Updated: Jan 24, 2022
I’m Megan Wales-Harding, a 22 year old music and lifestyle photographer based in Essex. I have photographed gigs for both artists directly and publications, currently I am of the UK based photographers for Melodic Magazine. Photography is not something I can make a living off full time at the moment so I work a full time marketing job as well.
I’ve always been very creative and the idea of professional photography intrigued me, I used to borrow my dads bridge camera when I was younger and would take hundreds of photos on it. Most of them were awful but it was fun for me to play around with. Back in 2014/2015 my Uncle decided to sell his Canon 7D and because I was studying Art at the time, my parents decided to buy it from him. I used the camera throughout my GCSE’s and incorporated photography into my projects, baring in mind I was pretty much self taught at this time. I then went on to study Photography and Graphic Design as A-Levels, which definitely helped me understand photography and editing to a more technical level. It wasn’t until I left college that I really thought about music photography, as I was attending lots of gigs with my friend and had treated myself to a little canon mirrorless camera, which I started taking it to gigs with me.
I got lots of photos of The Vamps and Shawn Mendes in 2019 with it, and that was the moment I realised I loved this. After that I researched like mad, I’ve probably read every article there is about music photography online. I got my first press pass a few months later through a Instagram blog (which is no longer active), for a grime artist called Yizzy. After that I had so much motivation, I emailed artists management like mad and got to photograph a few more shows that year. The beginning of 2020 was when it really kicked off, I had my first paid gigs and got to photograph some much bigger artists like Lennon Stella and Tori Kelly. Now in 2021, I know this is what I want to do for a living, I’m so passionate about it and missed it so much over the 18 months it was out of action
This photo of Lennon Stella at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire back in March 2020 is a favourite of mine. This was the biggest show I had ever had a photo pass for and I was incredibly nervous. I did so much research on Lennon before the show to find out what kind of photos she likes and I come to the conclusion she loves red lighting. This shot wasn’t planned at all but the colouring I chose for it while editing was planned. Lennon Stella actually posted this photo on her socials after the gig, which is another reason why this is a favourite of mine.
"I did so much research on Lennon before the show to find out what kind of photos she likes"
Sam Fender and his saxophone player Johnny on stage at O2 Academy Brixton from September 2021. I absolutely love how this photo turned out, I think it was very good timing. This photo was not planned at all, Johnny appeared from nowhere and I rushed to snap some photos of him and Sam interacting. The lighting was pretty dark at this moment but it worked quite well for the shot.
This photo of Milkie Way from Wargasm UK is also a favourite of mine. It was taken at ALT+LDN festival in London at the end of August, which was actually the first ever festival I’ve photographed. I had seen a bunch of photos of Wargasm at Reading and Leeds and knew that they would be so fun to photograph. From my research I had a rough idea what photos I wanted to take of Milkie and her band member Sam, so I guess you could say this was planned. One thing that I didn’t account for was how the edit would be, as I’m not used to shooting in such great lighting conditions. I love the colouring within this photo the vivid blue background is a nice contrast against Milkie.
Follow us on Instagram @themusicfromme I usually do a some research on the artists before a gig to get an idea of what they like but asides from that I keep my ideas pretty open. One thing I try to get in the habit of is photographing the crowd and band as well as the artist themselves, it’s so easy to forget when you’re limited to just 3 songs in the photo pit.
At this stage of my photography career I don’t make much money at all, so still have to work a full time job. I would love to get to a stage where I don’t have to do that anymore and go full time freelance. I still think it’s a long way off but a girl can dream. I’d also love to experience what it’s like going on tour with an artist or band, I can imagine it’s completely different to what I’m doing at the moment and would really challenge my creativity.
I’d recommend reaching out to a bunch of artists, artist managers and music publicists expressing your interest in photographing shows. Ideally you’ll need to have some form of photography portfolio before hand, having previous low light experience will definitely be beneficial. You may be met with a lot of rejection or lack of responses at first but eventually the right opportunity will come your way.
