Interview with Concert Photographer: Nick Davarias
by Sian Louise Hazelton
For the first in a collection of photographer interviews we have coming to HDEW Camera Club, I sat down with Nick Davarias, a 25-year-old concert photographer based in the London.
Nick @ Slam Dunk 2025. Photo Credit: Chelsea Savage
Introduction
Sian
Introduce yourself and what you do.
Nick
OK, I’m Nick Davarias. I am a concert and touring photographer who will occasionally do studio stuff with bands. It’s mainly shooting live shows, doing behind the scenes, capturing moments with the artists and fans and capturing moving motion.
Sian
And you focus on heavy metal bands?
Nick
I’d say anything more-so in the alternative range, from heavy metal to punk to pop rock. You end up realising the network behind it is all very linked, they end up having similar members in their touring parties. Once you know someone, it opens so many doors in that kind of realm.
Majority is on my Instagram, or I do have a website:
nickdavariasphotography.comThe two main publications I work with are Record Collector Magazine:
and Metal Junk Box:
Sian
How did you get into concert photography?
Nick
I could give a false answer to make it sound a bit better, but the honest truth is I wanted to get into shows for free, so I messaged someone I knew was an editor and said I knew how to take photos.
I actually bought the camera that same day. It was my first shoot, so it was a very much a ‘fake it till you make it’ kind of thing. It was very much having to learn and go, but I found the more I would shoot and play around with the editing software the more fun I was having in learning.
Heilung @ O2 Academy Brixton. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Sian
Had you done much photography before?
Nick
No, the most photography I’d ever done was in school, for one lesson we were told how to start recording and that was about it. So, I have no idea how I’ve gotten to this point. It’s a good point that if you have a passion for something, just go with it. And if you actually want to make something out of it you can!
The Art of Concert Photography
Sian
Do you have any advice for people that want to get into concert photography?
Nick
Yeah, there’s things I’ve learned which I’m actively trying to share, because I wish I had someone to do that when I first started.
A lot of it is, do it for the love of it and don’t treat it as something you want to be making money off of. Especially in music there’s a lot of unpaid work and a lot of “paid with exposure” (is how people like to put it). As much as I would love to say never take free work, if you don’t, you’re not going to get anywhere.
My best advice is to go to your local venues – pub venues or small venues – that don’t mind you bringing in a camera without accreditation and shoot. Shoot for the love of it. Don’t do it expecting a 10 out of 10 every time. If you can nail photos in a venue that’s got entry level lighting, when you end up then getting to the point of applying for bigger shows you’ll be able to smash it out of the park.
Another big thing is to expect a lot of ‘no’s’. Even to this day, while I have a pretty stacked portfolio of the live bands I’ve shot, I still always expect a ‘no’. It’s not so much down to what you’ve done before, it’s fully down to the publicists of bands and who they want to cover it. They could look at your publication and go: ‘Not a great fit for us.’ It’s never a guaranteed yes, unless you’re with the big dogs who are probably asked to do most of these events.
But yeah, do it for the fun of it. I’ve always said if I ever stopped enjoying it, I would just stop, because as nice as it is to make a bit of money off it – that’s not why I got into it.
Sian
Do you have any tips or tricks for our readers?
Nick
My best “tip” would be, when you’re going to shows that you enjoy, look up reviews for those shows. You’ll obviously find the big people who are reviewing it, but you’ll also find smaller publications covering it as well. The main way to build a portfolio is for a publication – if you’re actively looking for these smaller publications, you then have more of an opportunity if you reach out to them.
People will reach out right off the bat to your ‘Kerrang!’, your ‘NME’ and your ‘Clash’ magazines. There’s no chance because they have their photographers. But if you go to a smaller publication, they might be much more willingly to try and get you passes. Then it’s easier to message bands yourself because the bands want publicity. The passes are going to be prioritised to people giving the band publicity rather than someone doing it for their own personal portfolio.
Delilah Bon @ 2000trees Music Festival. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Sian
I was wondering if you could go through a day in the life scenario.
Nick
I’ll do it as if I’m working with an artist. Say it’s a first day of tour – you wake up, you shower, check your gear about 1,000,001 times and realise you’re still forgetting something every time. Then head off to wherever you’ve agreed to do a roll call with the artist. If it’s a venue near, you can just meet them there for loading. If it’s a case everyone’s got to travel, you normally have a meeting point to get transit.
