Concert photography can be an under-appreciated art form. Some may see photography as a way to capture things that happen. However, great photographers have the ability to capture so much more than an event. They can capture vibes. They dictate perception. Photographers can make anyone who sees their portfolio feel like they were there. For NYC photographers specializing in concert photography, that is cardinal.
What could be more directly correlated to the art of photography than concerts? Concerts are all about vibes. A great concert can conjure indescribable emotions. Amazing photography is necessary in order to take us to the places we long for.
The best of the best NYC concert photographers
As everyone knows, we as a society are longing for a lot these days.
Longing for a sense of normalcy. We are longing for a sense of joy and happiness. We long to feel the way we did when life was simpler.
Before this horrible global pandemic. Our vibes were put on hold, as more pressing matters and concerns infiltrated our daily lives. Luckily for us, things are starting to come back a little at a time. Concerts are one of the things we have been missing out on. But fortunately, shows are back on the horizon.
All this being said, it is important that we take a moment to appreciate concert photographers, especially those in NYC, the hub of the culture in many respects. They, along with many other industries, are getting their businesses back of the ground and need our support.
So, here is a shoutout to local, NYC concert photographers who do incredible work and capture moments that make us feel alive.
Lauren Wohl
Loren Wohl is an impressive photographer. She has toured, she has taken great celebrity portraits, and she has captured some truly amazing live music photos. Her portfolio is full of natural beauty.
Wohl’s photos often feature soft, muted tones, even in very vividly colorful environments. These tones set her photos apart from the crowd and give her a unique style.
She has toured and photographed the Mad Decent Block Party Festival. She has also taken photos for Viceland and Time Out New York. Frank Ocean, Drake, Torey Lanez, and Danny Brown are among the many musicians she has photographed.
Her photo of Torey Lanez crowd-surfing at Mad Decent Block party is awesome.
It shows a vast, seemingly never-ending crowd, with the source of the crowd’s attention square in the middle. It does an amazing job of keeping the focus on the star, while expanding the viewer’s perspective using the immense crowd. We strongly encourage you to check out her website.
Ahron R. Foster
Ahron Foster is a talented, true New York photographer. He gracefully uses black and white filters that give excellent contrast and clarity.
These black and white photos also fit very well with the type of music he photographs, as well as the smaller indoor venues he frequents. His portfolio as a whole is full of versatility. If you scroll through his website, you will see many black and white photos, but you will also see photos with strikingly vivid colors.
Along with concerts, he also photographs very interesting portraits. Some colorful and light, and some city-based darker portraits that scream “New York Photography.”
His work has been published in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and over 15 other large, nationally known outlets.
He has also worked with, or photographed for countless local New York-based institutions, including the Village Voice, and The Atlantic Theater Company.
Setor Tsikudo
We have already published an entire article about the unique talent, and drive of Setor Tsikudo. However, you don’t need to take our word for it, since his portfolio speaks volumes for itself.
If I had to use three words to describe his concert pictures, they would be vivid, vivid, and vivid. His concert pics are so incredibly eye-popping for two reasons. Bright, fully saturated colors, and crisp, striking clarity.
These distinguishing characteristics make his work look like it jumps right out of the picture, and into wherever you are.
However, as with most of the photographers on this list, versatility is the name of the game. His online portfolio features multiple categories, including concerts, celebrities, polaroids, portraits, fashion, and events. His polaroid pictures feature many talented individuals and have the grainy, nostalgic appeal you would expect from a polaroid camera.
Chris Owyoung
In the industry of music photography, few people have been as notable as Chris Owyoung.
Chris started photographing concerts back in 2006, and let his passion for music carry him to the success he enjoys today. He occasionally works with his brother Todd, creating the photography team that they call The BrOwyoungs.
His work has been featured in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Billboard, and many other publications. He has also photographed for big companies like 7-Up, Red Bull, Spotify, and iHeartMedia.
There is a key element that differentiates Chris’ work from others. His work is not remarkable in that he has extreme saturation or takes intentionally blurry photos, or anything like that. What makes Chris’ portfolio special is his timing. He has a remarkable eye for timing and a knack for photographing things at the perfect time.
Drew Martin
Drew Martin is another very versatile photographer. More than capable of effectively photographing subjects in color, and black and white. In fact, on his website he has just two sections for his portfolio, black and white, and color.
One of the things that makes Drew’s work special is his extraordinary contrast between crisp foreground and blurry background. It makes the artist in each picture look flawless, atop a podium of excellence, even in more intimate venues.
But as stated previously, Versatility is king. His intentionally blurred photos are extremely impressive. Blurry photos can be a powerful tool when it comes to concert photography for a few different reasons.
The most important reason is that a blurry, but legible photo makes you feel like you were there, captured in the intensity of the moment being photographed. Drew’s blurry photos do just that.
In NYC and elsewhere, we experience concerts vicariously through talented concert photographers
No matter what you choose to do this summer, first and foremost, be safe. If you’re able, try to get to a show or two.
It’s not just the artists that need your help, its also a residual effect felt by everything involved in the concert, including the photography. If you liked what you saw from any of the artists featured, we encourage you to check out their work and support them in any way you can.