Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Deb Schaefer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Deb, appreciate you joining us today. Everyone has crazy stuff happen to them, but often small business owners and creatives, artists and others who are doing something off the beaten path are often hit with things (positive or negative) that are so out there, so unpredictable and unexpected. Can you share a crazy story from your journey?

One of the most interesting facts about photographing concerts is the time in the pit awaiting the show to begin. I use the time to set my intention for the evening and dedicate time to ensure my gear is prepared for the band / artists’ first steps on the stage. The first 3 songs are typically allocated for photographers to capture the essence of a live show. Once my preparation is complete I transition to taking in my surroundings and engaging with fans in the front row. There is often magic in those conversations and it is one of my favorite aspects of this work. One highlight was witnessing a marriage proposal unfold right in front of me at Red Rocks as the crowd anticipated Noah Kahan stepping on the iconic stage. I shared the images documenting the magic moments with the happy couple the next day! Another evening I met a young man in his 20s who recently recovered from a complicated heart surgical procedure. The artists’ music sustained him before and after the surgery and he was so grateful to be present at the venue experiencing the songs he loved in a vibrant way. Melodies and lyrics are like soul vitamins enriching our lives. I love discovering how an artists’ music reaches individuals in one-of-a-kind ways. Musicians support us and provide the soundtrack of our lives. Songs unite us in a myriad of ways and help us to travel back to the way we felt in moments we have experienced the songs. I love honoring the talent on the stage and hope that my images and articles helps artists’ to reach wider audiences.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I love the way my camera brings me into the present moment like nothing else. It has changed how I see the world offering a deep connection with everything I see through my lens. The journey of photography has opened my eyes to all the wonder in our ordinary days and it has filled my insatiable need for everyday creativity. Visual storytelling is my mission. My favorite genre is concert photography: capturing the dynamic essence of live music and the remarkable energy and passion of artists in their element. My intention is to produce dynamic images that inspire and evoke a reaction – to listen, experience and attend shows! Music has been a constant thread in my life and it’s blessed me in countless ways. I have connected to so many incredible people during the journey of building my photography business and constantly learning to improve my art.

Honored to have my photographs appear on the lovely pages of Bella Grace magazine and on the cover of the coveted cover of the quarterly journal of black and white photography: Shots Magazine. My work has also been featured in Inspired, a magazine published by The National Association of Child Photographers. My proudest moments are those when musicians share my work or when someone lets me know that an artist I recommended changed their life in positive and profound ways.

I live in Wisconsin – lakeside between Madison and Milwaukee. I love traveling and everything related to photography. I have two amazing daughters, a husband and crazy Frenchton named Lola.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

In 2006 my sister-in-law passed away very unexpectedly – she was 36 years old and had a 9-month old baby. One Saturday night we were having chips & queso and drinking a margaritas and having a soulful conversation about our amazing children and a couple days later she was gone. I found music was (pardon the pun) instrumental in healing and coping with grief. I found a song called “More Time” by a band called NEEDTOBREATHE and I built an endless grief playlist. My sister-in-law was named Heather Hart and she taught me a practice to find and photograph hearts – leaves, rocks, flowers, clouds, a heart shaped pattern on a dog’s fur – I started to search for them everywhere and the veil of the grief lightened and I felt connected to her through music and photography and the practice of found hearts. She was a talented photographer. Elizabeth Gilbert shared in her gem of a book: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear – that we are all creative beings. Some raise chickens (yes that is a creative practice), some of us are poets and painters or candle makers. Some screen print or write melodies. in Big Magic she maintains, “If you’re alive, you’re a creative person.”

Big Magic provides a perspective-altering definition of a creative life as “a life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear. When we carry the belief that creative blessings are only bestowed upon a chosen few (the official trained artists), we provide a disservice to the world.”

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

What have you learned that you would like to tell our listeners?

1.) Please don’t let fear immobilize you.

I am constantly terrified and have to turn of the tape in my mind saying I am not “good enough.” I find getting to work is the best way to show my fears and insecurities that I can do things.
One solution I embrace is a 3­-step process to overrun fear as a barrier: dream, do and detach (and repeat).
2.) Pursue your curiosity – it is never too late and you are never too old / you don’t need more training or experience to begin: -so please start.
Create whatever causes your heart to sing. What motivates you to get up early and get to work on a passion project. Begin there! If you are not sure, try things that inspire you and see how you feel as you create.
For me that means taking photos and specifically capturing the magic of live music.
3.) You can find the time. Two minutes here and there adds up!

Grant yourself creative permission everyday – even if only for a few minutes.

4.) One of the surprising gifts is the people that have come into my life through creativity and photography. It has expanded my circle of friends and with a new group of people I admire and adore.

5.) It is surprising and remarkable how much joy you find if you pursuing passion projects and creative work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.debschaeferlivemusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debschaeferlivemusicphotos/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebSchaeferPhotography/
• Twitter: https://x.com/DebSchaeferPics
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/deb_schaefer_/

  https://debschaefer.com

Image Credits

Deb Schaefer (photo credit). Featured: The Lumineers, Jonah Kagen, NEEDTOBREATHE