Hello again. Thank you for joining us today. We have spent a lot of this week talking about the industry and how bands can better there efforts, but before we head into the weekend there is one additional industry profile that we wish to share. If you’re into photography, this post is for you.
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
It’s not every day that someone writes us with a request that we consider their work in regards to planning our future content, but I have to be honest and tell you those are the email I open as fast as I possibly can. Why? Because it takes a special breed of person to speak out and let the world know they are doing whatever it takes to chase their dreams. Some people who do this may come across as egotistical at times, sure, but from my experience the people in the industry who are most vocal about their efforts have the results needed to back up their statements more often than not. This is a business that demands individuals take their career into their own hands if they ever hope to get ahead, and today we are thrilled to introduce you to one young woman who is doing just that.
Allison Newbold, otherwise known as Ally, has been building her reputation as a music photographer with an eye unlike any other since 2008. She knew she had a passion for photography from a very young age, and she realized early in her teen years that in order to make her hobby anything that could one day resemble a career she would have to do whatever she could to position herself for success. She shot every show she could attend, honing her skills and networking with groups of all sizes along the way, but things did not really begin to take off until Ally moved to Philadelphia in 2012.
I never knew Ally’s name prior to working on this feature, but as soon as I began to scroll through her photography I realized I had been enjoying her work for years. She has an eye for this medium like very few do, and considering how young she still is it’s very likely that talent will only continue to develop in the years to come. Even more important than that however, is the fact Ally has taken her career into her own hands, accepting responsibility for her successes and failures as they come. It’s something I wish every young industry professional could do, and my hope is that learning Ally’s story will encourage others to take it upon themselves to make positive changes in their own lives.
If you would like to see Ally’s work and learn more about her life in music, click here to visit her official website. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: Before we begin, please take a moment and introduce yourself:
A: Hello, my name is Ally Newbold! Thank you for having me.
H: It’s great to have you with us, Ally. It’s rare that someone comes to us looking to be featured, but I am happy that you did. There’s so many people working in and around blogging today it’s often hard to figure out who has the best story to tell. Yours is pretty great, but before we get to it we should tell everyone a bit about your past. What memories of music do you have from your childhood?
A: Music has always been an important aspect of my life. As a kid, my dad would listen to a lot of jazz and blues but I found myself listening to pop music at a young age. I would dance in my room to Britney Spears and aspire to be as cool as Hilary Duff. I also had a huge crush on Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys and also was a huge Green Day fan. Music has always played a major role in my life and I would not trade it for anything.
H: This is a question I think we have asked everyone on this blog to date, but I think it’s one that says a lot about a person and their journey: What was the first concert you attended? Bonus points if you share an early fan girl story.
A: My first concert was the Backstreet Boys Millennium Tour in 2000 which was huge for me because as I said I had the world’s biggest crush on Nick Carter. I had Backstreet Boys posters hanging in my room and had several Backstreet Boys merchandise items including t shirts and trading cards. I also learned the choreography to almost all of songs and practiced it for hours in my living room. My mom videotaped it. I will never release the footage.
H: Can you pinpoint any type of ‘lightbulb moment’ or experience in your youth that let you know a career in and around music was the one for you?
A: I did not have many friends growing up. I moved to a few different cities and changed schools fairly often. I kept to myself most of the time and found myself attending shows more often than not. I would attend these shows alone and my mom would wait in the parking lot for me after the shows. I knew that this would play a huge role in my life and I am still the same way. I still attend shows alone (not always) but now my mom does not wait for me in the parking lot anymore. Now, she will just text me after the show asking how it was. This was a strange way for my mom and I to connect, but the amount of time she wasted waiting in the parking lot means more to me than she will ever know.
H: You’re still fairly young, but that amount you have been able to accomplish up to this point is incredibly impressive. Did you pursue any education beyond high school for music, photography, or any of your current roles?
A: No, I did not pursue any education beyond high school for music or photography. Honestly, I don’t even know how to play an instrument. I am currently finishing up the last year of my undergrad at the University of Central Florida for a degree in history and legal studies. People are generally surprised by this because I did not study photography.
