WHAT PHOTOGRAPHERS CAN LEARN FROM RECORDING ENGINEERS…

What Being a Recording Engineer Taught Me About Being a Photographer

Before my days as a photographer, I was deeply immersed in the world of sound as a recording engineer. I played piano for 17 years and eventually went to school for audio engineering. The lessons I learned in a recording studio have translated seamlessly into photography. It’s interesting how the two art forms can share a very simple but profound parallel... The importance of getting the best possible ‘raw material’, whether it’s sound to tape or image in camera.

The Quest for Perfection at Source

In the world of sound engineering, the rule, which is an artform in itself, is always to capture the best sound possible going to tape. Achieving this meant fewer fixies later in the mix and a pure end result.

This mindset and principle also extend their influence into the realm of photography. Capturing the perfect shot in-camera reduces the need for extensive post-production edits.

The aim is to minimize the time you spend hunched over your computer, tweaking and nitpicking. Instead, you want to maximize the time you spend behind the lens, immersed in the world, connecting with your subjects, and honing your craft. It’s about shifting the focus from the editing room to the field, where the magic happens.

Less is More

In the audio world, we often say that an over-processed sound will lose its soul. The same undoubtedly goes for photography. An over-edited photograph can lose its essence, its connection to the real world, and the raw emotion that made it special in the first place. The more you rely on post-production tools to enhance your work, the further you move from the original piece’s integrity.

Your work can eventually become about the editing, not the subject and the work you put in actually getting the shot. Strive to get it right from the start, and you’ll find that you have less work to do later. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use editing tools at all, that would be ridiculous for me or anyone to say but rather use them to enhance and not redefine your work.

Pushing Your Creativity

When you focus on getting the best-shot in-camera, you’re challenging your creativity to its utmost. You begin to experiment more with lighting, play around with different sets, and even dive into the world of fashion as you start to think about every detail and inch of your frame. This approach pushes you to think outside the box and explore new techniques and styles.

In a recording studio, you might experiment with different microphones, room acoustics, or instrument setups to get the perfect sound. In photography, you might try different lenses, angles, or props to achieve your desired shot. In both cases, you are pushing the boundaries of your creativity.