Whatever camera you have — even your cell phone — is fine to start out. The gear is secondary. Chase the emotions and what you love about live music. There's plenty of gatekeeping in music photography. Don't gatekeep yourself from pursuing something you want to do.

If you want to learn about music photography, jump in. Local bands. Jazz clubs. Music showcases. Photograph anyone you can with whatever you have. For tips and advice, I’ve shared my experience as a music photographer since 2007 on my blog:

@toddowyoung Exactly, 100% agree, thank you Todd! I took this at a karaoke night:

@JamieJTilleyPh1 This is the most rock n roll photo from a karaoke night to ever have been made as far as I’m concerned. Great example that you can be a music photographer in the most humble of places. Amazing shot.

@toddowyoung A lot of gigs won't let you take a camera in. They will tell you to put it in the cloak room :(

@TheWildLemons That’s true of larger shows, you may have to go smaller. Clubs, bars, very small theaters that allow point and shoot cameras. Local bands playing showcases.

@toddowyoung So hard to do, I have a Sony a7RV now, but when I take my normal point and shoot with a good zoom to the smallest shows I'm turned away and have to put it back in the car lol.

@toddowyoung 1000% agree, one of my best pictures to date is from a plastic Canon 50 1.8 and with no pass in the crowd

@toddowyoung Absolutely. The same goes for many areas of photography. Get out, photograph and make images.

@toddowyoung My favorite lens is still my first one I bought, the basic 50mm f1.8, one of the cheapest for Nikon and perfect for low light in concert ❤️ I still use it more than my 24-70 & 70-200 2.8 😂

@toddowyoung This. Taking my Canon Powershot point and shoot into every concert as a kid is how I fell in love with it.

@toddowyoung Felt this so much. First photo was taken on an iPhone 4, 2nd was a T3i. I still don’t have what I would consider an “expensive” camera but I did upgrade from the t3i to a t7i which is what the 3rd photo was taken with.

@toddowyoung If you can learn to deal with the light in the small clubs you can deal with anything

@toddowyoung I agree, the biggest issue I’ve seen isn’t gear, it’s more of actually getting access to shows. Once you get into it a bit, when it’s nearly impossible to find any contact information to get into a show and then actually getting approved. Unless people have a magical list lol

@toddowyoung I really needed to hear this! Been following your work since 2010 and being a concert photographer is my dream job. Started shooting a couple of local bands when I first got a DSLR in 2015 but haven’t shot anything since, for many reasons. Hoping I can start again this year!

@toddowyoung Cheap 50 f/1.8 lenses are where it’s at tbh

@toddowyoung been saying this for years.. local bars will force you to be a better concert photographer. The low lighting and cramped stages will make you work for that iconic image.

@toddowyoung This is exactly how it goes in wrestling as well. Support the future talents that start up by you. Uplift your local scene.

@toddowyoung I was photographing on a Canon Rebels T3i for like 4 years & did major festivals with it too. I stayed photographing with my 18-55mm & got some insane shots. Don’t get intimidated by your counter partners people!

@toddowyoung Yes! This was my exact entry path.