H: Do you feel secondary education is something everyone should seek out if they desire to work in music? Please support your answer.
A: I do not think it is necessary for someone to pursue secondary education if they desire to work in music. I think it could be a helpful tool to build connections within the music industry and a good way to start getting out there, but personally I think it is about a person’s work ethic and passion. A passionate person with a strong work ethic is the most useful tool one could have.
H: I know from our previous conversations that things really began to take off for you after you relocated to Philadelphia. What can you tell us about your first outing(s) as a photography/videographer? Who did you work with, and what do you recall from the experience?
A: Yeah! Philadelphia has been nothing but wonderful to me since I relocated here. My first show in Philly was the annual Lost Tape Collective Holiday Show hosted by Man Overboard at the Theatre of the Living Arts in December 2012.
H: You are involved in a few different projects within the music community, so we’ll have to bounce around a bit to let everyone in on all you do to keep this business moving. Let’s start with the blogging community. What initially inspired you to apply to various sites, and which sites did you seek out first? Why?
A: It is crazy to say that I have had a Flickr Account since 2006. I began my journey taking self-portraits in and around my house in Palm City, FL trying to push the limits of what I could do. I was inspired by so many talented Flickr users who were doing the same thing as me, but better, such as Lexi Mire and Alex Stoddard who have both come so far since then. I began taking portraits of others in 2007 and found myself photographing bands in 2008. Photographing bands was something that I never thought I could do. I thought I needed an education behind it and some sort of mentor, but all I really needed was myself. My process of this was trial and error. If I did not like something, I would do something different until I found something I did like. Even then, I would and still continually challenge myself to better my photographs. Photographing shows is something that is really important to me. I feel like although I cannot play a single instrument, I am an active member of the music scene and I am a part of something. This timeline can be seen on both my flickr page (flickr.com/allisonkilla) and also on my myspace photography page (myspace.com/allisonkillaphotography). I am still active on my Flickr account and sorry to disappoint you but I am no longer active on the myspace page.
H: As far as I can tell, it’s this initial effort you made to get your name out there that really started the ball rolling on your career. In fact, as we will discuss in a minute, networking has played a large role in many of the opportunities that have come your way. What advice can you offer our readers on getting over your fears and doing whatever you can to get the word out about your efforts?
A: I think it is important to always be confident and to always challenge yourself. If you love something, do it. If you really care about something, show it. There is no greater feeling than to love what you do for a living and to truly be passionate about what you do in your day to day life. I moved over a thousand miles away to get my name out there and I do not regret it a single day.
H: You currently contribute to Nothing Original and PropertyOfZack, both of which are sites we have featured on this blog in the past. Do you see yourself adding more blogs to your resume in the years to come? Any ‘dream’ publications?
A: I love my families both at Nothing Original and PropertyofZack. Both Steven of N.O and Zack of POZ have been nothing but welcoming since I have contributed to their sites. I am currently in the works of adding more blogs to my resume. It is important to continually build your name and expand. I would love to be a contributor for print magazines and websites such as Rolling Stone, Spin, Alternative Press, and Fader Magazine.
Note: I have contributed to Alternative Press in the past but I would love to be an active staff member for their publication.
H: Your photo taking skills play a large role in everything you do within the industry. What first got you interested in photography? Do you recall anything that specifically turned your attention to concert photography?
A: I first began taking photos as a way to build up my self-confidence. I took creative self-portraits to show that it is okay to love yourself and that you have to love yourself first before anyone else could really love you. The more I took photos, the more I wanted to learn about the different areas of the photography world. I began photographing concerts at the end of 2007 and only took it professionally since I relocated to Philadelphia at the end of December 2012. The first time I really wanted to take photos at concerts was during the Manchester Orchestra headline tour for Simple Math. I was at the House of Blues in Orlando, Fl with a couple of friends. I am fairly short, barely 5 foot and I was standing in the crowd. No matter how close I got to the stage, I still could not see the band perform. I saw the back of people’s heads and felt extremely overwhelmed from the environment that I was in. That was the moment I knew that I should take photos at concerts. Although I still have anxiety at shows, it’s a different kind of anxiety. I am now anxious to show my photos to the internet world, but I love challenging myself by getting the best shots I possibly can.
