If a photo is worth a thousand words, what about the person who took that photo? In a day and age where, thanks to Instagram, everyone thinks they’re a professional photographer, it’s important to remember the people who actually do this for a living.
People like Julius Aguilar – the self-taught, Arizona local who contributes to The Noise frequently shooting bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Beartooth, Angels & Airwaves and more.
Today, in a time where all we have are photos to remember some of our favorite shows by (since no one can attend any at the moment), we’d like to take a second and shine a light on the hard working people who took them.
So, to learn a little more about Julius, be sure to check out our newest installment of our Photographer Spotlight series below. Afterward, make sure to follow Julius on Instagram here.
1) Who or what got you into concert photography?
Pin pointing what exactly it was that “got me into” concert photography is hard for me to do as it wasn’t the superficial aspects most associate with being a concert/music photographer – the level of access, being able to meet and hangout with the musician(s) or any of the other accolades that may come with it. It was a feeling/emotion that pulled me in. On the surface, I think it was the idea and the desire of wanting to capture that feeling, a photo that makes people reflect and analyze their concept of what was captured. Underneath that, it’s the desire of understanding how to work the challenges that come with concert photography such as low light shooting, capturing the essence of the musician(s) in the short time given to shoot as well as how to create something different in a static environment and understanding the business aspects that comes with it.
I think in any creative medium there’s an overarching ambition to challenge yourself artistically, to put yourself in a place where you’re forced to make an important decision of stopping where you’re comfortable or pushing your creative passions across their comforts to garner new experiences – a fight or flight type of response. My time as an artist has seen different mediums from drawing, painting, graphic arts, music and a plethora of other creative outlets but the art of photography was eventually where I began investing a lot more of my time and resources.
2) What was the first show you ever shot?
The first show I ever photographed was of the band The Black Moods at a local hangout, aptly named Rockbar, in Scottsdale, AZ. I had seen them once prior but with that one show they pulled me back into the photography world after a hiatus from it. The first big show, for lack of a better word, I shot was Fall Out Boy at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ which was very nerve wrecking as up to that point I had only been shooting in smaller venues with 300 or less capacities and different rules to follow. With Fall Out Boy, every feeling and rush I got when I photographed The Black Moods for the first time was present tenfold. Everything was new just at different scales. With Fall Out Boy you have the addition of a formal process, so to speak, with getting show approval, getting admitted with security checks, getting passes, being escorted, shooting only the first three songs and being in a pit that is blocked off from the crowd sometimes.
3) What was your first touring experience like and who did you shoot for?
Unfortunately, I have not been able to tour with a band on any scale due to personal factors and scheduling but as things open up in the near future I am definitely interested and determined to cross that off as a goal on my checklist.
4) What’s your preferred camera setup?
Canon is my goto brand as far as concert photography is concerned right now. I’ve built a muscle memory and a relationship with the canon brand specifically the 5D series. I currently shoot on a 5D Mark III and have four Canon L series lenses that I use depending on the situation I am in. The four lenses I own and use are the Canon EF 16-35mm 1:2.8L II USM, Canon EF 24-70mm 1:2.8L USM, Canon EF 70-200mm 1:2.8L USM and the Canon EF 300mm 1:2.8L IS USM.
5) For young photographers who are still learning, what’s your time management like or the schedule you give yourself day-to-day while shooting?
It’s very easy to find yourself in a situation where you’ve taken on too much that you can’t handle, especially in the beginning because of all the opportunities that open up when getting involved in this field. The key is to find the balance between creativity and productivity, in that order, because the main reason you got into this field of work is the enjoyment it brings you to be creative. But on the other side of that is also the reality of, it is a business. So being productive and delivering your art/product is necessary in a timely manner.
Over time as you begin to shoot more shows, you will find a process and a cadence that works. Soon you will be doing it without even knowing you are, which is where you want to get also leaving room for improvement on the process. I have only been shooting shows for about four years, not long, and I have worked and continue to work on the kinks, learn about my editing software and have been able to get equipment that streamlines my process as much as possible.
Personally, I will always try to work on [my photos] immediately leaving little time between when the show was in town and when the photos get used. The discipline is the take away here as you’ll never know who you’re going to be able to work for in the future and what their demands may be so always be on your toes. Above all that, make sure you are still able to stay creative. You don’t want wear yourself out so pace yourself until you are in a place where you can handle that type of work load. It can be done. It’s finding the efficiency and discipline to do it all in a timely manner.
6) Any other tips for future concert photographers?
Quality over quantity. Remember you are not the only one in that photo pit so make sure you photograph with intent and not with a heavy finger. The idea is to get a shot that no one is seeing even with the limited space you may have and making it as creative as you can with the camera before putting it through an editing software.
7) Personally, who are some of your favorite concert photographers?
Not set in any order but Leah Sems, Jim Louvau, Sanjay Parikh, Johann Ramos (JAR) are a few that come to mind that I am always interested to view new photos or content posted. Each provide a different flavor and attention to the photos they take and utilize their content creator mindsets differently that provide for amazing art.
8) Lastly, who’s your dream artist to shoot?
This is a hard question to answer mainly because I’ve been lucky to photograph a lot of artists that were on my “dream artist” list. Where I’m at creatively is wanting to work with artists, one on one, providing content in the realm of photography as well as some other mediums. But if I have to choose an artist in current times, it would be My Chemical Romance. Mainly because of the nostalgia factor, the awesomely emo-crazed fans and their amazing ability to sell out venues, arenas and festivals. Their [upcoming] line up of shows will have what I describe as “the feeling.”
