Kreator live at the El Rey in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I have decided that I want to write more for this blog that I’ve started, not simply because it needs more content but because I need an outlet, there’s many challenges in being a concert photographer under the age of 30 living in a small city such as Albuquerque. Big shows, sponsorship and even publicist (who have all the best intentions in the world, seriously I love the publicist I’ve worked with) pass you by, and publications often ignore your work outright because you can’t reach the views they’re looking for. Your posts are often only liked by the bands themselves and your close friends, but you know what? That’s ok, being small allows me to be creative and push photographic boundaries in the heavy metal scene and be more creative. Often, I get to spend a full evening talking and chilling with bands, getting to know them personally building a friendship, which at a big concert would be nigh impossible. Go in, take your photos and get out. For me, part of the fun of concert photography is getting to photograph the whole, and the parts of the whole that make concerts a theatrical experience as well as a musical one.

I once wrote something similar, in a closed Facebook group and was begrudgingly told that the best way to become popular was to put myself out there, true, I was also told to be controversial because nothing travels farther than controversy. I refuse to believe that being controversial means anything in this business other than a means towards making more money, and although this may be hypocritical the following is from the heart.  The music industry needs more talent. It needs folks who can sing beyond putting their voice up to an overly electronic beat that covers up any dynamics they might have and I say this actually really liking certain forms of EDM(so no it’s not a ding on EDM, just overly manufactured music)). The music industry needs to take risks, be innovative and promote a culture that values creative insight and future vision. The music industry doesn’t need to be controversial, it needs to be forward thinking. I love the music industry, but lately the music industry is not acting as an incubator of creative talent.

I fear that the music industry isn’t looking for talent only acquiring already successful talent. We have lost so many great musicians from a great era of music and now, nearly everything is a manufactured rise to fame. Take the time, find the talent, promote that talent help that talent thrive, send that talent to a university or if they want, just put em up in a recording studio for a year or two before they produce anything. Let them play, let them get used to creating, not the fame. Help creators create. If even one music industry executive reads this I hope they’re following through on this, and I hope it’s getting better.

*some edits made from original post to better convey ideas.