We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joe Kleon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joe, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

When I was very young. I watched many adults in my family hate their jobs. I told myself I was never going to spend a significant amount of my life working jobs that I hated. I loved music from a very early age, so I promised myself when I was very young that I would always work in some area of the music industry. I started doing radio when I was 18, worked as a commercial radio announcer for over 20 years and then transitioned into music photography.

Joe, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was a radio DJ for over 20 years. When the business started to tank in the 1990s., with the changing of Federal radio ownership laws, talent became devalued and creativity stifled. I could no longer stay in the industry, because working under those conditions was not enjoyable.

I bought an expensive camera to take on a tip to visit ancient archaeological sites. I licensed a photo from the trip to large radio syndicator and realized I could make money with a camera! I began taking music photos, since I already worked with bands in various capacities. I had a lot of musical contacts from my work in radio and with bands and record labels, so the transition into a music photographer was a lot easier than I expected. I began shooting local bands, then regional tribute bands, and smaller national and international bands. This steadily grew over 20 years. I now have over 1,500 shows under my belt and have aimed my cameras at s0me of the biggest names in music, from Paul McCartney, to Elton John, To Kiss, Rush, Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Bruce Springsteen, and many more. I always try to capture an artist when they are “in the zone,” completely immersed in the emotional gratification of a good performance. I love to capture depth, emotion, energy, intensity, and happiness in my subjects, rock stars, high school graduates, athletes, and everyone who trusts me to document a part of their lives.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing is being hired by someone a second time. Anyone can hire someone once. If they like me and my work enough to hire me a second time, I consider that a true accomplishment. Also any musical artist that uses my work officially, be it on a release, promotional item, or social media, or a person or family that likes my work enough to display it in their home. When any of those instances happen, I am truly humbled and appreciative.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I never read any books or essays on photography. I like being self-taught and never being weighed down by any “rules.” I have never watched any tutorial videos or attended any photography schools. I never wanted to be burdened trying to common guidelines that others rely on.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://joekleon.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joe.kleon

Image Credits
For the promo photo of me with the sparks, please credit Bill Peters.