How Joe Brady Accidentally Became a Successful Music Photographer
I have always dreamed of entering the field of music journalism. Music moves me, soothes me, and completes me like nothing else, in the same way writing does. Putting the two together is the perfect recipe for my ideal career. Music journalism has the ability to touch massive amounts of people. It can help the public discover new artists, learn more about artists they already enjoy, or simply entertain. Through photography, Joe Brady shares my passion and has achieved the dreams I hope to follow with written word.
Joe Brady is a photographer based out of the United Kingdom who specializes in music photography. Since 2011, Brady has been touring with various musicians and bands. From Bastille to Joe Bonamassa to Echosmith, he has shot for over 200 bands in his career so far. Before he became a music photographer, he worked in television on shows such as Top Gear and The Apprentice. Brady quit his job in television to pursue a career in photography.
“My first tour was with a band called The Ocean’s Eyes in December 2011. I knew a few of the guys in the band already, and they were kind enough to invite me out with them and give me my first taste of tour life. I had just quit my job in TV to pursue photography full time, so the timing was perfect. I never looked back!” said Brady.
Brady found success as a photographer at a young age. He was in his early 20’s when he conducted his first shoot with his friend’s band, where he accidentally discovered his love for music photojournalism. Photography was always a hobby for him, but his passion led him to an unexpected career.
“I’ve always had a passion for live music, so when my friend asked me to shoot his band at The Forum in London, I jumped at the chance! I was working in TV at the time and photography was just a hobby, I had no idea that it would turn into a career. I really enjoyed shooting their show, so started to look around for more small local shows to shoot after work, and it all snowballed from there!” said Brady.
By photographing bands at concerts he went to, Brady was asked to shoot for Hevypetal, which is no longer in publication, and gained access to more well known bands from there. Brady is currently on a three-month tour with the band Against the Current.
Brady has played an important role in the music industry field and music visual journalism. His passion for music is reflected in his work and lines with his passion for photography. Brady values the time he gets to spend with bands and musicians, and is especially proud of spending the summer of 2014 shooting at Warped Tour, a summer long traveling rock music festival in the United States, for the band We Are The In Crowd.
“Having the chance to spend last summer shooting Warped Tour with We Are The In Crowd in the USA was a very special time for me. Warped had always been the ultimate goal of my career, so to reach it within three years was pretty crazy. I’m fond of many of my photos from that tour, but in particular a shot of Tay Jardine riding a quad bike minutes before hitting the stage is one of my favorites,” said Brady.
Brady does tour diary videos and behind the scenes videos in addition to live music photography and band promotional shoots. He brings the backstage experience to the fans while helping musicians get their name out.
I have been following Brady’s blog for almost two years now and watching him grow in the field as a photographer has truly been a delight. His enthusiasm for music and capturing special moments for those on stage and fans from home is contagious. Brady is a humble person as well: it is clear his success has not gone to his head. He answers questions from followers on his blog when he finds time in his busy schedule and continues to photograph for weddings on the side.
Although Brady loves what he does, he admits that being a freelance photographer can be very difficult.
“There’s a lot of competition and there’s always someone willing to work cheaper than you, so you have to be very good to justify your price. I do enjoy the competition though — I like comparing my images to other photographers, I want to bring the best out of myself and having other people to compete with definitely helps me achieve that,” said Brady.
His first major European tour was with the band GIANTS. GIANTS introduced him to the band We Are The Ocean and he has worked with them a lot since then. He believes success can be credited towards whom you know more than what you know.
Joe Brady has a unique underdog story that is inspiring to young photographers and photojournalists: continue to put yourself out there and do what you love, and maybe luck will come your way. Joe Brady never formally studied photography: he is completely self-taught. Trial and error has been a major part of his learning process. Brady is an advocate for utilizing resources available to anyone, like Google. His story is inspiring not just for photographers and journalists across the field, but for all young people pursuing their dreams.
https://instagram.com/joebradyphoto
