We talk to the fabulously talented music/event photographer Warren Millar about his 7 years in the industry, from shooting arena shows like Blink-182 to Gladys Knight, he gives us an in-depth take on what it’s like to be a leading live music photographer! Warren’s body of work is a wonder to see.

NSG: How long have you been a photographer for gigs and entertainment and how did it all begin?

WM: I’ve been shooting live music now for about seven years although I’ve been a photographer for most of my working life, having been a police photographer for over twenty years. My start in music photography came from a tragic event. My son was in his last year at secondary school when one of his school friends committed suicide, which was a great shock. He was a musician so his mum decided to put on a music event at The Studio in Widnes; my home town. I was asked to take some photographs and I gladly went along and really enjoyed the night, which raised a lot of money to kit out a recording studio there. I got talking to the people who run the studio and they asked me to photograph the gigs they hold there. I jumped at the chance. The Studio is now a very special place for me. The people there are so passionate about what they do in our local community and about the arts in general. I’ve held two exhibitions there and also ran three gig photography workshops there using local bands. This gave the photographers the feel of working at a real live gig.  

NSG: Life has changed dramatically these last few months due to the pandemic. I think a lot of us didn’t expect the live entertainment scene to be away for quite so long? How are you coping as a photographer who lives for live-action, and what are your hopes for the future within the industry?

WM: I’m coping quite well, to be honest. I’m very lucky in a way that I no longer have to rely on my photography to keep a roof over my head and pay the bills. I feel for all in the arts and entertainment/music industry who through no fault of their own find themselves with no work and no income. It’s a very hard situation for us all to be in and I also find it very frustrating that the music industry seems to have been forgotten about. I see small music venues closing and can’t help thinking that these are the very venues we need to keep alive. Without these small independent venues, where will the big artists and bands of the future learn their trade? I miss the vibe of turning up at a venue, meeting and chatting to some of the great gig photographers we have here in the North West, as we wait for the band to come on stage. I really hope and pray that come the new year things will begin to get better and we can quickly get back to normal. Having said all that, back in March, I was thinking maybe things would be back to normal before the end of this year!. 

 NSG: You have a massive body of work Warren. I think it would be hard for you to pick one gig or shot that’s your favourite wouldn’t it? Instead, can you tell me about one of your most magical or special moments shooting a live show?

WM: Now that’s a bloody hard question. I’ve had so many great times in the pit or at a festival. I’ve been lucky to photograph some of my musical idols: The Human League, Kraftwerk, The Happy Mondays, Echo And The Bunnymen, ELO, and many more. My special moments will have to be the times I have had, over the last five years, covering Africa Oyé Festival at Sefton Park Liverpool. It is one very special festival for me and I missed it so much this year. Paul Duhaney and his brilliant Oyé staff really do know how a festival should be run and delivered. Always a brilliant two days. 

Javis Cocke, Bluedot festival 2019

NSG: What was the last show you shot and can you remember much about it?

WM: The last show I shot was Clannad at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. It was supposed to be their farewell tour. How ironic is that?! As always at The Philharmonic we had to shoot from the sound desk and got kicked out after the first three songs so I can’t really judge how good a gig it was. All remember is that I almost didn’t get in because my name wasn’t down on the press list. It took a lot of being nice to the staff and PR people to get me in. I made it with about two minutes to spare before they came on stage. Good tip: Don’t lose your shit if you find a mistake has been made and you’re not on the list of photographers. Be nice and you stand a chance!

NSG: What gear do you take to shoot a gig/concert? What’s your favourite bit of kit and can you tell us a little bit on why you think the lenses/kit you use do the job better than just a random stock lens?

WM: Up until lockdown I was using Fujifilm Mirrorless X series cameras and lenses; mainly the X-T3 and X-T2. After lockdown, I decided I wanted to move back to Full Frame DSLR cameras. This is not because the Fujifilm system was not up to the job – I just felt I needed something of a change. I used to shoot Nikon so I decided to move back to them. Now I have a Nikon D750 and Nikon D600 as my main camera bodies and also the Nikon 24-70 f2.8, Sigma 70-200 f2.8 and have just got a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 which I plan to use at arenas and venues where we have to shoot from the sound desk or back of the venue. I also have a ‘nifty 50’ f1.8 which in my opinion is a much-underrated lens for gig photography. With some very dimly lit venues you have to have fast glass, so always buy the best lenses you possibly can. Don’t scrimp on glass would be another tip for gig photographers. 

NSG: We heard about your exhibition at The Studio in Widnes earlier this year. Could you tell us more about it?

WM: Well, it opened in January this year and was due to run until March. In fact, it was due to run until the date that all the lockdown rules came into force. It consists of around twenty images from my long-term project ‘Live Performance Black and White Portraits’. These are images taken that have the look of studio portrait shots but were taken at gigs and festivals. It’s my style of gig photography I guess. It’s funny because it’s still hung at The Gallery at The Studio. Must be my longest-running exhibition ever with not many people allowed to view it. 

If you want to see my project take a look here on this link on my website:

 https://warrenmillarphotography.smugmug.com/Project-Live-Performance-Black-and-White-Portraits/

NSG: Can you tell me, from a personal perspective, who are the top five artists you’re most proud and excited to have shot?

