The best music photographers bring us closer to the stars we love. As music lovers, we want to be involved with the bands and artists as much as possible. Music photographers help to bridge the gap between the performers and the fans.
These photographers capture the concerts we can’t attend. They fill music magazines and social media with backstage shots and formal publicity images. Their work has also produced the artwork for our favorite albums.
This article shines a light on some of the best music photographers. It’s a mix of classic photographers from the golden age of popular music and modern photographers who have picked up the baton. This is the place to be if you’re looking for inspiration for your own music photography.
Music photography is a broad genre that incorporates different types of photography. The type that first comes to mind is concert photography, where the photographer is capturing groups or artists performing live.
This is a form of event photography, which is highly demanding for photographers. You have to deal with bright, inconsistent lighting. There’s often a lot of unpredictable movements. You might also have to watch different band members at the same time.
Music photography also includes promotional photoshoots. This can include candid behind the scenes shots. But it also involves organized photoshoots with the artists.
That’s why music photographers are often excellent portrait photographers. They have to master single and group portraits. They also need to know how to shoot proper environmental portraits of the artists on location. They need to be able to produce beautiful images that also capture the essence of the performers.
This article includes examples of all these types of music photography. You’ll see some of the finest music shots of iconic artists both old and new.
Now we’ll take a look at the best music photographers both old and new. By looking at these photographers and their work, you’ll go on a journey through time as they capture different eras of popular music.
One of the most appropriately named photographers of all time, Mick Rock was the rock and roll camera guy throughout the classic rock era.
He’s worked with ‘70s icons like Lou Reed, David Bowie, Queen, and Debbie Harry, producing some of their most recognisable images.
As a music photographer, Rock did it all. He was a fantastic concert photographer, as well as a great backstage shooter. But his portraits, both formal and informal, are pure class. It’s no surprise the finest music artists loved working with him.
Mick Rock: Website | Instagram
A New Yorker born and raised, Mel D. Cole is one of the most prominent music photographers of the current moment.
His concert work includes Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake. He’s produced album covers for Kid Cudi and Jadakiss. But some of his finest music photography comes from his backstage work, where you’ll find superstars like Jay Z, Snoop Dogg, and Questlove.
His photography work isn’t limited to the American music scene, as he’s a travel, street, and sports photographer as well. But his most notable work away from music has to be his photojournalism. He’s worked on stories from the US Capitol to Ghana and Senegal.
Mel D. Cole: Website | Instagram
Todd Owyoung is the master concert photographer. Good concert photography is all about energy, and Owyoung’s images are absolutely bursting with it. His portfolio is packed with explosive moments from some of the best touring artists.
He covers everyone from rock to pop, with artists including Billie Eilish, Slipknot, Aerosmith, and Shakira. But no matter what the genre, Todd has the skill and appreciation to capture the power of the live event.
You can tell he loves live music, and his photos will have you itching to go to the next concert in your area.
Todd Owyoung: Website | Instagram
If Owyoung is the master of modern concert photography, Bob Gruen held that crown in the 1970s and ‘80s. He’s captured some of the best live shots of the best live bands from that era.
I was introduced to Gruen’s work in my teens. I was a huge fan of the Clash, and his photos of the band make me extremely frustrated I was born 30 years too late to see them live.
But it’s not just the Clash. Gruen has captured iconic images of Ike and Tina, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, the Ramones, and Bob Dylan. He’s also shot slightly more recent bands like Green Day.
Bob Gruen: Website | Instagram
Professionally known as Cam Kirk, Cameron Kirkland has quickly become one of the top music photographers on the East side of the US.
Kirk built his name photographing rising stars of the trap scene, such as Migos, Gucci Mane, and Young Thug. He was the vanguard of the trend, and now Kirk is sitting pretty as one of the go-to photographers of black American culture.
Portraits make up the bulk of his portfolio. They’re a mix of promotional shots for artists and commercial work for big brands that involve well-known performers from hip-hop and R&B scene. He’s shot for Nike, Coca Cola, and the NBA.
A London-based photographer and director from the UK, Charlotte Patmore is a rising star of music photography. She’s already worked with massive artists like Charli XCX, King Krule, and Stormzy, with her images helping define the identity of these musicians.
Patmore is a brilliant portrait photographer who likes to work with film, both 35mm and medium format. She has a candid portrait style that connects subject and viewer. But the energy of the shots can vary from tranquil and relaxed to hectic and hedonistic.
She has a vibrant sense of style that brings her work to life. You definitely need to check out her portfolio and take note. You’ll be seeing a lot more from Charlotte in the future.
Charlotte Patmore: Website | Instagram
While Patmore is a rising star, Deborah Feingold was a pioneer for women photographers working in the music industry.
She started her career documenting the 1970s jazz scene of Miles Davis and Chet Baker. Feingold later landed a gig as staff photographer for Musician magazine. But since then, her work has featured in leading publications such as Rolling Stone, Time, and the New York Times.
Feingold’s portraits are simply stunning. They are often posed, though she mixes it up with studio and location shoots. She’s a master of portrait composition, but also opens a window to the soul of the subject.
