My main passion is photographing performing musicians, mainly, but not exclusively, from the world of jazz. This calls for making the most of less than ideal lighting in dim and usually eccentrically lit venues. But having to work in these conditions can have an upside. There are always opportunities for creating dramatic images if you wait for those special moments when there is a confluence of light and performance magic.
For this kind of photography I believe that B&W rules and as time goes by, I feel that it also applies to a wide range of photographic subjects. There is something about the power of monochrome to bring out dramatic contrasts and details that is hard to trump.
Not surprisingly, most of my favourite photographers are B&W specialists, Early on, I was captivated by the work of Ansel Adams, the portrait master Yousuf Karsh and the gifted street photographer Vivian Meier. Those who set the standard for live music photography, especially William Gottlieb and Herman Leonard, took the art of B&W to new heights with their inspirational images of the giants of jazz. They remain role models in the music field.
One of my goals is to capture moments that convey something of the energy and dynamism of performance. If you think of performance as a kind of theatre, there are many other image-rich events on stage: interactions between band members, moments of introspection and extroversion, as well as the odd flashes of humour.
Ninety of my portraits of musicians are included in my 2021 book “The Look of Jazz” which followed on from a couple of exhibitions I staged on this theme.
Encouraged by positive reviews in Jazzwise, Jazz Journal, London Jazz News and in other media, I’m in the process of producing a follow-up volume of portraits.
I’ve always enjoyed photography but it wasn’t until I signed up for the IoP’s diploma course a few years ago that I realised how much I had to learn, and still do.
Aside from the well-structured content, I found the feedback from the tutors of great value in enabling me to see how to improve my photographic skills. I’ve recommended the course to a number of others who have found the course equally rewarding. I am currently working my way through the excellent street photography course.
https://www.instagram.com/thelookofjazz/
http://davidharveysceneandheard.com
