Music Photographer Spotlight: Melbourne’s Eve Wickson
All thirty six photos by Eve Wickson.
Photographer Spotlight is a new series, where we pick a photographer we love, get to know them and highlight their work, with a gallery of thirty six of their favourite photos, as if a perfect roll of film.
First up we have Eve Wickson, a music photographer living in Melbourne, who shoots live music in a way that is up close, in your face, exciting, and bright. Usually opting for colour film and flash, looking at Eve’s work there is no mystery around what was going on at the shows, what anyone was wearing or what colour the stage lights were, what you see through Eve’s photos is exactly what you would’ve seen being at the show. Right now, Melbourne’s music scene is in such an incredible place, with incredible bands and multiple good shows every night, it makes you grateful that people like Eve are there to document it.
How did you start shooting photos?
I studied painting at uni, and while I was there I got a point and shoot. At that time I was going to a lot of drag shows and started taking my camera with me. During that time, I was looking at different books at the university library and found out about Nan Goldin, instantly I fell in love with the way she shoots, how she mostly shot her friends and the scene she was involved in. I really loved that, so I started doing that more. Over Covid, I took a step back because I am only ever interested in shooting people, so it became a bit hard. Eventually I slowly got back into it and started shooting more bands.
That’s so cool you found Nan Goldin at the time you were shooting drag shows, I don’t think there is a better photographer for you to have found at the time.
It was perfect. It was one of those moments where I was seeing the perfect thing at the perfect time.
Totally. How did you get into shooting music after that?
It was through my friends De Porsal, I went to high school with them, they’re all brothers. It's very cute. They needed some press shots for their album Soft Cowboy, I was just hanging out with them one day, and said, ‘If you need me to take the photos, I can.’ That was around the time I was getting back into taking photos, and from there I started bringing my camera to their shows. I've done all their press shots since then and did their album cover for Dishlickers. Through that I started meeting more people who wanted photos. I love bringing my camera to shows and shooting them. I think that’s how you get into this scene, bringing your camera, taking photos, sending them to the bands, and then when they want something they reach out.
How long ago was that?
Soft Cowboy was towards the end of 2023 and in 2024 I started taking it seriously, posting my work more, sending my photos to people and going to gigs I wouldn’t normally go to. It’s been really fun.
What makes you excited about shooting live music?
I really love shooting my friends. Seeing my friends do something super cool, I want to be there to document it. I love music, I’ve always loved music, my parents are both big music nerds, and are really similar to me, being in bands and having friends in bands. Looking through their old photos from the 90s, I really admire that lifestyle and that scene. Now, seeing my friends do it, I want to be able to take pictures of it, showing what it was like to be there.
That’s so nice, that’s exactly what it’s all about, just having this archive to look back on.
Definitely. I talk to a lot of my friends who play music and I think it is really similar taking photos, doing any kind of graphic design or anything like that in this scene. If you're just doing it so that you can have a good time, then you will. Guitar music is never going to get you a mortgage but if you want to make cool stuff with your friends, have a good time and maybe fund a cool holiday, then that’s what it’s going to do. If you go into it pushing to do something bigger than that, you’re kind of doomed to fail.
I really like that you shoot colour photos too. I feel like so much live music photography is black and white, mine included. Every time I go to shoot a gig, I buy black and white film. What makes you want to shoot colour?
I do love black and white sometimes, and there are so many benefits to both, but so many people dress so well. I’m always thanking Ada and Florence from Split Bills whenever I shoot them because they’re always dressed well. A lot of people put so much time and effort into their presence and I want to showcase that. Sometimes I shoot in colour, and think it should be in black and white because the stage light or lighting is off, but I think it is more fun when it’s in colour.
Totally, I feel like especially with a lot of the bands you shoot they are so vibrant.
Yeah, absolutely.
The bad outfits thing is so real too, if someone is wearing a hat and it isn’t working and you’re trying to shoot it and you’re just like, ‘I wish they weren’t wearing the hat.’
I know, I wish I could just go up to them and take their hat off or fix someone’s shirt or something, in my head I’m like ‘You’ll look great if I just do this one thing’ [laughs].
A lot of your photos are super high energy, and you get so close. What are you looking for in a photo?
I’m really drawn by composition, how someone’s body or guitar looks in the space or how the band members look framed together. Having a background in painting I see photos as a painting. One of the early pieces of photography advice I ever saw was ‘If the photo isn’t working, get closer.’ I’m very lucky as well that I am good friends with a lot of the bands I work with, so I can really get in their faces, and they can trust me. I can blind them, and they can be like ‘Okay, it’s for something.’ I love the energy of it too if you can get up and get close, it shows what it is like to be at the gig more than if you’re standing at the back with a telephoto lens.
Especially at a lot of these venues where if you are watching the show, you are up so close.
Yeah, you’re in it. I always think it’s better to have a tiny, shitty point and shoot if that’s what you need to get up the front.
What do you shoot with?
I have a Nikon F65, with a speedlite flash. My parents got the camera for my uncle to shoot their wedding. It was just a hand-me-down, I’m not a massive gear head, whatever I can shoot with is good for me.
Have you thought about going digital?
I have a small digital point and shoot that I bring if I’m shooting a big day, so I’m not sinking a grand on film on a day. It feels wanky, but I love how film looks. I always feel like a crappy film photo looks better than a kind of crappy digital photo.
No, I agree, I don’t think I want to ever go digital.
Yeah, then I have to buy a whole new camera and edit my photos.
What’s your favourite venue to shoot at?
I love The Gem, because of the stuff on the wall and the mirrors and stuff. It’s so cool. There are so many, I think most of the venues are pretty cool, The Tote is great too.
Who are some bands that people should look out for in Melbourne right now?
Aside from the bands I’ve already mentioned I love Clit Split, My Guardian Angel, Doll Talk, Jasmin Adria, Checkpoint, Delivery, Winsky, Captain Beep Boop, Rhysics, and The Carp Factory.
The Vovos, Metdog, Dr Sures Unusual Practice are going to be heading to Europe soon too!
Some bands from outside of Melbourne to keep an eye out for are DVD, Busted Head Racket, Cammy Cautious and the Wrestlers, plus Autobahns are coming down too and playing a nuts lineup at The Tote!
It’s awesome, music in Melbourne is so good right now and in so many different scenes too.
Yeah, absolutely. I’m always so excited to tell people from out of town, my parents and their friends about it. Every night you’re picking between three gigs.
It’s so nice having the opportunity to see all this great music at our fingertips.
Yeah, you’re not really ever struggling to find something good.
It’s going to be such a nice time to look back on with all these photos!
That’s why I’m like I need to take photos of it, because I always think about it like, there are going to be documentaries made about this era one day and you need to appreciate it now, while it’s happening. I’m at shows thinking to myself, ‘This is crazy, I can’t believe I’m here,’ I’m going to be telling people about it one day, like ‘You won’t believe it, I was at this show at this time seeing this band that totally blew up.’ I’m just constantly getting blown away by bands I’ve seen a million times and I’m still impressed by them. Seeing Split Bills at Thornbury Bowls Club, I was just like, how many times have I seen these guys play? Like they’re all my friends and I was watching them like this is so sick.