A lot of it is travelling – a lot of sitting in a car or a van trying to edit the work from the night before. It’s not very clean living, I will say that. There’s a big appeal to up-and-coming photographers who can’t wait to do a tour, and then when they get on the first tour, they realise it is kind of grim. It’s an enjoyable experience as a whole – I personally enjoy it a lot – but you would never live like this at home.
Most tours I’ve done, we will show up for loading around 3 or 4 o’clock. You load in, you wait for your sound check, you spend time in the green room or find something to eat nearby. You perform, you load out and then you are into a hotel for a few hours – if you’re lucky. You get a couple hours sleep, you clean up a little bit, and then the next day it’s right back in the van going straight to the next venue. You end up learning a lot about yourself as a person in these situations.
As a photographer, I think a lot of times when the artists are resting you are editing – the big thing for artists is they want the post for the next day to say ‘Thank you, London! Next up Bristol. Are you ready?’. And obviously the photos must come from somewhere. You may not edit the whole gallery the night before, but you need to make sure you’ve got the content ready for them. You are there to be the eyes of the fans who want to see what’s going on in the tour, or the people who went to the show and want to relive that moment through photos.
There’s a lot of energy going into it and it’s a brutal thing, but at the same time that’s the reason you get paid quite well for it. And it’s also an experience that a lot of people do want because you get to experienced places you’ve never experienced before.
Bullet For My Valentine at Utilita Cardiff. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
As a photographer, I think a lot of times when the artists are resting you are editing – the big thing for artists is they want the post for the next day to say ‘Thank you, London! Next up Bristol. Are you ready?’. And obviously the photos must come from somewhere. You may not edit the whole gallery the night before, but you need to make sure you’ve got the content ready for them. You are there to be the eyes of the fans who want to see what’s going on in the tour, or the people who went to the show and want to relive that moment through photos.
There’s a lot of energy going into it and it’s a brutal thing, but at the same time that’s the reason you get paid quite well for it. And it’s also an experience that a lot of people do want because you get to experienced places you’ve never experienced before.
Sian
What’s your favourite shooting memory?
Nick
It was Bloodstock festival in, I want to say, 2022.
Machine Head were doing a secret set. They’re one of my favourite bands, and in the press area after the set, the singer Rob Flynn comes out to talk to his publicist and I got to say hi. He was really chill and he handed me 3 guitar picks from the set, because there were 3 different designs. It was a really surreal moment. He even noticed my machine head tattoo.
I guess technically that isn’t really shooting. Maybe shooting Machine Head at download last year. I remember that very well, we were waiting for them to come on and I was having an impostor syndrome moment and one of the festival staff was cheering me on.
Sian
Do you have a dream concert that you want to shoot?
Nick
Green Day. Child Nick would die if I ever got the chance. They’re headlining download this year, so I’m hoping I can get a mainstage pass. Green Day and Slayer are the top of my bucket list.
Bones @ Eventim Apollo. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Sian
On the topic of Download passes – how do festivals work?
Nick
For most festivals there’s 2 ways to get in. There is shooting for an artist, and you are simply shooting the artist you are accredited for. The other route is shooting for press, which you need a publication to apply for. Some of them will do it for you. Some of them will say they’re happy for you to apply on their behalf.
Major festivals tend to have a tier system. You could be approved for a photo pass to photograph anyone and everything or it’ll be limited. Maybe your publication isn’t the biggest and doesn’t have much coverage, so they’ll give you, say, second or third stage down.
It’ll always be first 3 songs and out unless there’s any band specific things. Normally you’ll have to sign some kind of contract to say you’re shooting for X&Y publication. The work isn’t to be distributed or sold for profit or means elsewhere. Some bands will even have like specific photo releases. A lot of bands will say you can’t sell prints, etc.
Sian
So the three song limit is common in the industry?
Nick
Yeah, obviously they don’t want press shooting the entire show. I think a big part of that is people have also paid to be there. There are people who have queued to be at the barrier and the last thing they want is 10-15 photographers in front of them trying to take photos.
