Tour Photography with Anna Lee

<section>
  <h2>Can you introduce yourself and your practice as a photographer?</h2>
  <p>My name is Anna Lee, and I am a Los Angeles-based music and editorial photographer, specializing in touring. I work largely with artists and their management teams directly to create images on tour, while traveling with them across the country and the world.</p>
  <figure>
    <img src="anna-lee-early-tour-days.jpg" alt="Anna Lee in her early tour days" />
    <figcaption>Anna Lee early tour days</figcaption>
  </figure>
</section>

<section>
  <h2>How did touring first become part of your career / how did you get involved in touring?</h2>
  <p>I got my first touring gigs by pitching myself to smaller bands who were actively on the road.</p>
  <p>At the time, I was still living in my hometown of Oklahoma City, OK, in the US. I had spent a few years shooting what music I could locally, creating a modest but workable live music portfolio. Most importantly, I had the larger goal of being part of a touring team as a photographer.</p>
  <p>In 2014, without any connections or leads, I researched small bands that were actively touring. I dug up contact info for their teams, or found their band profiles on early iterations of social media, and sent cold emails and messages offering to join them for short stints of tour. After around 40–50 outreach attempts, a band called Smallpools took me up on the offer. Smallpools was in a heavy support band touring circuit at the time to build their audience and gain fans, so it was a great, mutually beneficial arrangement. Importantly for me, they were frequently supporting mid-size bands on national tours, which allowed me to build relationships with other artists I would go on to work with—this was key to my early touring career foundation.</p>
  <figure>
    <img src="day-in-the-life.jpg" alt="Day in the life on tour" />
    <figcaption>Day in the life</figcaption>
  </figure>
</section>

<section>
  <h2>What does being a “tour photographer” involve day to day?</h2>
  <p>The job description of being a tour photographer has evolved dramatically over the last 10–15 years. It is such a new field that it barely existed when I started, and it was seen more as a luxury and non-critical role on a tour. Fast-forward to today, and the role of tour photographer is essential for feeding the content machine we use to keep up with our favorite artists, and discover new ones. All of that said, it has been a journey for the entire industry to discover and define its music photography needs—starting as “nice to have” and evolving into a necessary marketing resource. And the role continues to evolve.</p>
  <p>What the role entails will vary based on the needs and aesthetic of the artist. The artist, their team, and the photographer work together to agree on expected deliverables and schedules that best serve the needs of the tour. Regardless, the essential functions of being a tour photographer are shooting the live show, capturing behind-the-scenes (BTS) moments throughout the tour experience, and sometimes creating environmental portraits. From there, it can overlap into video and social media content creation roles, depending on the size and budget of the tour.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="live-show.jpg" alt="Anna Lee photographing a live show" />
    <figcaption>Live show</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>1. Live Show</h3>
  <p>The live show itself only occupies a couple of hours of the day, but for the tour photographer, much of the primary storytelling happens here. A good photographer covers not only the artist on stage—including individual band members and any accompanying performers—but also captures the overall energy of the show: the fans, the venue, and a variety of details both large and small. We’re documenting this experience for the artist’s audience, but also for the artist themselves. We are the stewards of their career’s visual archive.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="bts.jpg" alt="Behind-the-scenes moments on tour" />
    <figcaption>Behind the scenes</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>2. BTS</h3>
  <p>“Behind-the-scenes moments” is a wide net that we cast around many things, including sound check, backstage candids, artists with guests and friends, downtime and day-off activities, artist warm-ups and rituals, production details, tour crew documentation, and much more.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="portraits.jpg" alt="Environmental portraits on tour" />
    <figcaption>Portraits</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>3. Portraits</h3>
  <p>On-tour portraits, or “environmental portraits,” are a unique element of what a photographer can offer. They are typically casual, on-site portraits done on the fly or with a modest, travel-ready equipment setup. The on-call level of access and continuous proximity to the artist creates fun opportunities to style a quick portrait at almost any time.</p>
</section>

