Different shows result in different photos. This can depend on the artist, the venue, and the songs played. But even during the same show, just in the course of the first three songs - when photographers usually get to take their shots - it’s possible to capture a rather diverse set of images that represent different aspects of a particular live music experience.

As a live music photographer, for the most part you get approximately 15 minutes between the audience and the band to take some outstanding shots. At first glance, that limited time frame might seem like an obvious obstacle, but that’s actually not really the case. The real obstacles are found elsewhere.

Here is another element that carries a fair dose of importance in capturing the overall experience of any given show. And it's the one that might be hard to spot.

For more than 20 years, I’ve worked as a music photographer, and what makes my work stand out is a deep understanding of—and a lifelong emotional connection to - the subject: music.

What truly makes concert photography so difficult is capturing the mood of the performance, as well as the powerful connection that forms somewhere between the artist and the crowd. It’s that magic that materializes halfway between the two.