In a span of just two years, Liam Gillin has made a significant mark on the New York concert photography scene. His innovative approach, combining stop motion, mixed media, and 3D animation, brings a fresh perspective to capturing live music. Freelancing for Live Nation NYC and working with festivals like Governor’s Ball and Sound on Sound, Liam has quickly established himself as a standout talent. Additionally, he founded Out Jamz, an LGBTQ+ publication aimed at amplifying marginalized voices within the music industry. With a strong presence on TikTok, Liam shares his journey and offers valuable advice to aspiring photographers. In this interview, we delve into the experiences and creative processes that have defined his rapid ascent in the world of concert photography.
Hey Liam, can you please give our readers a brief introduction of yourself?
My name is Liam Gillin and I am a concert photographer based in New York. For the past two years I have photographed over 115 artists and contributed to three publications. Currently I specialize in creating stop motion, mixed media, and 3D animation concert photography. I also freelance for Live Nation NYC and have been on the media teams for Governor’s Bal and Sound on Sound. I run a publication called Out Jamz and make content on TikTok showcasing my journey and giving advice.
How and when did you get into music photography?
It started back in 2022, I was working a job as a videographer for a healthcare agency. At the time I was going through a lot personally and in my career but one album at the time was my muse and my personal comfort. “SOUR” by Olivia Rodrigo was on repeat at the time and when I saw she was coming to my city the weekend of my birthday and managed to score tickets in the 4th row with some friends 30 minutes before she got on stage. It was my first concert since covid, the first time I was that close at a concert. I felt free and so euphoric for the first time in a very long time. I left the venue knowing that I truly took concerts for granted and that I needed to find a way to make this my life. Concert photography was that answer and it’s been a wild journey ever since.
With which camera(s) and lens(es) do you shoot?
I have been using the same camera since 2019. The Sony a6400 that I got for my birthday after saving up working as a junior graphic designer. It’s compact, great in low night and has gotten the job done. No overheating and unexpected shutdowns. I truly can’t complain about it. In terms of lenses I love my Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 and my Tamron 70-180mm f2.8. The Tamron is probably the most underrated telephoto on the market, it's so lightweight compared to the others and very sharp. I hope to eventually invest in a Sony 11mm 1.8 for extreme wide angles.
How would you describe your photography / editing style?
When it comes to the shoot, emotion is my goal. I really aim to emphasize the passion of an artist. I also am very keen on “taking photos when no one else is”. Those long intros where its completely backlit and the smoke, usually most people got their cameras down. I aim to shoot during those times and get these dramatic shadows that I love. As well as my movement, when everyone in the pit goes to the left, I make my way to the right. I have nicknamed my editing style “The 50/50”. 50% the artist’s aesthetic and vision and 50% my aesthetic and vision. I always love to complement the artist’s aesthetic hence why my photos look different every time. My personal editing style is very inspired by the late 90s/early 00s but I do want to start going further back in time with my style. I also love editing low saturation and high contracted images with a glow.
What inspired you to specialize in stop motion photos?
This all comes from one word: oversaturation. As amazing as the art of concert photography is, a major downside to it is that it gets very repetitive and oversaturated with the same trends and styles over and over. I went into this industry with no music degree, connections, and experience however I did come into this with a film degree and a graphic design background. I knew I had transferable skills to bring to the table. I started off with 3D animations and then I saw a market to give stop motion a comeback, it got more popular the more I posted it. I added custom mixed media to really set me apart and I’ve been doing it ever since.
What editing software or tools do you use to create your stop motion photos?
It’s truly going to depend on the edit but 99% of the time it’s in Lightroom and Photoshop then extra elements are added in either Premiere Pro, After Effects, and/or DaVinci Resolve.
Can you walk us through a typical stop motion creation session?
The stop motion begins in my camera with a high speed burst mode. It’s a lot of figuring out what movements will stand out and evoke the most emotion. Then I will bring it into Photoshop to turn the photos into a video and go from there. Sometimes I will add a camera shake, other times I will do mixed media or even hand draw in texts and doodles. I may even go into DaVinci Resolve and add a power grade.
What is your current favorite photo and why?
I have so many that I can’t choose one but I can share the photo that changed my life. I got approved to photograph Louis Tomlinson a year ago. I was so nervous about the show. It was the final night of the North American tour, so much content had already come out, and I had to figure out how to stand out within 10 minutes. Louis is known for standing at the microphone the entire time. I had to really go to work finding different angles and stances. Every time he took a breath, I snapped. After the first 3 songs I walked to the back of the stadium. Scrolling through pictures until I saw the one. Red smoke blowing up behind him in his black tank top, mic in hand looking down. It was like something out of an action movie. A woman looked over my shoulder, saw the picture, and screamed. I knew it was about to change my life and it did. To this day I get emails and calls inviting me out to gigs because of that one photo. It changed my career forever.
You seem to be pretty active and successful on TikTok. How do you utilize the app for concert photography? And what do you think TikTok is good for (and what is it not good for)?