<section>
  <h2>Touring Work</h2>

  <h3>How do you find bands to tour with / or how do bands find you?</h3>
  <p>There are several ways an artist might find their photographer:</p>
  <ol>
    <li>
      <strong>Direct Pitching:</strong>
      <p>This is how I worked my way into my first few tour gigs, and it still plays a role in my overall work acquisition. Reaching out to artists and their teams and sharing your work and availability is a great way to make new connections. While this method tends to be a long game, it’s an essential part of growing your career. This also includes responding to public calls for photographers to fill a gig.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <strong>Online Presence:</strong>
      <p>Having a strong online presence and a solid portfolio can help potential clients find you and possibly even reach out if they see exactly what they’re looking for in your work. Having your work online is also an essential component of the direct pitch approach.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <strong>Referral:</strong>
      <p>Referrals are perhaps the most effective way a potential artist client will find you—this is because the element of trust is already built in. It’s less of a gamble for the client to hire you if one of their existing relationships can vouch for you.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
      <strong>Agency:</strong>
      <p>Agencies have represented photographers for decades, and as music photography becomes more popular, there are niche agencies for this exact lane. Typically, you’ll need to build a career, develop a body of work, and form a relationship with an agency to eventually become part of their roster.</p>
    </li>
  </ol>

  <h3>What do bands typically look for in a touring photographer?</h3>
  <p>Beyond being a capable photographer, being a touring photographer requires specialized skills and personal adaptability. Qualities that a band or artist look for in this role are:</p>
  <ol>
    <li><strong>Speed:</strong> The ability to work quickly, as the content is very time-sensitive and often needs to be delivered the same night or the next day.</li>
    <li><strong>Interpersonal skills:</strong> The ability to work well on a team and with the artist, as you will be living with, traveling with, and working in close quarters with everyone on the tour. You also need to be able to build rapport and trust with the artist—their tour content is deeply personal to them, their brand, and their platforms.</li>
    <li><strong>Variety:</strong> Having an eye for variety is critical, as you’ll shoot the same show production over and over. Being able to keep it visually varied and interesting is a specific skill of a tour photographer.</li>
    <li><strong>Availability + Adaptability:</strong> Touring artists need a photographer on their team who has the availability to travel for extended periods, and can adapt to life on the road while still being able to create efficiently.</li>
    <li><strong>Photography skill:</strong> One of the most important aspects of creating images for a tour is the ability to capture the full experience and the fan energy and enthusiasm at the show via impactful images, as the photos are a powerful resource for building awareness and selling the tour.</li>
  </ol>

  <figure>
    <img src="live-show-upstage-catwalk.jpg" alt="Live show from upstage or catwalk vantage point" />
    <figcaption>Live show - upstage / catwalk vantage point</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>Did your approach to tour photography change when on the road rather than photographing a single show?</h3>
  <p>My approach to live music photography changes quite a bit from a single live show to touring. A one-off live show requires only the primary skill of live music photography. Being on tour means you’ll exercise your craft in many different areas: candids, documentary, portraits, etc. You’ll have good lighting or bad lighting, endless amounts of time or mere seconds, undivided attention or chaos. You learn to make the best images you can in nearly any environment. (This is the superpower of the tour photographer!)</p>
  <p>From the photographer’s perspective, the pros of being on tour are: access, artist relationship, and repetition. As part of the touring team, you have all-access. You can shoot from almost any and all vantage points freely—from the stage to the far corners of the venue, even the rooftops of stadiums! The relationship to the artist makes the work feel especially meaningful. And being able to shoot the same show over and over has the benefits of becoming extremely familiar with the show, and of allowing you multiple chances to get the perfect shot of a moment.</p>
  <p>The primary con for me is the repetition and the challenge of keeping the same show creatively interesting in the images.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="small-live-show.jpg" alt="A small live show photographed on tour" />
    <figcaption>Small live show</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>What advice would you give to photographers trying to break into tour photography?</h3>
  <p>If you’re looking to break into tour photography, these are the steps I’d advise working through. They don’t have to happen in this order exactly, but this is a natural path:</p>
  <ol>
    <li>Gain experience where you can. Shoot small, local shows. Get your photos into the hands of the artist however you can, as fast as you can. This is in hopes that they will share the photos on their platforms with credit to you, so that you can not only build relationships with artists as they grow, but so that your photos will be seen by their networks.</li>
    <li>Set up a solid portfolio online. This does not need to be fancy or complicated. Have a simple website with your strongest photos and contact info, and a photography-specific social media account at the very least. In addition to sharing your images with the artists, you should be sharing your strongest shots via your own portfolio and accounts, and tagging the artists.</li>
    <li>
      <strong>Pitch yourself</strong>
      <p>Once you have at least a small body of work online, start reaching out to artists and their teams offering your services. Starting with smaller artists who are opening for larger artists will give you the best entry point. You can also reach out to industry peers to meet up and network. When doing this, it’s best practice to offer something of value to them in return—from buying them a coffee to offering to assist on a gig to gain experience. Be patient, consistent, and resilient! It can take a while to get momentum at the beginning.</p>
    </li>
  </ol>
</section>

