(Photo by Thomas Falcone)
We have dedicated a lot of blog space over the last two years to helping make you, the reader, a better music photographer. Those efforts will no doubt continue in the future as we believe the role of education in someone’s life is one that lasts from the cradle to the grave, but today we are turning our focus from the ins and outs of the industry to those who are currently setting the standard for professionalism. There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of photographers covering the world of alternative music right now, and in time we hope to highlight as many of them as we possible can. Right now however, we want to focus on 10 people with unique perspectives on the current music scene that we feel everyone should know and follow online. You can learn from them, or you can just enjoy their work. Either way, please support these hard working people:
Adam Elmakias (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
At the risk of overstating his current level of influence, Adam Elmakis pretty much sets the bar for photography in the alternative music scene. He has photographed everyone you can think to name, but he’s best known for his work with A Day To Remember, Of Mice & Men, and Pierce The Veil.
Ashley Osborn (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
Harnessing the power of social media to further her presence and influence like few have been able to accomplish, Ashley Osborn is an innovative photographer with a perspective on life like no other. If anyone works harder than her to make photography their life I have yet to meet them.
Grady Brannan (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
Sometimes photographers rise to popularity by capturing dozens upon dozens of artists at every level of stardom, but that is not the case for everyone. Grady has been around the music industry, as well as the modeling world, but he’s probably best known for capturing the rise of rapper G-Eazy from underground clubs to sold out stadiums, both on stage and off. His notoriety rose right along with G’s stardom, and today it’s hard to talk with anyone in photography or music without one of their names coming up.
Thomas Falcone (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
If you’re a fan of Mayday Parade there is a good chance you have swooned over the talent of photographer Thomas Falcone once or three dozen times over the last few years. Thomas can capture any artist in a way that makes you drop your jaw, but his time on the road with the men of Mayday has allowed him to work with them on an entirely different level. It’s both personal and professional, making you feel as if you’re right next to the band no matter where they happen to be around the globe.
Molly Louise Hudelson (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
Most the photographers on this list so far have become synonymous with artists who are currently able to headline all over the world. Molly Louise Hudelson works with that level of talent as well, but her best work is done when capturing the artists still trying to cut their teeth in this crazy business of entertainment. If you want to see the artists who will be headlining in one or three years from now, Molly’s work is a good place to start.
Vince Dwyer (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
Vince Dwyer spends a lot of time on the road with The Word Alive, which offers him unique access to the world of hard work and metal that (lucky for us) he then shares with people around the globe using only his camera. Like others on this list, his talent has grown along with the artists he’s dedicated his life to capturing, and with each new tour it seems he only gets better.
Nick Karp (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
It’s not easy making it as a freelance music photographer in 2015, but Nick Karp has somehow found a way to make it work while also living full time in New York City. His ability to hustle day and night, show to show, is right up there with the hardest working bands in music today. On any given date he may be capturing anywhere from one to ten bands at one or more shows in various corners of the city, and once summer arrives with festivals every other week his schedule only grows more hectic. Nick also has a heart for education, as anyone familiar with this blog has seen through his numerous columns on music photography basics, so really there is no reason for you not to follow his work from this point forward.
Sedition1216 (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
We hate not being able to use someone’s real name in a feature like this, but the photographer most commonly referred to as Sedition has chosen to keep his identity a bit harder to come by than most. What we know for certain is that he spends his days driving your favorite bands from show to show, and at night he uses his Canon 70D to capture moments that will make your heart skip a beat. His work with models is pretty incredible as well, and with Warped Tour fast-approaching, you can expect a wealth of new images to be produced in weeks ahead.
Mike Wilson (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
You would be hard pressed to find a single person in music, maybe even the planet, with a bad thing to say about Mike Wilson. The world may have a shortage of truly good people, but Mike is a hard working guy who also happens to be incredibly kind and ridiculously underrated. He spent the beginning of 2015 with Cartel, and the work he came back with will make you fall in love with the band even if you know understand why everyone lost their mind over the release of Chroma. His work is that good, and even though he has a few years of experience under his belt it’s clear he’s nowhere near reaching the peak of his abilities. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Mike found himself where Elmakis is at today within five years time, if not sooner.
Teri Cwiek (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
Originally a name synonymous with PupFresh, Teri Cwiek has become a brand all her own over the last two or three years. She can currently be found touring around in vans with bands on the cusp of taking the scene by storm, and all day everyday she shares scenes from her time on the road through her various social networks. As the average age of our team here at Haulix is around 30, we are not always familiar with the artists Teri is working with, but that doesn’t really matter when you see the beautiful images she is able to produce. Like the hustle shown by Nick Karp, Teri has the kind of driven, business-oriented mindset to actually make her passion her life, and we encourage everyone to seek out her work as soon as they are able.
Matty Vogel (Website, Instagram, Twitter)
There is something about the way Matty Vogel captures live performances, especially those of rapper Hoodie Allen, that defies explanation. Regardless of the place where the photo was taken, Vogel finds a way to make every concert photo look as if it captures a once-in-a-lifetime moment. His behind-the-scenes work is no different, offering intimate access to some of the biggest names in music today. He’s a favorite of our entire staff, and we cannot wait to see what he produces while on tour with Wiz Khalifa, Fall Out Boy, and Hoodie Allen all summer long.
