Onstage, backstage, in the pit, wherever he is, he’s going to get shots. It’s a shot that makes you wonder, “Did God Himself come down from heaven with a Nikon d7000 and take this picture?”
no. He’s a boy from New Orleans with the most untrained eye I’ve ever seen. He takes every chance, jumps every fence, hits every pavement, and gets the perfect shot.
The debate over what is the best music streaming service has been debated for years between two platforms: Apple Music and Spotify.
Nathan Schweitzer is a young and talented photographer who has been photographing bands for about seven years since his freshman year in high school. What began as a personal interest in him became the beginning of his career and bands are still looking to hire him.
At 21 years old, he was able to gain experience by seeing bands across America, from Chicago to Charlotte to Big Bend National Park. what is his favorite view? behind the scenes.
“I love filming bands. Why? That’s a stupid question. My camera is always by my side no matter what. concert with and free beer? Yes, stupid question.
He was lucky enough to play with a New Orleans-based rock and blues band called Zita at the French Quarter Festival.
Pre-show rituals are a good habit for Zita. French Quarterfest is no exception. Schweitzer and the band twirl a warm IPA and a carton of cigarettes while they sit and wait for the rain to stop before the performance begins.
The lead singer and trombonist was trying to perfect a Louis Armstrong tune, and he did it. They all cheered. Schweitzer took the picture.
Nathan Schweitzer turned his childhood passion for band photography into a career.
Once the rain stopped, it was Zita’s turn. The four men lined up in an antechamber (a tent with four hangers) and began to change into velvet suits and tight jeans.
Schweitzer said he likes to hang around the stage and put some shots in his head and record the rest to get an idea of what he wants. It’s easy for him.
When Zita started playing, people started flocking to the sound. This was Schweitzer’s turn.
If you think you’re going to talk to Schweitzer during the show, you’re dead wrong. With the first guitar riff, drum thump, deep bass hum and lead singer’s shriek, he started.
“I move a lot,” he said. “I think more than other photographers. It keeps me on my guard.”
Throughout the show, he was seen scurrying around Jack Daniels’ stage, through the audience, running under the drum kit, sprinting down rain-slipped stairs, then quickly getting up and taking the front stage. .
It’s moments like this when passion pays off.
Brendan O’Connell, manager of ’70s piano-rock maestro Neil Francis, said, “Nathan is a very hard-working, dependable guy who moves around to land shots.” O’Connell hired Schweitzer to work with him at this year’s Jazz Fest, where the young photographer went freelance for Francis.
“I knew the shot was going to be great (and it was),” says O’Connell.
So how did Schweitzer end up backstage at Jack Daniels at the French Quarterfest with Zita, one of today’s best up-and-coming New Orleans rock and blues bands? Yes, he got off to a similar start.
He got his first camera when he was about 14 years old. His parents and half of his friends were musicians, so I thought I’d start filming sets, shows, and weird characters in between.
He started his career by lying, as many young entrepreneurs do. Schweitzer said he knew his age was working against him, so he created fake press IDs, sneaked into events, and held up cameras (and praying) to tell all the security guards on set that he was part of the band. I told you something.
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler rocked Jazz Fest in May 2018, putting Nathan Schweitzer on the map and giving him his first portfolio photo of a rock show.
“Simply put, I sneaked into an Aerosmith concert and met the right people. Dr. John never did the right thing, but I was in the right place at the right time,” Schweitzer said. Told.
Zita is a quartet best known for rocking the stage by creating genius musical hybrids that incorporate elements of rock, blues and jazz.
Schweitzer met the members of Gita by sheer chance while filming a post-pandemic festival. The lead singer of an eight-piece funk band hired him courtesy of the guitarist.
“I had a great shot in mind for my drummer, so I walked over to the brashest, most rude-looking guy I could find,” Schweitzer said.
Michael Mullins, now the lead singer of Gita, was a man with “a cloudy day aviator, a jeweled ring and a shirt two sizes too small,” Schweitzer said.
Mullins happened to see Schweitzer’s work and asked if he would shoot a music video for his band Zita. he replied: to go! “
Nathan Schweitzer had never shot a video work.
Fortunately, with the help of YouTube and some advice from fellow videographers, the video turned out great. “After the final scene, we all took pool shots and listened to the blues while getting to know each other.
Schweitzer takes pictures during practice and understands the value photography brings to the band.
Schweitzer’s old friend, Brandon Gallego, is a musician and photographer. He was looking for something to keep him busy throughout his college life, which turned into a passion.
“I can capture moments that many people go through, so they can relive those moments over and over again,” Gallego said.
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Gallego and Schweitzer understand the value of photography and are always on the lookout for better shots. Schweitzer says the Gita makes that easy.
“It’s not just me. They make everyone feel like a rock star,” Schweitzer said. The band shares the same sentiments towards Schweitzer.
“Nathan is like the fifth member of the band,” Mullins said. “He understands us, he knows when we need to pick ourselves up, he knows when we need to get cornered. We share the same vision, and we express that vision through our work.”