So, you get 3 songs the majority of the time, sometimes even less. But the general rule of thumb is three songs, no flash. That gives you 3 songs and access to the photo pit, which is also where the security will be. Sometimes you’ll be asked to leave early, say it’s a rowdy crowd or a lot of crowd surfers – health and safety, you know?
Some photographers will try to kick up a fuss but at the end of the day we’re there to do our job and so are Security. Most of the time everything is fine as long as people are communicating.
Equipment and Editing
Sian
Before any more questions, do you mind taking me through your kit?
Nick
Yeah, absolutely. The bag is a Lowepro BP 300. Basically, it’s a big old bag that will fit the 70-200mm.
Main body is a 6D Mark II. It’s a very solid DSLR. I think it works well in low light for a DSLR that isn’t a mirrorless. I upgraded from the 5D Mark II a few years ago and it was a night-and-day experience – how it could handle your more challenging lighting situations for concerts. It was an awakening almost.
My main go-to lens is my 24-70mm, it’s the F 2.8 so that low light capability is lovely. If you’re shooting from the photo pit, it’s pretty good at getting you close but also getting a bit of a wide. However, if you go to arenas where the stage is a bit taller or to festivals, that’s where the 70-200mm F 2.8 comes in. When it comes to festivals (as much as I hate how much it weighs because by the end of that third day I feel like my wrist is about to fall off) it’s just an absolute beast of a lens. And for my crowd shorts or getting a whole stage – it’s a 16-35mm F 2.8. There’s the ongoing joke of the Holy Trinity of lenses – the 16-35mm, 24-70mm and the 70-200mm – but it is literally every focal length you’ll ever need.
Michy Tree @ Face Down 2024. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
As for a flash, you don’t get to use it a lot as a concert photographer. If you’re doing press, it’s very rare you’re told you’re able to use flash. The only time you really can is if you’re working directly with the artist and have permission. My flash is a Godox V1 Pro – expensive, but it’s an absolute unit. When I do portraits of bands I work for before a show, a lot of times they’ll be a really cool area in the venue and obviously there’s no light because it’s not designed for that – so it’s a lifesaver. When you do video it has a continuous light function and it’s a ridiculously bright light so it’s incredible for trying to do video in concert settings.
Editing wise, I work on a Mac Book Air M2, which is lovely. It runs really smooth operating Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. I think a lot of people, especially in the concert space, will use Lightroom because a lot of the challenge is the lighting. You want to be able to manipulate the light in a way that can benefit the narrative you want. Things like Photoshop are really handy if there’s a stray water bottle or something that doesn’t quite look right. In a lot of smaller venues, I don’t know why it’s designed like it, but there’s always a toilet sign right next to the stage. You think; ‘That’s a great photo, but I don’t really want the word ‘Toilet’ plastered in the corner’, so you can clone stamp it out. It’s good to get rid of distractions because you can post a really good photo but if there’s one thing that really captures someone’s eye they may not actually look it properly and just move away.
Play around with your editing software, even if it’s not a style you do. When you’ve got the photos have a play around with different styles, because you never know what opportunities could come up. You could have a band reach out and say they really want a certain style and if you say yes and drop the ball, then you’ll be remembered for that.
BEX @ Omeara. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Sian
How long did it take for you to find your own style?
Nick
I still don’t think I’ve found my style to be honest.
There are obviously the photos I’ll post that are more editorial, and that’s because I’m shooting for a publication. But in terms of the work I do personally it changes very commonly.
I don’t think that’s bad thing – I’ve always been someone who’s never been into just one thing, so the style change also reflects how I am as a person. I’m a sucker for vibrancy and colour, so even when it’s bands who are moody and grumpy, I try to make it look more poppy than just a black and white.
Sian
Since you’ve taken us through your kit, what do you want to add? What’s the next purchase?
Nick
I think my next thing is going mirrorless – so looking at the R6 Mark II is the most realistic one.
There’s obviously your R5 Mark II’s but for concerts, it’s very rare I’d need to spend that much on it. But there are shows where it would be useful. Earlier this week I photographed a band called Ghost at The O2 Arena and we had to shoot from the sound desk – which in and an arena like the O2 it’s quite far back. Even though I was using a Canon 100-400 F4 it was still having to crop as well, so having the megapixels of a R5 would be a lot more beneficial in that situation. However, it’s once in a blue moon you end up in that situation. And to be honest, I was happy with the photos and the magazine was happy with them, so you can still do it with your cameras that are more in the 20 to 30 megapixel range.
