What to Look For in a Tour Photographer

Touring is a wild ride for everyone involved. You have to squeeze a bunch of people into a van for however long, and you've come to terms with that, but then you think about all of those amazing photos you'll be missing out on if you didn't bring along a photographer, bringing that total up another person and some extra gear.

If you already know the person you're bringing, cool! Half of the hard part is done. But what about when you need to hire someone you've never worked with to come along with you? Here's some tips on how to make sure you pick the right person to take photos for you on tour.

1. Their Style

Not what they wear, but how their photos come out. If you don't like the way their photos look, why hire them? So the first thing you should look for is whether or not you actually like their work. You wanted video along with photo, but they don't do video? Should've asked them if they can do video. You want a light and happy mood from the photos? Make sure they don't add a dark touch to them.

And this advice isn't just for tour, but anyone looking to hire a photographer in general. We all have our own styles. Sure, we can copy styles, but we do our best when you just let us do us, just like you do your best when you're playing the set you love. And if you like a certain style from a certain photographer, you should hire that photographer. We won't get mad.

2. Their Personality

If you don't get along with someone, it's going to be absolute hell living with them in a confined area. Negative emotions mean everything starts coming out wrong. You performance suffers, the photographer's work suffers, everyone suffers. And then you have to do it again and again. So if you can't spend a day together, you probably shouldn't spend a tour together, no matter how much you like their work. Basically, you need to be their friend, or at least be able to make friends with them, for everything to work out well in the end. Try getting to know them as soon as you can, or ask around if anyone you know has worked with them before.

3. Their Habits

How do they like to work? Are they ok with working from the van or do they absolutely need to be at a Starbucks? Not a McDonald's, not Dunkin', but Starbucks. How are they in the morning? Will their habits annoy you? Can you find ways to work around them? I'd put a lot of thought into this one, because you'd be putting up with it for a while. Even if your tour is only 10 days, trust me, it feels like forever.

Find someone flexible, who doesn't have to have it their way or no way at all, and is ok with adapting to your space. Because you're the ones inviting them to your space in the end. They should be able to respect that.

4. Have They Traveled Before?

It's hard dealing with someone who has rarely or never been away from home for a period of time. You can typically tell when it's someone's first time away from home or on the road. That normally comes with being nervous to try new things or go to new places. They tend to not want to explore a bit, and here's the thing. Some of my best photos have come about because we decided to hop out of the van on an off day and just explore. You have to be able to see the world in order to take good photos in a new or slightly familiar area.

We all get homesick, we all start missing our pets and significant others, but if you're stuck with someone whining about being gone from the first day, it gets....uncomfortable. So try to find someone with, not just photography experience, but also personal travel experience.

5. What Else Can They Do?

Are they willing to drive some stretches? Can they sell merch? Personally, I feel useless if I'm just there to take photos and nothing else when I have the time sell a few shirts while I edit. More hands makes less work, as they say, and it makes life easier on all of us if your photographer can help load/unload, sell, and network a bit for you. Plus, it saves room in the van if one person has multiple functions. Unfortunately for you, that might mean you have to pay them more.

So there you have it. Five things to look for in a tour photographer. I hope you end up bringing the right person along, and that your tours are super successful!