Today we’d like to introduce you to John Hutchings.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I got started in concert photography when I was in college. I’d always had a passing interest in it, but had no idea where to start. While attending a concert in Boston I struck up a conversation with a photographer at a show and mentioned I wanted to get into it but had no idea how to start. That ended up getting me my first concert photography job with Mosh Pit Report. Over 4 years there, I gained a ton of industry experience and local connections that eventually lead me to positions with Vanyaland, New England Sounds, and the national outlet Music Existence.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, there’s not a lot of money in concert photography so, in order to make it work, you have to really stretch yourself thin and be at a lot of shows. Since starting in 2013 I’ve averaged over 100 concerts a year and this year alone has been to 93 as of Labor Day weekend. I’ve also had to go outside my comfort zone by doing things like arranging artist interviews in person and over the phone, despite a severe social phobia.
A big part of the job is having a quick turnaround time, for instance, when I photograph a show Sunday-Thursday nights, I usually try to have all my photos from the show edited and submitted the next day. There’s a bit of leeway on that, but the quicker you are, the more jobs you’ll get.
Please tell us about John Hutchings Photography.
I specialize in live concert photography, but I also do portraits, interviews, live reviews, feature pieces, and editorial jobs in order to maintain a footing in the industry. It requires me to be able to handle a lot of different situations at the same time, but again, versatility is a massive asset in this field, as many media publications today can’t afford to hire separate employees for writing, interviewing, editing, photography. So being able to juggle a few puts you at an advantage.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
As a kid, I absolutely loved going to Bruins games with my dad. One of my biggest photography inspirations is the photographer for the Boston Bruins Steve Babineau, I always loved seeing his photos from games that I went to with my dad and it really inspired me to get into live event photography.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 617 549 2914
- Email: john@newenglandsounds.com
- Instagram: jlh1918
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jlh1918
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jhutchings27
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