Discover some legendary international photographers that immortalized unique musical events
Without television and other media platforms, pop, rock, and rap music would hardly have survived. Music created since the second half of the 20th century is essentially visual: it relies on the artist’s exploited image to reach the rest of the world. For this reason, it is easy to understand the importance of the work of concert photographers. These professionals help turn artists into legends through their incredible photos and consecrate them in popular culture history books.
Aside from dealing with their musician subjects’ various personalities, concert photographers must also consider many other variables. “ The act of photographing a show requires mastering different equipment, knowledge of photometry, etc. Generally, you’ll have to deal with a great variety of lighting situations and a lot of movement on stage. What you need to ensure good and consistent results in this type of photography is practice: trial and error are what makes us. Trust me: if you can handle this part of the job, you’ll have a great time,” says Bruna Prado, one of the most renowned concert photographers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
We’ve put together a list of eight fantastic concert photographers—current and historical—, and some of their incredible work, a visual record of some of the best music produced over the last few decades.
Jim Marshall
Starting our list is Woodstock's official photographer. Born in the US in 1936 (he died in 2010), Jim Marshall’s lens immortalized the muddy apotheosis of peace, love, and excesses that was the most legendary (if not the first) of all big music festivals.
A feature published by Rolling Stone magazine claims that his portraits of musical legends Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan, among many others, "helped define the protagonists of rock, and rock photography itself."
