Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Esser.
Hi Emma, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to create something. In 2015, I started taking photographs to capture Raleigh’s scenery on my iPhone 5. I have since upgraded to a Canon Mirrorless EF-EOS RP. Growing up in Downtown Raleigh, my content began with urban landscapes. As an avid music lover, I shifted my content towards concert photography and portraits in 2017. I have been shooting this content ever since.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While it’s fun and therapeutic to be an artist, it has never been a smooth road, Especially if you are young, and female. It’s unfortunate that certain career paths are still heavily dominated by men. Another struggle has of course been fair compensation. We as photographers put a lot of time in shooting the pictures and editing, which typically takes several hours on both ends. Despite all the hard work we put into the art, we don’t get paid fairly for what we love doing, which results in sliding scale payments.
The photography industry has also been a very competitive business. This makes it difficult to get equal collaboration opportunities with other artists and concerts in general, which is what inspired me to just go for it on my own with the club shows here in the Triangle.
The most important struggle that needs to be address is crediting the artist for their time and work. When you send in or post a photo online, many artists forget to or don’t credit you at all. While sometimes it’s not deliberate, it’s important to reach out and ask who took it, so that the photographer gets the proper credit they deserve for their time and effort. I’m hoping all these struggles will improve not just for myself, but for photographers nationwide.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Since 2016, I’ve been a self taught Freelance Photographer. As a resident of Downtown Raleigh, my early content contained urban landscapes.
As a longtime music lover, I have since shifted to concert photography capturing local: punk, Americana, indie, and alternative artists here in the Triangle old and new. Famous artists include: Reese McHenry, Kate Rhudy, Jenny Besetzt. Psychic Scream, American Aquarium, Old 97s, Black Bouquet, Paranoid Maniac, John Howie Jr., Lydia Loveless, Truth Club, MJ Lenderman, Wednesday, etc.
My shift into music photography has been quite a journey. Since 2019, I have been shooting images for the Great Cover Up, which is an annual weekend event that occurs at Kings in Downtown Raleigh. There will actually be a documentary feature about it that will premiere on PBS later this month.
Last year, I became involved in taking photos for a Music Festival that my dear friends Laura Mooney and Kat Frankie put together called Slutfest. It’s a festival that is held at The Chapel of Bones venue here in Raleigh. If you love metal, be on the look out. Another Slutfest has been announced for August 16th. Since 2022, I’ve become involved in the Hopscotch Music Festival here in Raleigh, which has granted me to opportunity to step out of my comfort zone capturing even bigger artists such as: Pavement, Kim Gordon, Guided by Voices, Snail Mail, American Football, and Sunny Day Real Estate.
I think what sets me apart from others is I don’t ask to take photos, I just do it. This motive has made it easier for me to make connections and capture music that has yet to be discovered by new audiences.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is an accomplishment that you gain on your own terms. You don’t ask for assistance to achieve it. You work really hard for it despite the obstacles and people who may get in your way to prevent your success from happening, which to me is one of the primary problems in the photography industry.
There are people out there who want you to stick to the status-quo. They tell you you have to be high-tech and fancy to be successful. That’s not true at all. You become successful by being your authentic self. You don’t need to go to school to be a successful artist. You don’t need expensive gear. You just be you creating the art you want to make with the equipment you want to use. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.
Pricing:
- Live Shows: $150-200
- Press Photos: $100-300
- Prints: $75-100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/emma_essersnaps5/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_essersnaps5/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbanscapeoffical/
- Other: meesser5@gmail.com
