Live music photography in Glasgow and Edinburgh — what a venue actually needs

Live music photography is governed by an absurd and beautiful constraint: you have three songs, no flash, and you are working in light designed to thrill an audience rather than to be photographed. Inside those constraints, the difference between a usable image and an unusable one is almost entirely preparation.

The brief, before the gig

• 01What is the image for — press, the band's archive, the venue's social, all three? Each requires a different selection.
• 02Is there a hero frame the act wants? A signature pose, a guitar move, a lighting cue.
• 03Is there backstage access, and from when? A backstage portrait is often the asset everyone wants.
• 04What's the turnaround? Same-night for press, 48 hours for archive, 7 days for a thoughtful edit.

What we actually shoot

A typical brief is the first three songs from the pit, then audience reportage from the floor or balcony for two further songs, then a backstage portrait if the act allows. The press selection — usually 8–12 frames — is delivered before the encore ends. The full graded edit follows within 48 hours.

We work regularly with venues in Glasgow (Barrowland, SWG3, King Tut's, the Hydro) and Edinburgh (Usher Hall, the Liquid Room, Leith Theatre), as well as the summer festival circuit. Booking is direct: the Commission form, with the date and the artist.