COVID-19 has made a huge impact on many people all across the world, and its put many people out of jobs and at some high risks etc. So here at The Vinyl we wanted to celebrate the insanely talented creators in the photography business. We are celebrating the Concert Photographers, the Lifestyle Photographers, the Wedding Photographers, the Wildlife Photographers and every other type of Photographer behind that camera that brings such joy to the eye.
Introducing Rob Wallace!
TV: Please introduce yourself and tell us your primary photo location(s)?
Rob Wallace: Hey my name is Rob Wallace and I am primarily an event photographer with a large focus on music photography. I normally shoot as a house photographer for I.M.P. (The Anthem, 9:30 Club, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Lincoln Theatre), The Wolf Trap Foundation (Filene Center and The Barns) and The National in Richmond, VA.
TV: How did you know that being a photographer is something you truly wanted to do, and what/who are some inspirations you may have had/have?
RW: Well I specifically remember attending a SOJA show in Richmond, VA and seeing this guy John Shore (who I ended up meeting later and really got me into the scene) running around the venue snapping photos and thought I would really like to give that a try so when I finished my bachelor’s degree at WVU I decided to use the remaining amount of my GI Bill to take some photography classes and I just started using shows as the material for my assignments and it just kinda took off from there.
TV: What equipment is a must-have for you no matter where you are going to be working? What does your typical photographing setup look like?
RW: I have become set in my ways and I absolutely have to have my two Nikon D750s. Depending on the venue I will have a 70-200 f/2.8 lens on one and I will usually have a wide prime lens around 24mm or I have a 28-75 f/2.8 on the other. I use a sling for the larger lens camera and a spider pro belt setup for the smaller lens.
TV: What are some of your favorite techniques when it comes to editing styles/ways you present your work? Do you have different aesthetics for different types of work?
RW: Editing is something I particularly enjoy and I really like the black and white photos. When I first started I almost exclusively did black and whites because in photo school my professor would say choose one (black and white or color) so I went with black and white which really help me learn a lot more about shadows and tone which is a big issue when shooting shows. Especially in venues with low light. I also like the mood that black and white adds to certain images but I agree that there is a time and place for it. It doesn’t always work and can hurt an image if not used in the right place.
TV: COVID-19 has completely changed the lifestyle for soooo many different people, how has it effected you? Whether its work/photo related or just all together? How do you. keep yourself busy?
RW: It has definitely put a damper on things. Luckily I have a full time job that isn’t photography that keeps me busy and a wife and 4 year old at home but besides that I guess a lot of Xbox and Call of Duty.
TV: Now that Concerts/Festivals/Events/ Social Gatherings(weddings, reunions, family portraits etc) /Sports etc are being cancelled/postponed all over the world due to COVID-19, how are you finding ways to stay creative?
RW: Concerts have been my major creative outlet but I have been doing updates to my house so that work has kept me plenty busy.
TV: Once all this (hopefully) goes away, what are some of your plans to get back to a somewhat “normal” schedule?
RW: I hope to get back out there and get to as many shows as possible and come back refreshed because I usually get burnt out at a certain point of the year unfortunately I was just starting to come out of that burnt out period right before this all happened so I will be more than refreshed once we go back to normal.
TV: What are some of your favorite creative pieces/photos/opportunities you have gotten to do in 2020 before all hell broke loose?
RW: Well the beginning of 2020 I was kind of taking it easy. I was mostly trying to get into some portraiture type work but social distancing kind of threw a wrench in that once. The summer of 2019 was really rewarding and I think the stand out moment was shooting for Wolf Trap and getting to stand on the drum riser between Trombone Shorty’s two drummers during his set. That was definitely an adrenaline rush.
Here are a few of Rob’s favorite photos:
Rob Wallace
TV: Is there anything you would like to add as we end this interview?
RW: I would say I am looking forward to getting back out there and seeing everyone come out to as many shows as possible and supporting the artists and venues we love. If you are interested in getting into music photography, have questions, or just want to chat you can reach out to my socials (Instagram: @mindful_photo, Facebook: @MindfulPhoto1 or Twitter: @mindful_photo)
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