During the day I am a mild-mannered engineer, Scott Raymer, hiding my true identity behind a pair of khakis, a dress shirt, with a calculator resting in my holster. But as sunset approaches, my superpowers scan the city searching for musical sounds in the air.  I rush from the office and transform into my true form, Scott Raymer, Super Photographer. Gone is the disguise; khakis are replaced by jeans, a dress shirt, a black t-shirt, and a calculator by Nikon DSLR.  I track down the source of the sounds and dash into the musical hall pushing toward the stage, removing the camera from the holster. Ready to capture the artist on stage for the rest of the world to see.
Suddenly my eyes pop open and I awake from my Walter Mitty like delusion realizing that I am just Scott Raymer, the ordinary concert photographer, getting ready to shoot that next show. Â One step closer to achieving my goal of shooting the top musical artists in the world and one step closer to shooting my Top 5 dream artists below.
Musical Artists I Aspire to Photograph
No. 5 My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is a band that I just discovered and who has become my latest obsession. After an absence of 7 years, this will be the biggest comeback and hottest concert tour of the new decade. Frank Iero is crazy the way he moves and spins around with his guitar on stage. Gerard Way is always re-inventing himself with a different look so it will be interesting to see how he presents himself on this tour.  I have watched over a dozen MCR concerts on Youtube and really want to capture the experience of one of their shows while they sing hits like âFamous Last Wordsâ and âWelcome to The Black Paradeâ.
No. 4 Olivia Newton-John
My first crush as a teenager was Olivia Newton-John. I was at a friends house one day and saw an album cover of Come on Over sitting on his dresser and totally fell for her at that moment. Generally speaking, I was not a big fan of 70âs music but Olivia Newton-John was one of the few artists I listened to with songs like âDonât Stop Believinâ, âDeeper Than The Nightâ, and âBoats Against The Currentâ. I have been lucky enough to see her perform twice, once in the early 80âs on her Physical Tour and again in the late 90âs. She has battled health issues recently. It would be incredible to see her one last time with camera in hand.
No. 3 Paul McCartney
I saw Paul McCartney perform twice in the late 80s and early 90s. The Beatles will always be my favorite band. They started their dominance over American culture in the 60âs when the first utterance of their words âOh yeah Iâll, tell you something, I think youâll understandâ, from âI Want to Hold Your Handâ, hit the airways. There are a lot of bands that influence the music of their generation, but the Beatles have and continue to influence multiple generations of musicians over fifty years after their rise to fame. Paul McCartney is one of the last remaining members of the band and is a living legend. Photographing legends is every photographerâs dream.
No. 2 Green Day
Green Day is my favorite current band. Dookie totally blew me away when it was released. I remember being on a business trip to LA and driving along the Pacific Coast Highway with âBasket Caseâ blaring through the speakers.  The first time I saw the band was in the 90s. Billie Joe sang “King for a Day“, gyrating his hips, with a crown on his head, stripping down to his underwear. The next time I saw the band was in 2018. At one point, Billie Joe kneeled on the stage and started talking about the social issues of the times before laying on his back to sing âHey Judeâ by the Beatles. One day I will have Billie Joe in my viewfinder.
No. 1 Taylor Swift
Why did Taylor Swift make the #1 spot on my list? Duh! Sheâs only the most beautiful woman in the world (next to my wife). I have been into Taylor since hearing her first big hit “Our Song“. She has evolved as an artist transitioning from Country to Pop. Her stage presence has grown from a grinning teen strumming her guitar on stage to long-legged diva putting on extravagant performances before sold-out arenas and stadiums. She always looks stunning on stage in her various outfits. Photographing her would be like two shots in one; combination pop star and runway model.
Everything I do as a concert photographer and blogger has one purpose. Build my portfolio and reputation such that I can shoot number one through five on my list no matter who they might be . I can feel this goal within my reach, no superpowers needed, just continued hard work and dedication.
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Post by Scott Raymer (Website | Instagram | Facebook)
What musical artist do you want to photograph? Comment below.
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The post Top 5 Musical Artists I Aspire to Photograph appeared first on Concert Crap.
