I really love when street photographers take their particular style and apply it to different venues or personal projects. The edge of the sidewalk features the work of street photographers, but not their street photography.
Serge Levin is a Philadelphia street photographer who's uses his street style in his concert photography. He blends light and shadows with the energy and emotion, creating some surprising and wonderful photos.
Here's what Serge has to say about shooting at concerts and live venues.
My name is Serge Levin and I’m a photographer from Philadelphia. I love street photography and it is my primary, self-soothing hobby.
I picked up concert photography shortly after buying a camera as I just wanted something to give me structure, a reason to be in a place with a camera. It quickly became a way of interacting with a live show’s energy and got me thinking about emotion in photography.
After so many shows I felt like I hit a wall of being in a few fixed places by the stage, facing a performer with light that I have no control over. It reminded me of walking the same streets of the city you live in while doing street photography, feeling frustrated and uninspired.
This eventually evolved into an exercise of trying to acquire something different in that repetitive setting by slowing down and being more present in the moment.
I don’t know how effective that actually was for my photography, but it made the whole process therapeutic again, getting rid of expectations and reaching some mindfulness that I think we all feel at our best in this hobby.