<section>
  <h2>Life on the Road</h2>

  <figure>
    <img src="tour-bus-anna-on-stage.jpg" alt="Tour bus and Anna on stage" />
    <figcaption>Tour bus / Anna on stage</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>What is a typical day on tour like for you?</h3>
  <p>Currently for me, a typical day on tour starts with sound check and ends when I’ve finished editing each night’s photos.</p>
  <p>On an average bus tour (traveling between cities on a tour bus), I’ll wake up on the bus in a new city. This usually happens quite late, as I’ve been up late working the night before. I get ready for the day and sort out some breakfast on the bus. We’re typically parked at that day’s venue by this time, so I head inside to get a lay of the land and set up my “office”. From here until sound check is personal time, and a chance to catch up on any other work and life things.</p>
  <p>I’ll hang around the stage for sound check to get a feel for that room’s lights, space, etc. I will also scout the venue, and find my way around all the different shooting areas during this time. After sound check is an opportunity for some artist candids or even on-site portraits if desired. From there, until the artist warms up is more open-ended time to edit any photos taken up to this point, get dinner, etc.</p>
  <p>Once the doors are open, I spend some time documenting the fans and their experience. Then backstage again to get artists warm-ups and rituals. I’ll set my gear in a designated location on or near the stage for easy access during the show. I like to also find some time in here, or during the day to capture the crew members at work.</p>
  <p>Finally I shoot the live show, including walk-on and walk-off, and any needed moments immediately after the show—such as the artist with their guests, or after party moments. Then I go straight into editing, while also packing up my belongings as quickly as possible to transfer back to the bus. Sometimes I’ll need to finish up edits on the bus if we have to leave before I’m done. Once I’ve uploaded my deliverables, I get ready for bed and go to sleep, while the bus drives us to our next destination.</p>

  <h3>What are some of the hardest parts of being on the road?</h3>
  <p>Touring is really exciting, but there are some very challenging aspects to the lifestyle.</p>
  <p>The main challenge is the physical toll it takes. Constant travel and cohabitating in small spaces makes routine difficult. You also spend almost every day in a separate city or even country. You’re re-inventing the wheel every day, so to speak. Tasks that would be quick at home—like finding places to eat or do laundry—take extra time and research when you’re always in a new place. It’s important to carve out time for rest, to detach from the tour, and for physical upkeep as much as possible!</p>
  <p>The other, less visible challenge is being disconnected from your life at home. It takes a lot of effort to sustain your relationships with friends and family. Adult responsibilities also tend to pile up while you're gone. I always go through a process of “life catchup” every time I come home.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="fans.jpg" alt="Fans at a live show" />
    <figcaption>Fans</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>What are some of the most rewarding or unexpected moments / your favourite moments?</h3>
  <p>Touring also comes with many rewards and unexpected moments! The main one being the relationships you develop with your tour family on the road. There are few opportunities as an adult to have such an extreme bonding experience with other people. You’re roommates, co-workers, and friends—all working toward a common goal, and sharing the same experience. You’re in a bubble that no one outside of it will ever experience. There’s something very special about that.</p>
  <p>Outside of the bond with my tourmates, my favorite experiences involve interactions with the artist’s fans. Being on the tour, especially if you work with the same tour long-term, the photographer tends to become a fixture of the artist’s visual presence, especially on social media. The fans come to know you, and really value your photos. Knowing that my photos have such a broad and enthusiastic audience makes me so grateful to work in this field.</p>
  <p>The larger the artists that I work with, the more legs my photos have, so I end up seeing my work all over the world—from publications, to massive social media accounts, to billboards in Times Square. It’s quite surreal!</p>
</section>

