Music Photography Uncovered: An Interview With Marianne Harris

_Marianne Harris has snapped at an impressive array of festivals, for Kerrang! and Monster Energy and a growing list of revered bands, including the Darkness and Paramore. Ramsey Marwan picked the brains of one of the most high profile photographers in the alt rock music scene._

**Hello Marianne. Firstly, can you tell us your specific role in the music industry?**

Hi. I’m a music photographer, but I’ve also worked as a journalist (Metal Hammer 07-09), a webzine Editor (Rock Industry 07-09, Bring The Noise 09-10) and I’ve managed a few bands. If managing is a suitable description. Helping them out would perhaps be a better way to put it. Currently I’m working with Monster Energy Europe/UK covering their events and shooting bands they work with, and with Big Deal Clothing shooting their products and dealing with band endorsements. I also look after a couple of bands from the South – The Valiant and Death Of An Artist.

**How did you originally get into music-related photography? How long have you been doing it?**

I got into it by accident really, I discovered a love for live music and started taking a camera to tiny local shows back in summer 2005. I offered to give the promoter my photos in return for free entry to his shows. I had a cheap digital camera, but 6 months after I started going regularly to shows my husband persuaded me to go buy a half decent DSLR. I shot a heck of a lot of shows in the first year or so, was doing 3 or 4 a week, and to be honest I wasn’t very good. But that didn’t really matter all that much at the time, I wasn’t trying to become a music photographer, I was there for the music. It was when bands started asking me for the pics, and put them online that I started properly trying and got quite fussy about the photos I was taking. I didn’t really have a clue, I learnt everything as I went along, mostly by trial and error, but slowly my photos got better. I began editing them properly and was thinking about lighting and composition, and capturing interesting moments during shows. It wasn’t for a few years though, until a fellow photographer, someone I hugely admired, got in touch with me to tell me she liked my work and that perhaps I should be taking things a bit more seriously, that I decided to do just that. It still took me a long time to accept that I’d become a music photographer though. Was a good revelation when it hit!

**Please explain, for those that don’t know, what an average band photo shoot would involve.**

An average band shoot would involve arriving at a pre-arranged location, having researched the band – what they look like and sound like initially (if it’s a band I don’t already know) and having a chat with a member of that band to find out what ‘feel’ or style they’re looking for in the photos. Setting up my equipment, which doesn’t take all that long as I’m very minimalist: a couple of stands that have radio receivers attached, that I put strobes (flash guns) and umbrellas onto. And then straight into it. I’m quite assertive in shoots because I think it’s important for the photographer to take control, but it is a team effort. The band tells me what they’d like and I do the composing, advising as I work. I shoot quite a high number of images, most of my shoots are 2 hours long, and continually show the band the results as we go along so they can see how they’re coming out. It also helps them to settle into the shoot faster, especially if it’s a new experience for them, as they can see how they’re all looking and can adjust the way they’re standing or how they’re looking at the camera. I’m quite chilled during shoots, it’s all very informal. But that’s how I like it. If I’m uptight and too serious and ‘business’ then they’re not going to relax, and it shows in the images. I like band photos to convey what a band are like, personality wise especially. I do like it when they convey their music too but it doesn’t always happen like that…bands throw me all the time by asking for photos that I wouldn’t automatically associate with their type of music. It’s fun though. I’m a massive fan of random and unexpected!

**What are the perks of the job?**

Travel, hang outs, invitations to shows, free merch, hearing new music first, seeing my work being used.

**What is your most memorable photo shoot?**

There are lots of memorable shoots, but the latest one is the shoot I did in May with The Darkness. They’ve recently reformed and their new manager asked me if I’d go take some pics of them. I was actually quite nervous before I went, and I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but it totally exceeded it all. They’re a lovely bunch of guys and we had a great afternoon. And I was able to give them a lot of images that I was really happy with, and that they’re really happy with, so that’s cool. I can never ask any more than that from any shoot.

**Have you ever had any awkward experiences when shooting?**

The singer of one band I was shooting last summer (along with another band for colab tour posters) just suddenly stripped off naked and started back flipping from the sand dunes we were shooting on! Was quite funny I must admit but I didn’t know where to look! Get a bunch of young lads together and you’re taking your own life into your hands as far as crazy shenanigans go on shoots. Was certainly a very entertaining afternoon that’s for sure! The band must have impressed me though as we stayed in touch and they’re one of the bands I now manage.