Yeah, the R6 Mark II is probably my next purchase, and then probably going down the R lens range and slowly upgrading.
Photo Discussions
Machine Head @ Download. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Sian
You made sure to include a Pyro shot in the collection you’ve shared with us. Is there anything special that you do for Pyro shots?
Nick
If you think there’s going to be Pyro talk to security, because they’ll know what songs it should be hitting. You can then prepare your settings for a Pyro burst. If you leave it at the standard settings, it will more than likely be very overexposed. Basically, shoot a bit dark and then when that Pyro hits it will light up and you’ll still have the definition and detail in the flame. I think with Pyro it looks really nice as you can get the oranges and yellows as well.
Amon Amarth @ Bloodstock. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Sian
I liked this one a lot. My eye immediately goes to the hat, but I feel like it adds to it.
Nick
So that photo there is from Bloodstock and it was during Amon Amarth’s headline set and I really wanted to capture the crowd. So, I went into the crowd with a flash gun on my camera and went straight to the mosh pit. It’s a scary thing to do when you’ve got thousands of pounds of equipment, but I am a madman.
This is also a great memory of mine, this was nuts. Amon Amarth are a Viking metal band, so a lot of the fans will dress up like Vikings. There was a point in this mosh pit where these two lads saw me with the camera taking photos and they had shields. They set themselves up so they were shield blocking me from the onslaught of the mosh pit. There’s not another show where this would happen.
Amon Amarth Row Pit @ Bloodstock. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
During that show they had announced they were trying to do the world’s biggest row pit – basically everyone sits on the floor and rows. When they started doing it, it was ridiculous. I think I have a photo of it, because there’s everyone rowing and there’s a guy with the Swedish flag swaying and it was just such a cool moment.
Teddy Swims @ OVO Wembley. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Nick
So that one was Teddy Swims at the Ovo arena in Wembley. He’s a bit outside of my normal range of alternative artists. He’s much more of a Pop artist – very powerful, clean vocals. So that was on my wide 16 to 35. I went central because you could see him coming down. If you look at the back of the stage there is a bit of a slide going round and he walks down there, so I knew he was going to get to the centre and do something. The other photographers were following him and I decided to set up to wait and hope. Luckily, it played out really nice. In the edit I really wanted to get the vibrancy of the colours because the staging was phenomenal. It almost looks like a like a cabaret kind of performance. Teddy, as a character himself, is wearing this custom-made coat for London. The colours popping and him just being very centred with the lights from the stage just the right way made editing easy because I could see how I wanted it to look.
Behemoth @ Brixton Academy. Photo Credit: Nick Davarias
Sian
I know you talked about wanting the pops of colour, but I really liked this photo as well
Nick
This was a band called Behemoth and they played Brixton Academy. This was actually a really challenging shoot because of their Pyro set up. Brixton are very, very security heavy at the moment. They’ve had a lot of complications in the past, so they’re having to be very by the books. We were told we could only shoot from the book ends of the photo pit, so the whole middle had to be left empty because of Pyro.
It meant there was a group of 10 photographer on one end and 10 on the other. You can imagine when you’re very limited in space, it’s hard. None of us knew until we got there and a lot the photographers didn’t really have the lenses to shoot from that length. Luckily, I leave everything in my bag and just pray my back doesn’t snap sometimes, so having the 70 to 200 helped me shoot that.
They had very minimal lighting because they were quite a dark Gothic black metal band, but they had searching lights, and it just hit in the right way. I feel like it’s quite monotone in the fact that it’s only one colour, but there’s still enough life in the photo to paint a picture in your mind.
Final Thoughts
Thank you very much for reading and thank you to Nick for sitting down for this interview. A reminder that you can find Nick’s work on the following websites:
www.nickdavariasphotography.com.
If you are a photographer interested in sharing your experience and photography with us, please reach out via email to Sian @ sales@hdewcameras.com.
Stay tuned for the next interview in the series!