Brain Graffiti Zine's guide to photographer etiquette
By. Jess Kotlarz
In October 2024, I realized that shows would never be the same again. As the night rounded out with anticipation for the final band’s set, eight photographers formed a wall in front of the eager audience. I being one of them. The performing artist saw this as an issue and asked the photographers, “Could you please hug the wall so people can enjoy the show?” Only a few respected the artist, while some continued to stand front and center and photograph for the entirety of the show.
When I first entered the scene in 2022, concert photographers were few and far between. At most gigs during that time, there would be one to two -if any- photographers occupying the front row. At that time, the few that I saw a gigs were beginners doing it for fun while generally respecting both the audience and performers. With my partner becoming a known photographer in the scene, I was lucky to learn the basics of etiquette prior to starting to shoot shows on film. Other new photographers are not as lucky.
As time has gone on, concert photographers have become so concentrated at DIY gigs, which has led to gatekeeping and shaming from those who have experience towards those who lack the knowledge on etiquette. This has led to a divide between new and old photographers, which is unnecessary because both should be there for the same reason: to enjoy the show.
Right off the bat: to make it an enjoyable experience for the audience, while also allowing you to get close-up shots, is to crouch in the front row. This allows people to still enjoy the show while you create intimate shots. I know not everyone can crouch for a long time, and in that case, the next best solution is to hug the walls. It will still allow you to get good shots, but you have to be mindful of your space. Overall, the most important takeaway is to be mindful of your space.
Flash. You need to be mindful of how bright your flash is and how close you are to the artist. Keeping this in mind will make a much more enjoyable experience for the artist. The amount of time your flash is going off is super important as well. If you are taking 300 pictures a set with flash, it iis going off 300 times. Something that helped me was just the fact that I was shooting on film, so I would only take 24 to 36 shots for a whole show. Striving for quality over quantity is a good rule of thumb.
As a photographer, don’t be the main character; be a fly on the wall. Be mindful of your space (and especially height). You are there to capture the moment, not be the moment. Don’t sour the mood of a show just for your own personal gain- that one photo. At a show, people should be remembering how great their favorite band was, not how disrespectful a photographer was.
As photographers grow and new photographers enter the scene, there shouldn’t be a divide or alienation based on experience level. We should be welcoming with open arms to new photographers because we all start somewhere, and we all learn the hard way at some points. I myself have shown up to shows with many photographers and decided not to shoot because of the concentration of people shooting. It’s not the end of the world, and you don’t have to shoot every show.
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Being a fly on the wall is so important. I've had so many shows ruined by photographers who think capturing the artist at a front and center angle is the only thing that matters.
Great phrasing in the sentiment of capturing the moment, and not being the moment.