<section>
  <h2>Connections</h2>

  <figure>
    <img src="live-show-connections.jpg" alt="Live show photography capturing connection and trust" />
    <figcaption>Live show</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>Touring involves spending long amounts of time together - how do you build trust?</h3>
  <p>Beyond your sheer skill as a music photographer, your ability to gain the trust of your client is the most crucial undertaking. The main pathway for accomplishing this is through proof of concept—being able to consistently deliver results that the artist is excited about. The first couple days to a week of being on tour with anyone new is the window in which you are proving what you can do. Capturing solid, creative, and unique photos, and turning them around quickly will show your skill and reliability. Doing these things with consistency will solidify the trust long-term.</p>
  <p>Aside from the concrete deliverables, your personality plays a large role in clicking with the artist, and making them comfortable. Displaying confidence (not ego) in your approach, and communicating well with the artist, will aid in that process of earning trust. Communicate your approach clearly without over-explaining. Be bold in inserting yourself to capture a moment, while using your discernment on when to hang back. Take feedback gracefully. All of these things let the artist know you have their best interest at the center.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="bts-trust.jpg" alt="Behind-the-scenes moments that build trust" />
    <figcaption>Behind the scenes</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>How does gaining a band’s trust change the photographs you’re able to make?</h3>
  <p>On tour, you have the benefit of time. Long-term familiarity and becoming a known quantity to the artist can increase their comfort level with you. This, combined with established trust, makes the creative relationship really special. The artist may even directly collaborate and bring photo and content ideas to try.</p>
  <p>Whether they are directly involved in this way or not, the established trust often allows you unrestricted access to the artist’s space. This means you can focus more on getting magical photos, and less on navigating permission.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="bts-camera-down.jpg" alt="Behind-the-scenes moments showing when to shoot and when not to" />
    <figcaption>Behind the scenes</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>How do you know when to put the camera down and when to keep shooting?</h3>
  <p>Knowing when to keep shooting and when to put the camera down is a delicate balance, which you develop over time. This applies to interacting directly with the artist, and while shooting the show.</p>
  <p>With the artist, both observing over time and asking questions will inform you of their tolerance for being photographed. Some artists love constant coverage, while others prefer the absolute minimum necessary. You want them to trust that you are aware of shooting opportunities, without making them feel observed and “on” 24/7. When it comes to BTS specifically, it took some practice for me to make peace with not capturing every moment, just because I could make an image of it—rather, realizing that the moments I do capture will be stronger and more meaningful when approached with discernment.</p>
  <p>During the show, it can be tempting to over-shoot. This can be an issue in that it creates a lot of extra work for yourself with selects and editing. Having at least a basic plan about what you want to capture, and being intentional about what doesn’t need to be captured for the 14th time, will help make the job feel more sustainable without burning you out. Personally, I put my camera down for portions of a show to moderate my shooting volume. This also gives me an opportunity to observe the scene, and decide my next moves. I remain ready to capture a unique moment, without shooting for the sake of shooting.</p>
</section>

