More to the Story: Derek Brad Concert Photography

^{Taylor Harrington 3/31/2021 12:30pm EST}

We sat down with concert photographer Derek Brad, who has shot great artists such as Lady Gaga, The Darkness, and has also had his work featured in Rolling Stone magazine. Derek tells us that he got his start when he was actually working for FedEx as a delivery driver. When Derek was on delivery, he would go to Barnes and Noble during his lunch breaks and just scan the shelves and read photography books, even hiding the books throughout the store so he would know where to find them the next day. Derek would just go to the bookstore, study, and learn about all things photography until he was ready to get his own camera.

When Derek first started his photography journey, metal bands were very welcoming to the new photographer, and his portfolio grew from there. Derek had a longtime dream to have his photographs seen by Rolling Stone, so he would email the same Rolling Stone staff daily for months, until one day his email was recognized with his picture in it from when The Darkness had performed at the Trocadero in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“I was the House Photographer at the time, and was told that the lead singer was going to be climbing on top of the speakers, so I knew where to stand. It was that picture that got me in. When the lead singer decided to jump from the balcony into the crowd, that finally landed my photo in Rolling Stone.”

At the end of the day, Derek believes that having your own back and unrelenting perseverance can get your foot in the door and your pictures recognized.

“Once you start making money off what you love, you don’t necessarily love your day job as much anymore.”

Derek has been working on a separate project where he sits with different musicians and performers and records them for two minutes in silence. He has a dream of having a gallery open where these videos will be up on the walls displayed, and it’s truly interesting to see what these musicians do without sound.

Derek’s work can be found at www.DerekBrad.com and he is also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/derekbradphotography/. For the full interview, watch on our YouTube Channel below, or listen everywhere podcasts are available.

^{As always, 25% of all Confessional Magazine income made through donations and elsewhere goes directly towards Felicia Merritt’s battle with Multiple Sclerosis. https://paypal.com/ConfessionalMagazine}