Dylan Chappell Captures Live Music Through Photography

Senior Dylan Chappell shared the previous statement when describing her introduction to concert photography. Like many people, photography has been a part of Chappell’s life for years. She’s always had an interest in the art, taking pictures of the sunset or her friends often. Chappell preached her appreciation for the hobby, “I like beautiful things, who doesn’t?” However, her interest in concert photography has been one of the most significant factors in her personal journey.

The subject of concert photography initially piqued her interest not too long ago. She said it first crossed her mind, “Probably about like, three months ago. Only recently have I been wanting to go farther than just doing it for fun.” The transition from hobby to possible career has been an enlightening experience for Chappell. She’s gotten the chance to perceive both the world of music and photography in a new lens. The opportunity to document the concert experience is something that Chappell finds great joy in. 

However, as her skills are honed and more and more of her time is invested into this activity, money does become a subject of interest. “It’s for my own enjoyment, rather than the funds, but I do want to start getting paid more or getting clients to pay me,” said Chappell. She continued to elaborate on how money could be beneficial to her growth. “I’d like to have a setup catered to what I like. I want to have fun with it, I don’t want it to become a chore, but I still want to be successful with it.” Chappell’s passion for the art is clearly demonstrated through her determination to keep things fresh and interesting. 

When prompted to describe a show that was especially meaningful to her, Chappell shared the following story, “There was a show on Jan. 17, The Tressels, The Framers, and Carmella. They had so much energy, it was so fun to take photos of them. When you take photos of someone who is just standing there the whole time, not moving their body, you can’t get good photos of them because there’s no variety,” said Chappell. “But these guys were jumping from one corner to another, they were so energetic and fun, it was so easy to take photos.” Chappell’s connection to the artists she’s capturing is evident by her vivid descriptions of their performances. It’s apparent that Chappell possesses the qualities necessary to be an exceptional concert photographer.