Stellar Spontaneous - Music Photography's photostream  

Music Photographer
Cardiff, Wales, UK
Soundscape Magazine + Freelance
Shoot in South Wales and England for larger shows

"Pictures say with sight what we can't say with words. A picture will survive, so smile and look alive. The camera lens is opening, a wider angle shows."

I am Ed Townend, a freelance music photographer and journalist. I take photos and edit them in a dynamic and different way. Invite me along to your gig, and as long as it’s in Cardiff and I’m on the guest list, I’ll come, take photos, edit them and give them to you for free. Simple as. It’s Stellar service, and it’s spontaneous photography. Enjoy.

1) How much do you charge for live photos?
Nothing. Live photos are free of charge. You can use them anywhere, so long as they’re accredited to Stellar Spontaneous Photography and have a link to stellar.scorpiusdiamond.co.uk

2) How much do you charge for promo shoots?
For promo shoots, I charge £15 for a one-hour session, £5 for every extra hour and travel expenses. Finding your own locations for shoots will end up making your shots better suited to your tastes.

3) I don’t like this watermark, can I get rid of it?
Nope, unless you want to give me a large amount of money…

4) Why?
To keep going as a photographer who gives shots for free, I need recognition, and the only way to do that is to watermark my photos. If you feel your watermarked photos are too obtrusive, I can change them.

5) Where can I find my photos?
stellarspontaneous.fotki.com/ - Then look for your band’s name. (If you’ve been part of a festival, you need to open up the right festival folder) - NB: I've stopped doing this now, please send me a message or email to get your photos.

6) What equipment do you use?
Body: Canon 60D
Lenses: Canon 50mm f1.8, Sigma 24-70mm f2.8
Flash: Canon 430 EXII
I also have used and now rarely use a Fujifilm Finepix S6500D. I also used a Minolta 132x flashgun before upgrading.

7) How can I become a concert photographer?
Go to your favourite gigs and bring along a camera. Try not to use flash. Show the photos to the bands you photograph and if you get a positive response, save up for a semi-pro or pro camera. When you build up a substantial portfolio, apply to work for a local music website or magazine (or even set up your own!). With accreditation behind you, you can start asking for guestlist places or photo passes from promoters and bands. Remember:
a) Take tons of photos, but try not to be annoying (with flash or getting in the way, you’re not there to work just yet)
b) Build up a portfolio of your best photos.
c) Submit an application to a zine or website.
d) Start applying for passes.
If you need any advice from me, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

8) Which other photographers do you like?
Nadine Ballantyne (based in Cardiff, go look her up!), Steve Gullick, Todd Owyoung, Rob Sheridan, Danny North, Timothy Cochrane, Peter Hill and Shirlaine Forrest.