Kathy Hanrahan: Girl at the rock show
My son is just starting to figure out that I used to be kinda cool. I recently celebrated my 14th anniversary at WRAL and that meant a walk down memory lane!
I pulled out some of my media credentials obtained throughout the years and decided to even break out my old concert photography portfolio. Yes, I used to shoot concerts on a very regular basis. And I was one of the only (if not the only) female in the pit in front of the stage jostling for position to get the best shot of people like Elton John and Mick Jagger.
I even covered concerts when I was pregnant with both of my children. My son was in my belly when I shot the Red Hot Chili Peppers. My daughter was in my belly when I was 7th row at Elton John.
What would make me want to be a concert photographer? I wanted to be up close without having to buy a really expensive ticket...
Actually, I was inspired to do it in college when I noticed a really nice photo taken by one of our college newspaper photographers at a Garth Brooks show. I knew that I wanted to learn to do that. So I borrowed the paper's camera and tried to learn. It had actual film! (Yes, I'm ancient.)
The first show I shot was 311 in Baton Rouge. I was 18 or 19 years old and I remember being terrified that the crowd was going to hurt me. I was in a tiny little area between the pit and the stage - only a few feet wide. It was only me and a metal barrier between the crowd and the band. I was crammed up against a speaker that was so loud my entire body was vibrating!
The venue security gave me a set of earplugs to wear, but advised I not go into the pit to shoot. They were afraid I'd get hit by kids crowd surfing toward the stage. And they were right - I had to dodge a lot of feet and arms coming at me from behind while I tried to shoot photos. Plus, when I got home and developed the film - only one photo was usable.
I was ready to give up, but my cousin was a great photographer and I decided to ask him for some tips. He gave me some suggested camera settings and told me what film to use. He set me on my path to actually being a decent college photographer - so shout out to cousin Scott! My second show was Matchbox Twenty and I nailed it! I could see Rob Thomas' pores, I got that close.
I shot many festivals - Voodoo Fest, Warped Tour - and many, many bands throughout college. The same thing happened every show though - I was often the only woman shooting photos and I was always the youngest in the pit. I'd get looks from the other photographers - who were often older men who had been doing this job for years. They looked at me in disbelief - like I didn't belong or like I didn't know what I was doing.
I shot a little for the AP in Mississippi but they had a wonderful photographer (Rogelio!) so they didn't need my pics as much.
I started concert photography again when I got to WRAL and photographed No Doubt, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Cher, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift (two or three times), Snoop Dogg, Billy Joel, Panic at the Disco, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Mary J. Blige, Ludacris - the list goes on and on.
I think that the hardest part of being an entertainment and lifestyle journalist and photographer is that because it is lighter content, not everyone understands that it can be a career.
While my mom was supportive of my photography, she was always worried I'd get injured in the pit. I know some family members wondered when I would "get a real job" that didn't require late nights and rock stars on stage. They just never understood that jobs don't always require sitting at a desk 9 to 5!
Hopefully this crazy career I've had will give my children some inspiration to follow their dreams too.
Here are some of my career highlights - and stories I plan to tell my children one day:
There was blood: Eminem is the only act I've felt in danger of the crowd. Honestly, it was the height of his success and a very hot day in City Park during Voodoo Fest in New Orleans. When he took the stage 45 minutes late, the crowd was angry and started punching security. There was blood, bottles were being thrown and all photographers were rushed backstage to safety. I got maybe a song and a half of footage, but it was enough to get some of my best photos of the day. The show resumed once the crowd calmed down, but we weren't allowed to shoot any photos anymore because of safety.
Act like you are supposed to be there: I can't tell you how many places I ended up wandering into and being allowed to stay because I acted like I belonged there. I got to sit just off-stage- just a few feet from where John Mayer was on stage performing - twice! His security had no problem with me shooting photos and then sitting down and enjoying the show from one of the best seats in the house. I didn't move and they didn't make me.
Get my good side: Elton John loves get his picture taken. He stopped and looked at every photographer in the pit and smiled. He made sure everyone got their shots of him. Gwen Stefani came right up to my camera and smiled. I was the only woman in the pit and she made sure I got good photos.
The best view: One of my favorite memories is sitting on the stage in City Park at one of the many Voodoo Fests I covered in New Orleans. I climbed up on the stage that the final band of the night (Stone Temple Pilots) would be playing on in an hour or so. I just sat there, reloading my film and drinking some water. Across the field, I could see Cowboy Mouth on stage. It was peaceful.
RIP STP: The late Scott Weiland (with Stone Temple Pilots) was all about the cameras. I shot him at Voodoo Fest one year and after five songs we were supposed to be escorted out of the front pit area with our cameras. He told security that he wanted us to stay and then climbed down and gave us even better shots. We were able to shoot the entire set, as much as we wanted, from the best location possible.
Garth Brooks is the GOAT: I said earlier that he inspired me to become a photographer, so when he came to Raleigh it was a full circle moment for me. I told him about it when I interviewed him before the show. He was so supportive and even called over his PR folks to make sure I had a photo pass and anything I needed! He event brought up our conversation when he was on stage! He was ridiculously kind and probably the nicest celebrity I've ever interviewed.
Dining like a celebrity: Artists have access to food and beverage options during major festivals - plus they have their own bathrooms. I remember hanging out in the artist area with John Popper from Blues Traveler and Ludacris. I grabbed water but was afraid to take anything to eat! At Warped Tour, I just followed Sum 41 into the artist area for food. I hung out with Good Charlotte and Alien Ant Farm.
