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

Madison, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

The biggest challenge to profiting in the concert photography industry is all about getting started! It is an extremely challenging industry to break into and it really is all about connections and who you know. Until you have a portfolio of photos from a show and can showcase your diverse talent and style, it is very difficult to secure a photo pass for shows and festivals. Monetizing concert photography in general is difficult because the majority of small music publications rely on volunteers to photograph shows and write the articles, and we occasionally have to purchase our own tickets to the show too. Many artists have limited budgets which makes their ability to pay someone to photograph the show seemingly impossible at times. All this to say, my biggest piece of advice for someone just starting out would be to photograph as many shows, artists and genres as you can, but at the same time know your worth. Once you’ve established a name for yourself and built out your portfolio, do not be afraid to stick up for yourself. Photographers have rights too!

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 have been a photographer for about seven years now, but am now really niching down into the concert and live music industry! I previously have done everything from weddings to branding to senior portraits and everything in between. Music ultimately is my passion and although it took me a few years, I finally found my “thing”.

What sets me apart from others in my industry, aside from my emotive and captivating work, is my work ethic and passion. I will be your biggest cheerleader, guiding you through every step of my creative process and really diving in wholeheartedly to support whichever band or artist I am working with. I am genuine and intentional… and very easy to work with. Plus, I am all for supporting other women in a predominantly male industry!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Joining a small music publication! It is a huge way to break into the industry and gain contacts and connections in the long run. There’s SO many out there and they’re always looking for new photographer and writer submissions.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There is something so magical about being in the photo pit at a show. The bass is so loud, the fans are screaming and the energy is unmatched. There is quite literally nothing like it in the whole world. It sometimes feels like an out-of-body experience because I am so focused on being in the moment. I often will put down my camera for a moment and pause to take a deep breath and take a mental picture of the details around me – the sneakers on the lead singer, the bead of sweat on the drummer’s forehead, the dance moves of the fans against the barricade, the vibration of the speakers and the tape attaching the setlist to the stage. These are the moments I live for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.madisontruscanphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madisonfromdallas
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-truscan/
• Other: https://madisontruscanphotography.pixieset.com/

Image Credits
Jaron Cass