This month I wanted to feature a Photographer specializing in Music Photography, Miss Kelsey Runge. I stumbled upon her Instagram and her photos just captivated me. Every photo told a story, an emotion or just a single moment from that day. Looking at her photos made me feel as if I were there experiencing the show or day with them. Capturing life in that exact moment.
I was so excited when Kelsey agreed to do an interview especially being on tour with the band Animal Years.
Hear how Kelsey started her Photography career, her advice for aspiring band photographers and her dream band to shoot one day!
DK: Tell us about yourself?
KR: My name is Kelsey Runge and I’m 23 years old. I am from Houston, TX and currently live in Denver, CO.
DK: What kind of Photographer are you?
KR: I’m a music photographer; I shoot bands in live concert settings, on tour, press photos, etc.
DK: What led you down this path?
KR: I started out doing photography in high school for the yearbook and I really enjoyed it so I continued taking photos for my friends. It wasn’t until college that I even realized concert photography was a thing! I had a mentor who was friends with one of my favorite bands, The Maine, so he got me my first photo pass to their show and I’ve been shooting bands ever since.
DK: Who or what inspired you?
KR: I think a lot of my favorite bands inspired me to want to work in music and to pursue a nontraditional career path. A music photographer that I draw a lot of inspiration from is definitely Matty Vogel. His photos are super unique and he offers a lot of advice to young photographers!
DK: What kind of camera do you use?
KR: I use a Canon 5D Mark III
DK: Did you go to school for photography?
KR: I did not go to school for photography however I did take a course on it. I actually used my camera on auto for years. It wasn’t until the night before I shot my first concert that I sat down and read my camera manual and learned how to shoot in manual mode.
DK: Do you have a specific style to your photos?
KR: I think in recent years I’ve started to create my own style in my photos. I use to try to emulate other artists that I liked. I did a lot of black and white back then but now I love editing colors and I think it gives my photos a distinct and cohesive look.
DK: What’s the most difficult part about photography in your opinion
KR: In concert photography it is definitely lighting! You have low light mixed with multi colored lights and you really have to know your settings and adjust them quickly to ensure that your photos come out usable.
DK: How did you get to travel with bands?
KR: I just recently started touring. I’ve been out with the band Animal Years for the past two months doing a 35 city tour. We actually connected on social media and two weeks later they flew me to NYC to hop on tour.
DK: Who’s been your favorite band or person to shoot?
KR: Ahh that’s such a difficult question! I think I’d have to say the New Politics show was one of my favorites. They had super cool lighting and the lead singer is a crazy dancer so every shot was different. There was a lot of movement and jumping from the stage to the crowd! I would love to shoot for them again sometime!
DK: What dream band or person do you wish to shoot?
KR: There are so many! One would definitely be Panic! At The Disco. They put on such a fun and energetic show I think it would be amazing to shoot for them!
DK: How long is your process?
KR: I usually start editing the photos as soon as I get home and it takes me a few hours to go through and edit them all (2-3 hours to have them finished and uploaded). If the lighting was amazing it takes less time but if it’s a smaller venue that requires more editing and tweaking every image.
DK: What advice would you give to aspiring photographers?
KR: Take every opportunity you’re given and don’t be afraid to reach out to other artists. Networking is a huge part of this career so be nice and make friends with those you meet along the way! Also learn how your camera works..
DK: Hobbies?
KR: I love traveling and anything that involves dogs.
DK: Favorite foods?
KR: I’m always in the mood for tacos!
DK: Coffee or Tea?
KR: Coffee for sure!
DK: Any last thoughts?
KR: Thanks for reading about me:-) Feel free to reach out if you have any questions! You can find my contact info on my website: www.kelseyrunge.com
You can also follow Kelsey on her Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kelseyrungephoto/
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Have a fabulous Friday friends!
