processing.
  
• – Post processing I try to edit as soon as possible. But I’m really selective on the pictures that make the series. Not if they’re technically good but also does it have the right atmosphere and does it fit with the image of the artist.
  
• –  And most of my editing is just some balance setting and some cropping. But I my personal way is to make the picture that I have to edit as less as possible. Capture the moment at the moment and don’t create it afterwards.
  

You make pictures of some artist for 18 years now doesn’t make it a easy routine?

No, basically not because every tour, location is different. For me it’s a challenge to make better pictures every time. Find the rare moments capture them. Every time the feeling is different so you need to find the right expression that tells the story of the evening of that moment. Yes, it’s easier in the post process because you know what kind of images the band/artist likes so it makes it easier so select images but on the other side you look at different details that makes me as a photographer more pickier on the images I choose.

In a split second

The first pictures I want to write about is this split second take. I talk about the lower picture of the two.  This was within a speed mode series and all the pictures where like the op picture with expression. You can say it was a lucky shot. But most colleague photographers would only pick the top picture. Just because it fits his image a good expression that could sell in a magazine. For me the top picture isn’t special just a typical one. But that little smile just shows more of the relaxed vibe of the evening.

Caught in emotion

Yes I love to capture emotion. Every song brings different emotions. This picture was made during the last song of the concert (yes I was allowed to make pictures at the last song this time). It was the song “Dirt” it’s a emotionally heavy song an to be honest it always makes me cry. For me it also a song that they should never stop playing because it’s about pain and war.  These kind of emotional moment of Alexander you also see at Deine Lakaien concerts. But it’s mostly on moments when you are not allowed to make pictures or he turns away that you cannot capture the emotion.

For me this picture shows how emotional these concerts are. The visitors also experience the concert as a beautiful flow of emotions. For me this picture is the perfect balance of being in his emotional bubble, captured with respect and with his iconic signature look.

So this is a small look in my photography kitchen. Feel free to send me questions about my edits.

Full series of Veljanov – 12-11-2025 Bahnhof Langendreer, Bochum (DE)

Kind regards,
Helene Smits