Deborah Feingold: Website | Instagram
With a career spanning decades, Danny Clinch has become one of the most accomplished music photographers working today.
He mainly works as a portrait photographer, shooting both candid and more formal shoots. His studio work still has a casual style, but it’s his environmental portraits that really sing. You’ll also find fabulous concert shots dotted around his collection, adding a bit of energy to his portfolio.
His a consistent contributor to all the top music and culture publications, so you’re sure to see his work in editions of Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, or GQ magazines.
Danny Clinch: Website | Instagram
Another rising star of the music photography scene, Allister Ann is making a name for herself in Nashville, Tennessee. The home of country music.
Ann is right at the heart of the country music revival. As the genre grows in popularity once again, her images are being seen far and wide.
Her portrait work is pretty special, with beautiful environmental shots and intimate close-ups. These are given an extra touch of warmth by her use of film, particularly 120mm medium format film. But Ann’s concert compositions are where her work really comes to life.
Allister Ann: Website | Instagram
Also known as Ravie B, Raven B. Varona has been at the forefront of African-American culture on the East Side. She started snapping small scale venues in downtown New York, but her career has blossomed and she’s now one of the best concert photographers in the USA.
Varona’s concert shots are brilliantly composed, but they are also packed with energy. Her live images are also fun, bringing the concert vibe to the viewer no matter where they are.
The portrait work is also fantastic in many ways. From the styling to the composition and exposure, the portraits are powerful with subtle details that set them apart.
Raven B. Varona: Website | Instagram
Few music photographers have helped to define an era quite like Robert Whitaker. With his iconic images of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Cream, he put a bit of swing in the ‘60s.
The 1960s is when pop music came alive in the United Kingdom, and Whitaker added fuel to the fire of Beatlemania and the British Invasion in the USA.
He has some excellent concert shots. But he’s best known for his intimate behind the scenes work with The Beatles. They remain almost mythical to music fans, and Bob’s photographs give you a rare glimpse into those seminal times.
Robert Whitake: Website | Instagram
Isha Shah is one of London’s most vibrant creative minds right now. She’s a product and documenter of London’s creative scene, and her energetic, colorful style has helped her rise to the top of the industry.
Her portraiture and fashion photography are fabulous, as her work has a fun, vivacious intensity that always grabs your attention.
But Shah’s concert photography is why she’s worthy of this list. The images are fun and energetic, as concert photography should be. But there’s also a hint of surrealism and psychedelia that draws you in even further.
Isha Shah: Website | Instagram
Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Armen Keleshian now lives and works in Los Angeles, California. He has embraced the glitz and glamour of that star-studded town, and his love for it comes through in his photography work.
His music photography is stylish in a way that suggests he is totally integrated with the A-list community he’s photographing. The images are candid yet relaxed, but it always looks like everyone’s having a great time. That good-time feeling is infectious when you browse Keleshian’s portfolio.
Armen Keleshian: Website | Instagram
Based in Nashville, Andy Barron has perfectly positioned himself to capture the rising tide of popular music coming out of that cultural hotspot. Nashville has always been the home of country music, but now it’s a hotbed of all kinds of popular music.
Barron made a name for himself documenting Chris Stapleton on tour, both of their careers rising in tandem. But Barron’s portfolio is also full of other mega-stars like Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, and Kendrick Lamar. You are definitely going to see a lot more of Barron’s work in the near future.
Andy Barron: Website | Instagram
Maggie Friedman, or Maggie London, is another Nashville-based music photographer. That place really is bouncing right now.
It’s clear from her live work, Maggie loves a good concert. Her timing is absolutely perfect, which pumps her photos fun of dynamism and energy. The images make you want to dance around in your living room.
Her ever-growing client list includes top acts like Blood Orange, Caroline Polachek, and The Last Dinner Party. There’s no surprise artists and bands are scrambling to sign her. Maggie London will do wonders for anyone’s tour or album promotion.
Maggie London: Website | Instagram
While he didn’t have a decade-spanning career, Elliot Landy did help define a specific era of music history.
Landy’s photographs helped to create the myths and intrigue around big artists at the end of the 1960s. He captures a moment in time when the hippy era transformed into something deeper, something more rootsy.
He’s captured fabulous images of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix in their prime. But his finest, most celebrated work comes from his time collaborating with Bob Dylan and the Band. Landy’s photos enhanced the mythology of both as they did away in New York state working on seminal albums like The Basement Tapes.
Elliott Landy: Website | Instagram
Music is the beating heart of popular culture. No matter what genres you enjoy, music makes us happy, makes us sing, and makes us dance. But even music fanatics can’t go to every concert by every band.
That’s why music photographers are so important. They capture the dynamic moments from the hottest shows, and they give us a glimpse behind the curtain.
Music photographers also help shape the zeitgeist, helping trends grow in popularity. They can build an artist’s persona, and they help to sell tickets. These photographers also create the album artwork that means so much to people who buy the records.
The photographers we’ve featured in this article have taken us on a journey through the history of popular music, covering everyone from the Beatles to Billie Eilish. Music wouldn’t be such a strong part of popular culture without music photographers.