WM: Wow another hard question, this one. My all-time favourite band has to be Kraftwerk and I was so excited when they headlined at Bluedot Festival last year. Not only did I get to see them live, but photograph them too. The only downside was that not all photographers who had a pit pass were allowed in the pit, so a draw was made as to who was allowed in, and I wasn’t one of the lucky ones. I still photographed them from the sound desk and managed to get some decent shots. Having said that, there are only so many shots you can get of four guys standing at lecterns playing electronic music! It was the same the year before with The Chemical Brothers. This time I was in the pit but due to the stage setup, you really couldn’t see much or get any decent images. Another one of my music legends I’ve now shot a couple of times is Gary Numan, at Bluedot Festival and at The O2 in Liverpool. To be stood in the pit within a few feet of one of your musical idols is one thing that I will never get used to. Another one of my favourite bands from my late teens has to be The Electric Light Orchestra and I was lucky enough to get a press pass to photograph Jeff Lynne’s ELO at the M&S Bank Arena last year.  One job I got last year was to go to the British Music Experience in Liverpool where Andrew McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, were speaking. I actually managed to get into a one-to-one interview that Jane Rachel was conducting with them, and was allowed to take photos as the guys were in conversation with her. That was very special to me.  I will add here that every band and artist I have photographed are very special, no matter how big or how small they are. I only wish I could mention all the bands I have shot because they all contribute to what I love doing.  

Peter Doherty, Prenton Park 2017

NSG: What is it about music photography that makes you so passionate about it? 

WM: I’ve always been a massive fan of music. I’m not one who can bring up facts and stats on bands and artists – I’m just a fan. So to be part of the action in the pit taking photographs is a real pleasure for me and a privilege too. I love the uncertainty of it all. When you think about it, Live Music Photography is the one of the only types of photography where the photographer has little of no control over the subject, lighting and to a certain extent where the image will be taken from. It can be a real challenge at time but that just adds to the excitement. I love it! 

NSG: How fundamental do you think photography is to the music industry as a whole and how do you feel about the role you play in this? 

WM: I think it’s very important. Take a review of a gig; for example. The words written by the writer wouldn’t mean as much without some form of context from a photographer. Images can convey what it was like at a gig or festival. This is what I would hope my pictures do. It’s not just live music either. Band PR shots (which I would love to do more of) are a very important part of a band/artist’s overall image, behind the scenes images on tour or at a gig can also be great for the public to actually see what it’s like on tour. You only have to take a look at some of the iconic behind the scenes images of big bands such as The Beatles and The Stones. I would also love to go on tour with a band and capture images like this. 

NSG: If someone wanted to become a music/gig photographer, what would you suggest to them? What basic gear would they need and how would they get into live shows?

WM: I’ve discussed this in a number of talks I’ve given over the years. I always say to start small at local open mic nights. Not only will you be pushing your gear to the maximum due to poor lighting but you will also be more than welcome at these sort of small music events. Get to know the artists playing and tag them in any images you post online. Be very selective about any images you do post online. Only post your very best images. If it’s out of focus, poorly exposed, or poorly composed,even by a little, don’t post it. You want your work to look good and stand out. Open mic nights can open a door for you to build a nice portfolio of live music images. Look for online music blogs/magazines that review live gigs in your area. They may be looking for photographers to cover gigs for them and once you have built up a half-decent portfolio you will have this as a backup when you contact these people. Gear wise all I would say is don’t get too worked up about having all the latest gear. Learn how to use what you have and how to push that gear to the maximum because that’s what you will be doing at gigs. Spend your money on fast lenses. I know fast long glass is expensive but it’s what you will eventually need moreover camera bodies. Choose a camera system you are happy with, not one you think you need because others use them. Be your own worst critic. Most of all, enjoy! 

Gary Numan, Bluedot Festival 2018

NSG: Is there anyone left who you haven’t shot yet that is on your wishlist? Who is it and why?

WM: Bloody loads! I was hoping to be covering Bluedot again this year but like all festivals that went tits up. Björk was headlining there – that would have been amazing. Also, this year’s Neighbourhood Weekender at Warrington were Ian Brown (another one of my music idols) was one of the headline acts. Other names I would love to photograph: Billie Eilish, Genesis, who hopefully will be playing in Liverpool next year, Paloma Faith, who again will be playing in Liverpool again next year. Aurora – a Norwegian singer-songwriter who I have discovered during the lockdown. She just seems like a lovely nice person and from what I have seen online is fantastic live.  

NSG: Finally, thank you for your interview and time Warren. Is there anything you would like to add? If anyone wants to view more of your work or contact you for a shoot, what’s the best way to do this? 

WM: Just a big thanks to New Sound Generation for asking me to do this. I’m so looking forward to reading your magazine and hopefully contributing some of my work too. 

Website – https://warrenmillarphotography.smugmug.com/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/warrenphotog/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/warren.millarphotographer

Twitter – @Warrenphotog 

 And if anyone wants to email me please do at wandpmillar@btinternet.com or warrenphotog@outlook.com

Images and copyright: Warren Millar