The Music Industry is full of creative people. From the musicians on stage playing music to the artists that make the posters that the promoters use to get people to the music venues. All the different people involved in making the music industry work have skill sets to be celebrated.
When it comes to how we celebrate the musicians we love and the concerts and events we’ve attended, there are few things more important than the job of the photographer. Music and concert photographers have helped define our emotions and memories surrounding our musical experiences. Every picture from the framed pictures on your wall to the “cover of a Rolling Stone” capture a moment in time and define experiences that connect us to the past, present and future.
Of these concert photographers, Jordan August has become one of the most intriguing photographers in the music scene. Starting his career in Baltimore MD often seen casually shooting concerts at the 8×10 and rarely ever missing a concert by the band The Bridge, the imagery of Jordan August quickly made him one of the most in demand music photographers in the mid atlantic.
As a musician as well as a concert photographer, August has an intimate familiarity with what it is like to be on stage and often finds the perfect moments to capture that evoke the emotion that the musician is truly feeling. That uncanny ability has led to August being the house photographer for The Mann Center in Philadelphia and a photographer of choice for bands, venues and festivals, capturing images for the likes of Glass Animals, The Struts, Outlaw Music Festival, Lord Huron, My Morning Jacket, Dropkick Murphy, Rancid, Sad Summer Festival, Flo Rida, Ballet X, Of King And Country, Ne-Yo, Saweetie, Theo Katzman, Cory Wong, Greensky Bluegrass, Jazz Is Phsh, Marcus King, Robert Plant, Nathaniel Rateliff, Phish, Brandi Carlile, Vampire Weekend, Tame Impala, Ja Rule, Ashanti, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Billy Strings, David Byrne, Umphreys McGee, Dispatch, Roger Daltrey, Moontaxi, Charm City Bluegrass Festival, Soulive, and the list goes on…
We are grateful that Jordan took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss his journey as a music photographer with us.
MM: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHER?
JA: It all started when I wanted to spend less on concert tickets to be honest. But after the first show and a few clicks in, I was hooked. Every show and band is so different that it never gets old and constantly keeps me on my toes and learning how to adjust in these crazy situations.
MM: WHO WAS THE FIRST MUSICIAN/BAND/EVENT THAT YOU EVER PHOTOGRAPHED?
JA: The first band I ever photographed was a local Baltimore, MD band, The Bridge. It was a free outdoor concert and I drove down from Philadelphia with my dog. I only brought a camera to get a good picture of him at his first live concert. I went up front with some friends and snapped a few photos, and thought, Damn, this is kinda cool.
MM: IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A GREAT PICTURE?
JA: Composition is everything but playing with the negative space in a band photo is most important. Stage lighting is never consistent, or bright enough. So it’s important to learn how to use the darkness of a photo to create the direction of the eye and emotion the viewer will hopefully feel.
MM: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHING MUSICIANS LIVE IN CONCERT VERSE IN A STUDIO OR STYLED SHOOT? DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE?
JA: I’ve never been great at shooting studio portraits. It takes so much communication and direction to make the subjects feel comfortable, and hell, for me to be comfortable. When shooting a concert, you don’t have to communicate with anyone really. You get to improvise and wait for a great gallery of shots. I’ve always been an instant gratification kind of guy. So to walk out of a show with 25-75 photos versus a portrait session where you really only get one photo that you have to sort through the hundreds to find that right one.
MM: WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS OF ALL TIME AND WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST OF THEIR WORK FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING INTRODUCED TO THEM?
JA: This is a wild question. As a concert photographer, but also a musician myself the answer is running all around my brain right now. Two part answer. 1 photographer and 1 musician I guess will have to be the best way to answer. As far as photography goes, Gregory Crewdson has been a big inspiration to me. He does large scale movie scene type urban landscape photos. That description doesn’t even begin to describe his work though. Musically, I have been inspired for over a decade by Cris Jacobs. As a guitar player he is the absolute best. As a person, he is the absolute best. Singer, song writer, family man, and truly an inspiration in life. Cant speak any more highly of that man.
MM: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER THAT WANTS TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHER?
JA: Another good one, and also an important one that I wish I had more advice on when navigating this crazy career. Best advice is to stay humble. Straight up. There are SO many concert photographers now that even though some may not be as talented or professional… they will get shoots instead of you. And thats ok. There are shows every night. Keep pushing. The other piece of advice is take really good care of your digital storage. Because you never know what small band is going to blow up and want that back catalogue. Ive lost a hard drive that wiped out over 4 years of photos.
MM: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE PEAK EXPERIENCES OF YOUR CAREER?
JA: Over a decade of shooting and traveling and partying… there are so many stories. Some that are totally incriminating too. Photographing Phish was massive for me personally and for my portfolio. Paul Simon was a highlight, Aretha Franklin is up there too. Landing the house photographer gig at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia was a game changing experience. 2022 will be my 7th season and I can’t wait to start shooting.
MM: FOR THE SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE WORLD, IS THERE A PRO TIP YOU ARE WILLING TO SHARE?
JA: Always have an extra battery, memory card, and check your ego at the door. And just be a nice person. We are all in this together and we need to look out for each other and help each other to make sure we’re getting what we want.
MM: WHAT GEAR ARE YOU USING THESE DAYS?
JA: I’m a Canon guy. 5DIII camera body. Canon 24-70 F2.8, Canon 70-200 F2.8, Sigma 15mm F2.8. I have a portable studio flash set up and what not, and some other lenses but that first part is my work horse rig for concerts and IMO, all three of those lenses are 100% needed to shoot every size room.
MM: WHAT GEAR WOULD YOU SUGGEST TO A PHOTOGRAPHER THAT IS JUST STARTING OUT?
JA: I think if you buy a good camera body that can handle high ISO and low light stuff that’s a great start. And then a 24-70mm lens that F2.8 or lower is essential. It’s important to remember that concert lighting is never as bright as it seems.
ABOUT JORDAN AUGUST:
“I have years of experience shooting a variety of subjects. I’ve never limited myself to one type or genre of photography. I love all aspects of the art and have been fortunate enough to create a very diverse portfolio. It took me some time to find my niche and create a name for myself in the industry. Concert photography has paved my path to success and become my area of expertise.
Music has been a huge part of my life since childhood. I have fond memories of seeing my father play the drums and singing songs with him starting at the early age of six. After graduation, I started to freelance in Philadelphia, PA before moving back to Baltimore, MD. Moving to a new city and not knowing anyone in the business or how to market myself was a challenge. I exposed myself into the mainstream art scene to get my brand into the forefront. I came up with a unique logo to make my work recognizable. A year later that logo, a simple tree with my name, “Jordan August” became the most sought after trademark of every local band.
When I started my career path concert photography was a way to combine two of my passions, taking photos and music. It was the perfect balance of work and play. That being said It took a little bit of time to realize that I could make a career out of it. There was very little competition in Baltimore leaving all doors open for me. What I loved was sitting right in front of me for the taking. Up until this moment of realization I was just a guy enjoying my favorite band and wanting to capture it with my camera.
I have now been given the ability to expand my media and creative outlets in ways I never thought was possible. My clientele ranges all over the country. Almost a decade later, 500+ concerts, 250+ bands and countless hours of editing all my hard work finally paid off. Jordan August Photography is officially a household name in fine art performance photography.”
