New Jersey Stage 2015 - Issue 10 | Page 87

The Art of Concert Photography By Gary Wien In the old days, it was hard to take photographs at concerts. If you didn’t have a photo pass as a member of the media, you had to sneak in a camera. Chances are you were either shooting from a distance or risked having your camera removed by security. These days, you’ll see many people with digital cameras and even more taking pictures with their cell phones at every show. Many consider themselves photographers, but a true photographer sees things or does things with their photos that amateurs NewJerseyStage.com cannot. Bob Beucler’s work is a good example. He doesn’t just take pictures; he gives his photos an art-like quality. “I’m not very technical; I just know what I like to see,” explained Beucler. “I do favor a style that I guess I would refer to as live-event portraiture. The only thing I’m trying to achieve with each photo is I want people to think it’s an interesting image. If the viewer feels the image is interesting, then the performer in the photograph might look more interesting, too.” 2015 - ISSUE 10 87