Jess Baumung
Jess Baumung is a Toronto-based music photographer who has shot bands such as Alexisonfire, Billy Talent, Fall Out Boy, Hedley, NOFX, and Rancid. His work has appeared in several publications, including Toronto Life, NME, Record Collector, and MOJO.
How did you first get interested in photography?
I think I always had an interest in photography, I just didn’t know anything about it growing up.
How and when did you start working as a music photographer?
My parents always had this point and shoot camera growing up that my Uncle Pat had given them as a gift. I remember going to my first concert in Winnipeg, Manitoba with my friend Aaron and I took that camera with me to photograph the show. At this point I had no knowledge of photography at all. I remember thinking that my only goal was to take a photo that looked as cool as some of the ones I had seen in some music magazines. I think I actually took one nice photo at that show that I was really happy with. I think that’s what started the ball rolling for me getting into photography.
Do you remember your first paying gig?
I think my first legitimate paying gig was when I first moved to Toronto. I had been shooting concerts for a while in Manitoba at this point so I kinda had a grip on how to get some good photos. My friend Dustin Rabin was supposed to shoot some live photos of a band whose name I actually can’t even remember anymore, but he ended up being busy so he passed my name along to them and they got me to do it. I remember being pretty stoked on the idea of making money doing something I would have done for free anyway.
What’s a typical workday like for you?
I don’t know if I have a typical workday. It really depends on what kind of jobs I have been working on at that particular point. Sometimes when I shoot for magazines they only need one or two photos and they need them right away, so that doesn’t take a lot of time to process. Other jobs involve processing hundreds of photos, which takes up most of a day getting done.
The past few weeks I haven’t been shooting as much, but I have a lot of stuff backed up that I have to process, so I have been starting my day by going to the gym, then getting a coffee, then coming home and processing till my brain wants to explode. At that point I usually take a break.
I watch TV shows online whenever I’m doing work on my computer using a second monitor to play them. Right now I’m watching every season of The Office. Over the past few months I’ve managed to watch every episode of Oz, The Wire, Big Love, Gossip Girl, Breaking Bad, Californication, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dexter, Weeds, True Blood, and I’m sure there are more that I just can’t remember. Multi-tasking is my thing.
What’s your mindset when you’re doing a shoot – how do you approach it?
It really all depends on what type of shoot I’m doing. Since I shoot a variety of different things with different expectations, it’s really never the same.
I like to try to not plan things out too much and just let things happen as I’m shooting. A lot of my favourite photos are the in-between moments.
How do you build rapport with the people you photograph?
Whenever I shoot people I just try to have a normal conversation with them, as if we aren’t even taking photos. I feel like that keeps them pretty relaxed and natural in the photos.
Who have been some of your favourite people to shoot?
I seem to get asked this question quite a bit and it’s a hard one to answer. I really enjoy shooting my friend Rob Dyer from Skate 4 Cancer. I feel like what he’s doing to promote cancer awareness is really important. It’s nice to be able to help him in any way I can. I figure if he can skateboard across an entire country, the least I can do is take a picture.
How do you find clients? What is a typical client like?
I don’t really seek out clients most of the time. I get most of my work through word of mouth. I think as long as you do what you love to do and always try to outdo yourself then people will talk about it.
What methods do you use to promote your work – Twitter? Flickr? ModelMayhem?
Pretty much that’s the only ones I use. I don’t even know how much promotion any of them really do. I really like Flickr as a way of storing/showing very random photos. I actually put a lot of my event and street photos on there.
I discovered your work through your blog – jessbaumung.com. Can you tell us a bit about the blog?
I started that blog a few years ago as a way of showing photos I had been taking without constantly updating my portfolio. I had been shooting a lot of concerts at the time and I wanted to get them out there somehow.
You’ve also done a lot of non-music photography. What can you tell us about the other areas of your work?
I keep my blog focused on the music-related work that I do, but I shoot all kinds of different things including weddings, portraits, fashion, parties, interiors, street photography, etc. I have shown little bits of each of these things on the blog from time to time, but I still keep it focused on the music.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Really I enjoy everything about it. I consider myself really fortunate to be able to do what I love to do.
What`s the least enjoyable aspect of your job?
Carrying heavy bags full of lighting up the stairs to my apartment is probably the only thing that sucks about my job. Haha.
What’s been your favourite experience working as a photographer?
It seems like it should be such an easy question to answer, but I’m having a lot of trouble thinking of an answer right now. Over the past year I have been photographing a few bands in the studio and I have really had a lot of fun with that.
Is there anyone you really want to work with or photograph?
That list could probably go on forever. I would love to shoot someone totally random, like Lil’ Wayne.
Have you had any nightmare clients or bands you’ve shot, or can you remember a shoot where everything seemed to go wrong?
I’ve had a lot of shoots where equipment fails, but I’ve gotten better at adapting with what I have and making it work. The key is to really get past problems like that without stressing out about it. I don’t think I’ve ever actually had any nightmare clients though. I really enjoy all the people I work with.
Was there a point in your career when the going was really tough, or you weren’t sure if you would be successful?
In the beginning things were pretty tough, but that’s totally normal. I worked at a Starbucks for a while to pay rent when I was starting out.
What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
One of my favorite bands is Propagandhi and the last time they played in Toronto I got to watch the show from side stage, so that was really amazing. I also got to shoot a 50 Cent show at a small club I used to work at downtown. That one was cool because there was a chance I could have been shot.
What are the best venues/places to shoot a concert? Why?
In Toronto I really like shooting at The Mod Club on College Street. It has really great lighting and sound.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a music photographer?
Don’t do it because you want to make money, do it because you love to do it.
What are your interests and hobbies outside of photography?
I have gotten really into riding fixed gear bikes over the past summer. I also love listening to vinyl and collecting vintage photographs.
What are your plans for the future?
Goal 1.) Not Die
Goal 2.) …
Goal 3.) Big money!
Where can people check out your photography, or purchase some of your prints?
http://www.jessbaumung.com
http://twitter.com/jessbaumung
http://facebook.com/jessbaumung
http://flickr.com/jessbaumung
This one is always fun too:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Jess+Baumung
Any final words?
I feel like I have said everything I could have possibly said. Hi Mom?
