What: YYJ Rocktographers Exhibit
When: Friday (7 to 10 p.m.) and Saturday (noon to 5 p.m.)
Where: 658 Discovery St.
Admission: Free
Sharing photos is easier than ever at the moment, thanks to the popularity of picture-hosting websites such as Flickr and Tumblr.
Photographers with more to offer than out-of-focus cellphone images haven’t necessarily seen an uptick in opportunity, however. If anything, times are tougher than ever when it comes to showcasing their work outside of a social media environment.
Local photographer Tyson Elder arrived at such a conclusion while sitting in a Seattle bar not long ago, surrounded by walls decorated with framed concert shots of past events in that very venue.
The imagery made quite the impression on Elder, who hatched the idea for the YYJ Rocktographers exhibit not long after his return.
“I thought it would be an awesome way to showcase our own local concert photographers,” he said.
Elder — who is part of an ever-growing contingent that specializes in live concert photography — planned the two-day exhibit with fellow photographer Al Smith. YYJ Rocktographers will showcase framed and mounted concert shots from 25 amateur and professional photographers, each with strong ties to Victoria, at Smith’s gallery on Discovery Street.
There is community coming into form around the city, one that sprung out of photo-ready events such Rifflandia and Rock the Shores.
“We all get together every once in a while,” Elder said. “Now, when we’re at a concert and there’s six of us shooting, we’re not awkwardly standing against the wall not talking to each other. It’s like catching up with old friends.”
Elder said he did very little curating with regards to the exhibit. He left the choosing of photos up to each photographer, with one simple rule: Avoid the obvious.
“I didn’t want just the Flaming Lips or just Reignwolf or just Mother Mother,” Elder said with a laugh, making mention of some of the most-photographed local shows in recent memory. “We needed to mix it up a little bit.”
Shots from gigs both big and small — from local all-ages shows to the mainland’s massive Live at Squamish Festival — will be on display. Some have never been shown in public, while others may be familiar to those who traffic locals blogs and websites.
“I’m starting to see a lot of people shooting for music review websites,” said Elder, who has been shooting concerts since 2005. “But there’s a fair amount of people just shooting for themselves. You’ve got to start somewhere.”
While Rifflandia and Rock the Shores will be well represented, some surprises are in store for visitors. “We’ve got some Kiss photos, we’ve got Bruce Springsteen in there — we’re all over the place.”
Elder hopes the exhibit will put some wind in the sails of those showcasing their work. Concert photography is fun and rewarding, but it can be stressful, too.
Photographers are given only a short window of time to grab a usable shot, so many moments go undocumented.
The advent of digital technology has given rise to a legion of photographers, Elder said, but there are only so many media outlets in which to place one’s work. YYJ Rocktographers will fill that void, at least in the interim.
“We don’t really get a lot of love,” Elder said with a laugh. “To have an event that celebrates us will be cool.”