The music industry offers many career opportunities that go far beyond performing on a stage: careers spanning from songwriters and composers, production and sound engineering, music distribution and promotion, business and management, music publishing, music journalism, marketing and social media, to touring and beyond! These industry professionals are the backbone of the music world, ensuring the music we love thrives through their contributions to its creation, production, and distribution.
In an industry where creativity is crucial, a tour photographer is responsible for capturing the essence of a concert. A lens allows a photographer to tell a story where words alone don’t do it justice. They are responsible for documenting memorable moments that create a lasting visual record of the tour. Each photographer has their own personal touch and something that makes their photos unique. One of the most exceptional creative directors and photographers in the business, Cory Rapp is an impeccable storyteller with an eye for detail, allowing him to evoke emotion with his stunning photographs.
Rapp has been in the game for three and a half years and was inspired to pursue a career in the industry in July of 2021 after leaving his corporate job. Before discovering his passion for photography, Rapp played many roles in the music industry, anywhere from playing in local bands to booking and managing them. “I’ve always done whatever job or role I could to be close to music,” he states.
Rapp fell in love with concert photography when he was given the opportunity to sell merchandise for one of his friend’s bands, local to his hometown, where he brought 15 disposable cameras along for the journey to see how it would go.
“When I got the film back, I was in love and decided it was what I had to spend my life doing”, he says.
A day in the life of a concert photographer varies from day to day, but when on tour, they typically begin their day at soundcheck. When the show is over, they sit down to pick their favorite photos from the night and begin to edit them so they can get them back to the artist as soon as possible. Rapp says, “I shoot the entire show from different angles and usually end up with 800 to 1000 photos a night.”
By becoming a well-respected photographer — someone who is certainly a master of his craft — Rapp has been given so many amazing opportunities, but a standout moment for him was his very first tour when he got the film back and felt really proud of what he had captured for the first time. He was also given a chance to work with Bleachers, who has easily become one of his favorite artists to work for. “I love Jack Antonoff, he was my hero when I was a kid,” Rapp says. “I’ve been a huge fan of every band he’s been in since 2006.”
Staying persistent, networking with musicians and industry professionals, developing a unique style, and mastering how to use a camera are all important to becoming a successful concert photographer. Rapp admits that there isn’t necessarily something that he can’t live without when it comes to photographing. In fact, he says, “This is going to sound like a funny answer, but when I find there aren’t a million options on what camera/lens/filter combo [to use], I actually end up getting my best shots.” His advice to those aspiring to be a force of nature in the photography world?
“Go buy disposable cameras and just start taking pictures of things, your family, your friends, anything. You can only learn by doing,” he says.
