We were lucky to catch up with Casey Hanson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Casey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I started in film, definitely trial and error. Shooting in low light with fast moving characters is a challenge, and when you are shooting on 35mm film, there were many disappointments. When I transitioned from film to digital, I was first very apprehensive, the unknown is scary…but soon I was delighted at the faster processing and the ability to see the results immediately. It was amazing.

The essential skills you need to be successful when shooting live music, in particular, is being prepared. Show up early, scrutinize the shooting area (usually the pit), and be prepared for things to change quickly.

Early on, it was a challenge to get approved to acquire media passes to photograph. Many of the managers and publicists weren’t very welcoming to a “newbie”. I was diligent and kept pushing through and eventually I had built up enough of a portfolio so they could see my credentials and my body of work, and the approval process became a lot smoother.

Working with Brutal Planet Magazine has really helped hone my skills, not only as a photographer, but focusing on more of the details of each show and the experience to write the best reviews.

I think the biggest obstacle is getting in my own head. If you go into any situation not being confident in your abilities, you are setting yourself up for failure. It’s okay to make mistakes as an artist. If you can accept that, you are free to just create in the moment instead of being riddled with the anxiety of failing. It makes each experience much more enjoyable. I think it allows you to absorb more and learn more.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started taking pictures at a young age. My Mom was always taking pictures, so it was natural for me to pick up a camera. My love for music runs very deep and it has always been my best friend, if you will. So, it was an organic process for me to transition into the role of a live music/event photographer. I love being part of the experience. It’s an exciting and beautiful job!

I think artists individually all have something to bring that is unique and special. My goal is to capture the persons essence in the moment. Music is emotional. The musicians are on stage telling us a story and it’s my mission to catch those subtle expressions. People miss a lot when they are attending a concert. Whether it be from celebrating your favorite song being played or hugging their best friend in a moment of happiness, little things get missed. Intimate moments to bursts of incredible energy, I want to catch as many of those as possible.

I have been blessed to have photographed some amazing talent in my 13 years of doing this.
Elton John, Santana, Black Label Society, Nita Strauss, Megadeth, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Judas Priest, and Shinedown, just to name a few.
All of them were beautiful to me and each experience was a reminder of why I love this job so much. Being a part of it is really special.

If I can show a moment in time to the viewer that grabs them and they can feel the emotion in that picture, be moved by it, I have accomplished my goal.

I started Active Light Photo while I was still working for FotoSport photographing the state tournaments (State Wrestling, State Basketball, State Volleyball, etc.) for the Wyoming High School Activities Association. It was an exciting job, as well, but I wanted to be close to the music. I came up with the name and decided to go for it.

My first press/media pass was for Tech N9ne and Krizz Kalico who were performing at the Casper Events Center in May of 2010. I was hooked and I knew I was where I was supposed to be!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I will not name the act, but she is top tier level famous. I was so excited to photograph her and have the experience. I had photographed many times at this location, so I was familiar with the rules, protocol, and what was expected of me. When I went into the area with my contact person for the shows, I had sat my backpack down in the same area as always. The performing artists manager approached me and started to berate me, swear at me, and basically called me an expletive because of where I had sat my bag. I was shocked. To this day, it stands out to me. I simply grabbed my gear and stayed as graceful as possible.
I have learned over many different venues and people, I am in a man’s world, I’d better have thick skin. I don’t see many women doing this, but I know the numbers are growing and I am so happy about that. I will continue to be mindful that each situation will be different, but my heels are planted firmly in the ground and I’m not going anywhere.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to be a touring photographer. I hope to get hired by bands/musicians to travel for certain legs of a tour. It would be exciting!      

Contact Info:

• Website: www.caseyhansonart.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/activelightphoto/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ActiveLightPhoto
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/casey-hanson-9a37a4222

Image Credits
Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society, Nita Strauss, Machine Head, Crobot, Jaron Gulino of Tantric, Underoath, Maria Brink of In This Moment