There are so many incredibly talented photographers out there who I love and feel inspired by, in particular is Phoebe Fox. She is beyond talented and has worked with so many huge twists including Anne Marie, The Amazons, Holly Humberstone and most recently renforshort. I love to see female photographers smashing it in such a heavily male dominated industry.
There are definitely social pressures associated with this industry, especially in the early stages of your career. I feel like as you gain more experience the pressure will become easier to manage. The industry is really populated so there is a constant need to promote yourself, I use multiple social media platforms to share my images and build my audience. You never know who your work will cross paths with and if they could help you develop your skills further. I also have to promote myself a lot to artist managers/PR reps in order to get approved for shows to begin with. They receive so many emails so you have to make yourself stand out, it can be tough.
Don’t give up. If you are really passionate about becoming a music photographer and put in the time and effort you will get there. The right opportunity will come your way.
Keep up with Megan Wales-Harding here:
Website - https://meganwalesharding.co.uk/music
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/megxnphotography/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/megwalesharding?s=20
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/megxnphotography/
Introducing Chloe Irving to my blog! I am so excited to have Chloe on and for her to tell you her experience on becoming a Digital Marketing Assistant within 'Rhino' record label (Warner Music).
We talked on topics such as how leaving university was the best decision she could've made to what has been a 'pinch me' moment in her career so far. We also touched on her work experience at Warner and how she made crucial connections in such a short time.
I hope that whoever reads this feels inspired as much as I did so here you go...!
Hi! Please could you introduce yourself, how old you are, where are you from and what area of the music industry are you are in?
Chloe: Heyy! I’m Chloe, I’m 21 years old from a teeny tiny Island in the UK called the Isle of Man and I work in the recorded music sector, specifically for Warner Music’s catalogue label, Rhino.
How did you discover what area you liked of music?
Chloe: I was very lucky with the fact that I landed in my dream area through an apprenticeship. I knew I wanted to work in music, but I wasn’t quite sure where! Thankfully though, the label I’m working at runs a Digital Marketing apprenticeship with Multiverse and it was a no-brainer for me. Loved it!
I know you got work experience at Warner Music Group when you were younger, would you be able to explain how this impacted you and how you had the confidence to put yourself out there and introduce yourself to people working at Warner?
Chloe: Yeah, so when I was 16, I don’t know how, but I landed myself a week’s work experience which was HUGE for little me. I know the importance of connecting with people is quite vital for a career so I took this week as a fantastic opportunity to make these contacts and show London what I was all about. I would spend my lunch walking around the building and just saying hi and asking people about their roles and careers - I was terrified but everyone was so lovely which made it a lot easier! By doing this, I took so many fantastic contacts and tips from the trip and has helped me hugely in my career since! I often talk to those who are now my colleagues and it’s flattering to hear the impression I made way back then - just shows how important connecting is!
Taking a leap of faith is always a terrifying but usually a rewarding experience. How did you feel when dropping out of university to chase your career?
Chloe: Totally agree with this! Honestly I was so worried I was making the wrong decision, it was really touch and go for a while on what decision I made. I was at University for my career but it just wasn’t working for me and I was adamant that there must be another alternative. Apprenticeships aren’t for everyone, but boy am I glad I found it! It was everything I was looking for - a way to meet people, learn, earn and get such an amazing foot in the door! I have learn’t so much, met amazing people and had some quite ‘pinch myself’ experiences! I am very grateful for my journey so far!
Do you feel any social pressure from the industry? Do you feel like you have to be a certain way or promote yourself in a certain way?
Chloe: I think most of the pressure I feel is from myself. I am very much a perfectionist and always want to prepare myself for anything and everything! Warner hashenomenal company to work for, they very much care for their artists and employees so I really don’t feel any pressure at all except the good stuff!
Being young in the industry has there ever been an experience where you have felt that people wouldn’t take you seriously because of your age?
