Photography — How to Take Band Photos That Don't Suck

Progressive Metal Band The Veil Between

The need for eye-catching promotional photos is one all too familiar to musicians and bands. And while having a couple photos of all the band members standing side by side facing the camera works great, no one benefits from a portfolio full of typical, boring band photos that could potentially make fans and industry connections fall asleep. Luckily, even as an amateur photographer, you can find new and inventive ways to market a band to their audience, while avoiding cliches and pictures that fall flat. Here are a few actions you can take as a photographer (or band member) that will ensure you end up with unique band photos. I'll explain how-to it in two steps, Plan the Picture and Creative Execution.

Plan the Picture:

Start with the Details. I'm such a planning dork, but I've learned that my most successful photo shoots each started with some type of planning. The planning typically consists of researching poses, contemplating the shoot's theme or style. Be sure to include the band in on this brainstorming process to make sure you're getting across the overall look and feel that best represents the band.
 

Subjects. Be sure that in the planning session, you set the standard for wardrobe and props. If you want them to bring a change of clothes, it's good to let them know. What I recommend is letting band members know to wear clothing that are free from other band names, logos or anything else that is distracting. If you're trying to market the band to as many people as possible, you don't want a rival sports team or brand turning someone off from potentially listening to and buying your album. It doesn't hurt for the guys and gals to coordinate. I'm not suggesting matching outfits, rather make sure the band looks like they compliment each other, like they're part of a group. Before the shoot, make sure everyone is put-together and manicured (or not if that's what you're going for). Last, don't forget the details. If all the band members are outside and wearing sunglasses, it's important to encourage them to take them off for at least some (if not a majority) of the photos.

Location. Aside from the subjects, having a great location is the most important aspect of a great band photo (or any photograph really). You might try to find an industrial complex for a goth band or a rural area for a country band. But for this shoot in particular, The Veil Between is a progressive, groove metal band, so I wanted to find a location that was a little rough around the edges, but still with some green elements. I didn't want to go somewhere industrial and be surrounded by cement, because while The Veil Between is metal, they also have a side to their music that is more-so complex, psychedelic rock. I think this makes their style a little more accessible to everyone, so I wanted the pictures to reflect that. So, we set off on a short adventure to find an abandoned house with a small electrical field in the back. Needless to say, it was quite the find in a last minute bind . . . we got kicked off the original location we were at when the owner started demanding $20 before we even took one shot. We left, and it happened for a reason, because as you can see the stumbled upon location was perfect.

Creative Execution:

Candid Photos. Some of the coolest band photos are ones in which you catch the members just being themselves. You can't fake chemistry, and chances are that most bands have it . . . It's just your job the capture it. Many times throughout the shoot, I just stopped giving them direction to see where things went. Eventually, one of them would make another laugh, and they'd forget the camera was there. This technique produced a couple of my favorite shots from the day.

Be Silly. Beyond making my subjects comfortable when I shoot them, I also like to make them laugh. It helps to loosen them up a little bit, and their overall confidence will come through in the photos. I think this is why I prefer to take photos of people that I have a relationship with, because chances are I already know how to make them laugh.

Change Your Focus. A lot of band photos will have the lead singer as the front and center, because he or she is the face of the band. I like to have the singer stand out in  many of the photos, but changing the focus of your pictures will keep them from looking redundant. I made a point to focus on each guy in the band through a couple poses just to keep things interesting. Also, it doesn't hurt to take some individual shots for each member. These photos are great if the band has a member bio on their website, and the individual shots are also useful to share via social media on each member's birthday.

Recruit Help. If you have the option of having an assistant, it never hurts to invite a friend along to aid with the light reflector or any other tools you might be using. For this shoot, the band brought a friend along to help with the reflector, but (and I really hope he doesn't read this by some chance) he didn't quite grasp the concept of the reflector. It was fine, because the lighting was good enough without it. He was still a lot of help, because he kept the shoot fun by making the guys laugh.

Band photos can be tricky without a little planning and direction. Don't be afraid to tell your subjects what to do, especially in the beginning. Being photographed can be awkward, so do what you can to take the reigns and make it work. I took band photos of TVB four years ago when I first got my camera, and I'm so proud to see the progress I've made in my hobby in the years passed. Let me know which tips I've forgotten in the comments below!