<section>
  <h2>Creating Special Images</h2>

  <figure>
    <img src="live-show-fresh-work.jpg" alt="A live show image that feels fresh and dynamic" />
    <figcaption>Live show</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>How do you keep your work fresh while on tour?</h3>
  <p>Keeping your work fresh on tour is one of the biggest challenges of this job, because you’re shooting the same event over and over again. There are a few ways to keep it varied. Since the city, venue, and fans are different at every show (unless the artist plays multiple nights in one city), making sure to incorporate these elements into your shots is the way to take advantage of built-in variety.</p>
  <p>Since time and repetition are on your side, touring takes some pressure off of having to nail certain shots every time, the way you might have to at a one-off gig. I use this to my advantage and experiment much more when I’m on tour. I can try new techniques and repeat technical experiments until I get the best outcome. I can also rotate my focus—meaning I can spend extra time on unexpected vantage points or try using a lens in a new situation that might not be my go-to. All of this is because of the lower-stakes environment created when you have more than one chance to capture the show.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="bts-in-between-moments.jpg" alt="Quiet in-between backstage moments on tour" />
    <figcaption>Behind the scenes</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>How do backstage, quiet, or in-between moments shape the story of a tour?</h3>
  <p>The quiet in-between moments are the honor of the tour photographer to be able to capture. This is everything that the crowd at the show doesn’t see. These shots help tell the full story of the tour and the artist. They narrate the artist’s personality, their creative approach, and allow their audience to see them as a full human being, in addition to being the performer on stage.</p>
  <p>I like to look out for when these moments overlap with some interesting lighting and/or framing. I might observe the moment for a while to find the perfect time to capture it—when the environment and the subject’s energy combine in a way that tells a brief story. If I can make the viewer feel like they are completely undetected—that’s my favorite kind of BTS image.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="live-show-instinct.jpg" alt="Live show photography balancing planning and instinct" />
    <figcaption>Live show</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>Do you plan shots in advance or work instinctively?</h3>
  <p>When shooting a show or on tour, I both plan shots and work instinctively. A basic shot list or flexible plan helps me to make sure I walk away with some valuable shots, even if my experimentation doesn’t pan out. However, I try not to over-plan. Leaving room for moments and opportunities to present themselves is what creates variety, and helps keep my reaction and innovation skills sharp.</p>
  <p>What this looks like for me during a show is that I will make notes on my copy of the set list for a handful of songs, and leave loose parameters (or no notes at all) on others, to allow time for observation, spontaneity, or even rest.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="fan-sign-fans-crowd-motion.jpg" alt="Fan sign, crowd, and motion in a live show photograph" />
    <figcaption>Fan sign / fans crowd / motion photo</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>How do you capture emotion and atmosphere rather than just documenting events?</h3>
  <p>There’s a big difference between simply documenting an event, and truly capturing the emotion, atmosphere, and energy. The best way to tap into this is to put yourself in the shoes of both the artist and the fan—think about their experience, vantage point, and emotions during a show. Try to get a variety of shots from each perspective.</p>
  <p>From a technical approach, there are a few subtle instincts that are important to master. Anticipating high energy moments and using this to guide exactly when you take a photo makes a huge difference in the impact of a photo. For example, tracking the flow and hits of the music allows you to predict when a crowd will have their hands in the air, or when the lights will land on a certain scene. Waiting for certain facial expressions or body movement can also tell a stronger story than their neutral counterparts. Using depth, layering, or lens choice to get the crowd and the artist in a shot together shows the relationship between the two. Finding ways to add motion into a frame will add instant energy. You can do this with longer exposures, with or without flash.</p>
</section>

<section>
  <h2>Top Tip</h2>

  <figure>
    <img src="live-show-top-tip.jpg" alt="Live show image accompanying top advice for tour photographers" />
    <figcaption>Live show</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>What one piece of advice do you wish you had known when you were starting out / or starting out in Tour Photography?</h3>
  <p>In short, my primary piece of advice is always: “Ask for what you want.”</p>
  <p>While it is possible that prospective clients will discover you, it is important to take the power into your own hands, and pitch yourself for the roles and gigs you want, especially in the beginning. The imposter syndrome we all experience is hugely alleviated when you realize that everyone in the music industry is figuring things out as they go. This is especially true with tour photography, as it is a relatively new practice, and highly variable in its job description. Proactively reaching out, confidently advocating for yourself, and taking ownership to define your role are all things you can and should do as a creative in this field, at any stage.</p>

  <figure>
    <img src="live-show-closing.jpg" alt="Live show closing image" />
    <figcaption>Live show</figcaption>
  </figure>

  <h3>Is there anything else you would like to share?</h3>
  <p>If touring is your goal, it’s important to understand that not all artist/photographer combos will be the right fit. The reality is, it’s an interpersonal gamble for the artist and photographer to start working together. Know that you might find a great family vibe right away, or it might take a few different gigs to hone in on the right collaborative relationships for you, and that’s okay!</p>
  <p>I’ve been lucky to work with a majority of really good people, but I certainly enjoyed some tours more than others. I’ve also had my share of tours that I wouldn’t do again, but they all make me a better and more resilient photographer, and my exact path has led me through my dream career, with every up and down.</p>
  <p>As long as you keep honing your craft, showing up with creativity, consistency, and respectful communication, you will find your place in the touring world!</p>
</section>