Chloe: Totally! I find I’m quite a bit younger than the next youngest which has been scary at times and something I had to really work on at the start. The majority of my experience has been really great, I try to make my age not apparent and show my ideas and passions first, but sometimes when you’re working with such industry legends it’s easy to not find your voice. When I’m given a chance, nothing makes me thrive more than proving myself as a young female in this crazily competitive industry and so I really try to speak up because you never know what’s going to take off!
What is your best piece of work that you are particularly proud of and why?
Chloe: Gosh that’s a hard question! I am very very lucky to have been able to work on so many fantastic campaigns which are such a huge moment for my career! I have to say though, If I had to pick one it would be a project I worked on from idea to on the shelves with my colleague Mhairi. Not only was it my first name check on the back of a vinyl (eek!) but it was a project to raise money for the NHS which was a huge deal for me, especially with the world we are living in at the moment. The product was an exclusive coloured vinyl of The Proclaimer’s ’Sunshine on Leith’ in collaboration with Hibernian FC and ELHF and we actually sold out in 3 days - a huge success for the team and something I am very proud to have my name on.
Chloe's first vinyl with her name on the back!
Do you think Gen Z will drastically change the music industry? What areas in the industry do you think will change the most?
Chloe: I love working in the digital space because that is so rapidly changing all the time - just look at TikTok! I think this is something that Gen Z will bring in too and I am so excited for all the fantastic new things that are going to be jumping out of the space in no time!
Trends are a huge thing at the moment, but do you think they happen too quickly these days especially with social media such as TikTok? Do you think this specifically results in new artists having 15 seconds of fame?
Chloe: I love TikTok! I think it’s great platform and the fact it’s breaking so many artists and tracks is so cool! It’s definitely difficult to work on at the minute as there’s not really a right or wrong to the platform - but I think as marketers this is a great way of learning new things and testing others. I love putting ideas to my artists and seeing where they go with it - yes, sometimes it doesn’t get the traction you’d think but when it works, WOW!
What has been a ‘pinch me moment’ in your career so far?
Chloe: I think the time I pinched myself the hardest was when I was working on Rod Stewart’s album with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and we got 3 times number one album in the UK charts including beating Harry Styles and Stormzy to Christmas number 1. It was such an amazing moment for the team, we’d all been working so hard and it was great to be able to celebrate it with all the success it achieved! I never thought I’d be part of a number one album in my first 6 months so that really was a fantastic feeling and one I’ll never forget!
Rod Stewart thanking his fans for Christmas No.1
I feel like there is a lot of expectations on where you should in life at a certain time. What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone younger wanting to do what you’re doing?
Chloe: You know, it’s scary and I can’t even imagine how difficult it would be right now, let alone how hard it was when I was trying to find my break! My advice for anyone would be try every opportunity and really give it your all. If it wasn’t for me making such an impact on my weeks work experience, I probably wouldn’t be here right now, just still searching an opportunity. You never know when someone’s watching or taking note so show them who you are and why they’re going to need you some day - trust me, someone will see and believe it! Wishing you all the luck in the world!
Rhino Record Label - https://www.rhino.com
Thank you for answering some questions there is a lot of important advice in this interview! I am so excited to watch your journey and to hopefully work with you in the future. We all wish you the best! - Amy
Updated: Oct 19, 2021
Every artist feels pressure, but where is this pressure coming from and does social media suggest a template for the 'perfect artist'?
Molokai is an independent artist who thrives to new heights with his music. With over 60,000 monthly listeners and almost 700,000 streams on 'She Don't Wear The Same Clothes' on Spotify, he really is one to watch.
Within this interview we touched on subjects such as the pressure to promote yourself a certain way, what music means to him and the meaning of 'Molokai'. So without further ado, introducing Molokai!
Hi! Please could you introduce yourself, how old you are, where are you from and what area of the music industry are you are in?
Hi. My name’s Austin, I’m 22 from the Chicagoland area, and I’m an artist that goes by Molokai.
I love your artist name, where did the name ‘Molokai’ come from and does it mean anything?