Usually though awkward moments involve my equipment failing somehow – stands blowing over or triggers refusing to work until I bang them or something. Luckily that doesn’t happen very often.

**You see the music industry from quite a unique perspective, which often isn’t voiced. What are your thoughts on the alternative scene in Britain? Do bands have it too easy nowadays or is it the complete opposite?**

I absolutely love the alternative UK scene! I think it shows in my work. I mostly go shoot bands in the alt scene, the bands I know well and spend time with, or have maybe shot a lot of times. I get ridiculously excited about UK music, there are so many good undiscovered bands about! I think they have it tough though; it’s a very hard industry to make a mark in, whatever you’re doing within it, including photographers, but especially for bands. It either comes down to how much money the band has to pay for all the things that help make the wider world aware of their presence, or who they know. Actual talent, whilst being the most important criteria you’d think, is key too, but the other two things can help push any band far more than talent alone. It’s not enough. Unfortunately it’s a very expensive business being in a band, and finance ends up being the downfall for many. Most of the bands I know live off a shoestring; they can’t work a solid 9-5 job because of touring and band practices, and even if they are in a band that is being paid a fairly decent amount to play shows, all that money goes back into travel, equipment, recording and merchandising. Money usually comes with major label deals and mainstream recognition. The good news for the alternative UK scene is that the industry as a whole has been taking it more seriously for the last few years; Radio One djs have been championing up and coming music, lots of festivals have been running stages to help showcase new music, and sites like Facebook make it increasingly easier for bands to get their music out to more people. I personally think the alternative scene in the UK is pretty healthy at the moment with a lot of bands on the verge of bigger success.

**Which band would you most like to work with in the future?**

I really want to work with Skunk Anansie! I met the guitarist a year or so ago after a mutual friend told him about my work, and told him I was a massive fan. He called me up and invited me to a show. It was a bit surreal at the time, but he’s a genuinely lovely guy who’s so down to earth it’s difficult to be all fan girl around him. We get on well. I so badly want to do a proper shoot with them though! Skin’s one of the most photogenic people I’ve ever seen; she’s amazingly expressive on stage and I imagine she’d be great to shoot.

**Is there any band that you wouldn’t work with again?**

Unfortunately the answer to that is yes, but I’m going to keep who to myself.

**For any young photographer, can you give any advice as to how to get noticed?**

I get asked similar questions often, and the honest answer is that there is no such thing as a sure fire way of doing anything in the music industry. All of the music photographers I know got into it in different ways. Some of them had an interest in photography, studied it and for whatever reason ended up in music. Some were music fans. Some were in bands but were shooting other bands and got into it that way. Some were tour managers or techies who got into it that way. The photographer who gave me that good advice all those years ago was working in the kitchens of a venue cooking for touring bands, and used to pop out to shoot the bands. Music photography is now her full time job.

The advice I usually give to young or new photographers is to get out to as many local shows as possible. Most small venues have no photography restrictions and it’s a great place to meet bands and make new friends, not to mention being an ideal way to gain valuable skills and build a good portfolio. I know everyone wants to just get right in and shoot Paramore, but with patience and hard work that might come. I think having realistic expectations is essential. It can take a long time to make a mark; it’s a fairly saturated industry with a lot of people all trying to get their name out there. And the one thing I’ve found is that the music industry is quite a lot about who you know within it. Meeting, and impressing, the right people is not something that happens overnight usually. This is why I advise people to go shoot the smaller bands…they may eventually become the bigger bands, and if you’ve had time to build up good working relationships and friendships with these bands they will provide great opportunities along the way that help you achieve your goals.

**Thank you very much for your time. What does the future hold for Marianne Harris and her musical ventures?**

I hope the future holds lots of hang outs, continued great shows and more new, long and happy friendships. And the Foo Fighters calling me up for new promos. Ha!

_You can check out Marianne’s portfolio and keep up to date with her work [here](http://www.marianneharris.co.uk/index.asp)._