H: People who may not be familiar with your blog efforts may know your photo work from Man Overboard’s most recent Rise Records release. Can you tell us a little bit about your history with the band and how you were recruited to take that photograph?
A: I began working with Man Overboard in February 2012 when I was put in contact with guitarist Justin Collier about taking a photograph of vocalist/guitarist Zac Eisenstein for a feature in Alternative Press Magazine. I took this photograph of Zac in Tampa, FL while they were on their headlining tour with Handguns, seahaven, and Candy Hearts. From then, Justin and I remained in contact with each other. In December 2012, Justin was promoting their annual Lost Tape Collective Holiday Show and I expressed interest in attending. Within a handful of days, I relocated from Orlando, Fl to Philadelphia, PA and began working with the band. Since then, I have worked with the band on several merch items including their newest LP, Heart Attack, as well as shirts, pins, posters and more. Recently, I went to Made in America with Man Overboard and I am working on a new project for them.
H: You are also involved in Space Jam Sessions, which is a recurring video series highlighting intimate acoustic performances from a number of up and coming alternative acts. When did this project first launch, and what inspired you to create your own web series?
A: Space Jam Sessions launched on January 1, 2014 with the premiere of our first video with Erik Czaja of Dowsing. Space Jam Sessions was created at my house, the Michael Jordan House, originally named by roommates. This project was created because I wanted to find a way to showcase some of the most talented and hardworking bands I know in a personal, intimate environment. It is a way to show that these bands are more than just band members, but creative and interesting people, too. I tapped on Zac Suskevich (guitarist of lovechild, video editor at Topshelf Records) to edit the Space Jam Sessions and it was the best decision I have made. We work together really well and I am happy that he’s my partner on this project.
H: How have these video sessions evolved, if at all, from when you began? Have you learned any lessons about the industry that you can pass on?
A: Space Jam Sessions grow and grow with each and every release. Zac and I are always coming up with new ideas and recently, we have been premiering sessions with bands collaborating with each other. This is my favorite segment that Space Jam Sessions has done because it is really cool to see bands performing with each other in such an intimate environment.
H: You have so much going on it’s hard to imagine how you find free time to think about the future, but I assume you’re doing all this because you have larger successes in mind. Tell me, what are your current career goals?
A: My current career goals are to find a band or label to collaborate with and to travel the world documenting my experiences through photography. I really enjoy candid moments and after the touring that I have done already, I know that I belong on the road in the back of a van seeing the world.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to those considering pursuit of a life in the music business, what would it be?
A: One piece of advice to those considering a life in the music business would be to learn things on your own. Go to shows all the time, whether you are friends with a band or not. If you are not friends with a band, be friend them. We are all involved in this for the same reason- the love of music. Go ahead and make friends and don’t forget to have fun.
H: Do people have any misconceptions about the life of music photographers? If so, what are they?
A: I think that sometimes people think that the life of music photographers is all fun and games but they don’t realize all the behind the scenes work we put into it. There is so much that people don’t know- such as the time it takes to build relationships with bands, managers, public relations, labels, and others involved in the music industry. We also send a ridiculous amount of emails day in and day out and spend hours editing. We have to make sure our schedules are flexible enough to cover as many shows as we possibly can and although the shows can be fun, sometimes we have deadlines and requirements that can make a show feel a hell of a lot more like work.
H: If you could change one thing about the modern music industry, what would it be?
A: This is a thing that is currently developing but just for people to be more accepted of people no matter what race/gender/orientation/age they are.
H: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: Hopefully graduating with my master’s degree and still taking photos. I would love to have my own darkroom and studio space but that’s just wishful thinking.
H: That’s all I have for now. Thank you again for speaking with us. Do you have any final thoughts or observations that you would like to share with our readers?
A: Thanks so much for your time. This was the most interesting interview I have ever done and I am quite happy to be a part of your site. To all the photog nerds out there, keep doing what you love and don’t be afraid to try something new!