Thank you. Molokai was the name of my goldfish when I was a little kid. It was a cool fish because it lived 8 years, which is crazy for a goldfish, and I kind of grew up with it. So the names kind of like a connection to my childhood which makes sense because I feel like my music’s pretty nostalgic-sounding.
What kind of music would you say you create?
I create nostalgic guitar Indie music. I try to make things catchy/hooky, because that's what I like. The most important thing in music to me is the melodic element, so that's super important to me.
How did you start getting into singing and releasing your own music, was it over time or did it happen in a moment?
I actually started writing really young when I was like 8. I wasn’t writing songs or anything but I would write little vocal melodies over simple guitar parts. I fronted bands with friends in middle school and high school, but didn’t really get into production until my friend Jordan, who’s still my primary collaborator, got me into it. I actually made hip-hop type stuff for a while because thats what he was into so thats the type of production I started learning. Eventually I wanted to switch things up, which is how I ended up with the Molokai project.
I know a lot of artists usually write music based on personal experiences, would you say this is something you do or do you approach songwriting differently?
I don’t really write about personal experience. I mean I’m sure some concepts come out subconsciously, but I just try to write good songs. For me everything starts with a melody and progression I really like and I build around that.
Your most recent EP was 'Always Something’. Are you able to talk through the creative process of creating this EP? Did anything significant happen that influenced this EP or a song?
My favorite track on that one is Maria, which was one of those songs that just randomly hit me when I was working on something else and I just had to stop everything and work on it. Those are oftentimes the best songs, the ones that kind of flow out naturally and spontaneously. You really can’t force it.
Has anything happened in your career that has been an amazing moment for you?
I can’t pin down one specific cool moment to be honest. Just getting meaningful DM’s from fans on Instagram about the positive impact’s my music has made on them has probably been the most fulfilling thing though.
What is the most useless talent you have?
I can juggle a little haha.
Who is your biggest influence or inspiration and why?
My biggest inspirations are probably the same as my favorite artists: The Beatles, Kanye, Bob Dylan, Drake, The Smiths, Frank Ocean, Oasis, Mac Demarco, Nirvana… the list goes on.
Do you feel any social pressure from the industry? Do you feel like you have to be a certain way or promote yourself in a certain way?
Even though I’m fully independent, theres definitely a good amount of pressure to do things a certain way. Right now theres a lot of pressure on artists to make a ton of content and post about whatever’s trending and everyone else is talking about. Even though that stuff can and does help artists promote themselves, the most important thing long-term is always going to be having a good product just like in any other industry. I mean look at Frank Ocean, he doesn’t post at all on social media and Blonde is still one of the most streamed albums 5 years later just because it’s so great.
Putting yourself out of your comfort zone is a scary experience to anybody. Have you ever taken a leap of faith to get to where you are now?
Creating music and putting it out into the world is always a leap of faith. Music is subjective, you never really know how people will react to it, so you’re always taking a leap of faith by sending it out in the world. It can be intimidating, but its been rewarding for me at least.
I feel like there is a lot of expectations on where you should in life at a certain time. What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone younger wanting to do what your doing?
I agree. Giving generalized advice is hard because I think every person is different and needs to hear different things at different times. The biggest thing I’d say is to think long-term. Think 5-10 years in the future when making life choices. Work hard but don’t take yourself too seriously, have fun.
Possibly the most important question! Have you got anything new and exciting on the way? Anything we need to look out for?
Always working on new music, so there’ll be something good coming sooner or later. Releasing my first music video really soon, so stay tuned for that!
A big thank you to Molokai for taking part in this interview! It has opened my eyes to the different ways of taking on the music industry and I'm sure it will change yours to. Below are the links to finding Molokai:
Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/molokai/1475540538
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Mol0kai
Molokai Shop - https://molokai.shop/
Stream 'Always Something' EP - https://songwhip.com/molokai/always-something
If you want to be the first to hear about the next blog post or any behind the scenes, just enter your email at the bottom of the page! Look forward to talking to you more - Amy