Backstory: I had 2 “failed” accounts before TikTok. When I was getting into concert photography I found a creator named Sarah Ohta who to this day is a huge influence on my work. I had the idea to capture my journey and did not think anything of it. Suddenly I was getting all these questions and I decided to make videos answering people’s questions and giving advice while I was learning it all by myself. I was able to make a lot of connections and get massive opportunities as a result. I have been a content creator since I was 14. Being on camera has been a very natural thing for me so as someone who had no foot into the music industry, I made that my opportunity to have people discover me and get me to my goals. It’s been a grind, it took 2 years to hit 10,000 followers and I just started getting paid this month. I truly owe my career to TikTok, it changed my life.
TikTok is an app that is constantly changing. It’s not like Instagram where you can post photos and just call it a day anymore. I think what has helped me be successful is just being honest. Finding the balance of not over romanticizing what I do but also not demonizing it either. Concert photography is an amazing thing but it’s also incredibly challenging and I try to have my content recognize that. I consume content in other niches to avoid burnout and have fresh ideas. I think TikTok is good for networking in this industry, I have met so many of my friends and gained opportunities on that platform.
How has (or does) social media influence your photography?
I think social media at one point did influence my photography but for the past year I have been trying to change the narrative. We live in the instant gratification era. The moment we post we expect endless likes and followers. Going viral over one video and immediately expecting jobs, brand deals, and six figures. The truth is that the real world does not operate like that 99% of the time. A lot of things can take an immense amount of time and in today’s world, artists need to realize that their work is not defined by a number, it never was. All the musicians, artists, that came before you only wanted to create art that meant something. Like Kurt Cobain wasn’t writing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and thinking “Bro this is going to become so viral on TikTok.” He was mad and wanted to express his anger to a then underrepresented genre and generation struggling in the early 90s. Social media is all a highlight reel and I am now influenced in the sense that I have to prioritize my art rather than the number. I am here to build a community and make an impact as a concert photographer, not a number. All the years I have spent creating and continue to do so will never be based on a number but on a younger version of me who was incredibly curious and wanted to project all his creative visions into the world.
You are also the founder of Out Jamz. Can you tell us more about this online publication? Why did you start it? Which topics do you cover?
Out Jamz was started two years ago on July 19, 2022. When I first began my journey as a concert photographer it was pretty much smooth sailing. I ended up booking seven shows before I even began concert photography. I still can’t fathom that happened to me as a beginner. Anyways that period ended real quick when I was trying to aim for bigger artists. Every single one denied me because I didn’t have a publication; which led me to applying to publications. I don’t remember exactly how many I applied to, but I remember not hearing a word back. One night at around two in the morning I decided I was gonna make my own publication because I didn’t want my career on hold any longer. Out Jamz was originally called Out Jamz Music but we eventually changed it because people kept referring to us as Out Jamz. Eventually, it would become an LGBTQ+ publication because I wanted to provide a spaces for LGBTQ+ creatives to have their voices be heard and give them a safe place to create their art in the music industry.
It’s kind of a new publication. Do you feel you’ve already made an impact? What are your plans / goals for the future?
I think our impact in the music industry has been pretty strong. To my knowledge we are the first ones to have a publication dedicated to giving LGBTQ+ creatives a platform in the music industry. I didn’t realize how strong her impact was until this year when we released our applications. We ended up receiving 200 applications from around the world, even though we don’t plan to reopen applications until next year. We still get emails and DM’s every day asking if there’s any open roles. We’ve received letters from people at major record labels, thanking us for creating the space. When it comes to the future of Out Jamz, we would love to expand to working directly with artists and just building more people up in this industry who need it. I like how we are now and I’m excited to build from that.
What advice would you give to others who want to start out in concert photography?
Honestly if I could tell myself one thing before starting this is that this is a very challenging field of work but it’s incredibly rewarding. You will be rejected a lot, you’ll have the one photo that changes the trajectory of your career. You’ll be around a lot of talented people that you will compare yourself to whether you want to admit it or not. People will gatekeep as a result being insecure and jealous but people will also be open to you. It’s a journey to find the right people but it’s worth it. Your art is more than a number don’t care so much about views, likes, etc because most publicists don’t. Clout chasing won’t get you anywhere in the industry. You will have your own unique path than everyone else. That’s just how it is.
Is there anything you wish you had known earlier?
If I could go back in time and chat with myself before I entered my first concert photography gig I would say this:
You’re about to enter an industry that will change your life. I think we can say with no doubt that this industry is going to make you a better person, a better artist. You will hear more no then you do yes but when you get that yes you better give it your all. You are in an industry where you can be replaced in a second no matter how talented you are and you have to accept that. It’s vital that you remain humble in this experience. Without a doubt you will end up photographing some of the biggest names on the planet, but remember you must remain true to your roots. Everytime you photograph a big artist I need you to go back to the clubs and darklit venues and photograph local artists who are just trying to make a name for themselves because you too were once there. What no one will tell you is that people in your life will feel entitled to your success all because they knew you. Whether they sat next to you in class or they’re a distant relative you haven’t seen since 2009. There will be people who don’t even bat an eye when you first get started but the moment you accomplish something massive, they will suddenly come out of the woodworks. Remember the folks who were there when you had nothing and showcase your gratitude. No connections, no experience and they took on someone they didn’t know because they believed in you that much. Remember to prove everyone who ever doubted you wrong and everyone who believed in you right.