Wednesday, September 30, 2015 // The Statement
8B

This past summer I was lucky enough to receive photo passes to a handful concerts

around Ann Arbor. Never did I think I would be so fortunate to photograph Mumford
& Sons, a band I have loved since their first album. For some of the concerts I’ve
photographed I’m a fan of the band, while others I might just know a couple songs. With
Mumford & Sons, I knew every lyric to every song they played.

When the band first came out, I was enthralled. Here was a group that I had loved for

years, standing no more than a few feet from me. After the initial excitement subsided,
I kicked into photographer mode, because I’m not just there to enjoy the concert but to
make something of it too. This is where the allure of photographing your favorite band
begins to fade. Because while I remember singing along to the chorus of “Snake Eyes” as
I took the last of my photos, I can hardly remember what it was like listening to the two
songs they played previously.

When you’re a part of the audience, you can simply enjoy the show. When you

photograph a concert, you are constantly on watch for the opportunity to take that perfect
shot. It’s like you’re in a state of zen, where you block out everything happening around
you and solely focus on what coming through your lens. This is encouraged by the “three
song rule” which limits photographers to only shoot the first three songs the band plays,
adding even more pressure to take great photos. So after Mumford & Sons play “Lovers’
Eyes,” “I Will Wait,” and “Snake Eyes,” I am escorted out of the photo pit and I make my
way to the back of the venue to watch the rest of the show.

V I S U A L S T A T E M E N T :

P H O T O G R A P H I N G M Y

F A V O R I T E B A N D

During the band’s opener, “Lover’s Eyes”, Ben Lovett strums the banjo.

Marcus Mumford brings out the electric guitar for “Snake Eyes”.

Photo Story by Zach Moore

Michiganders swarm DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, 40 miles away from downtown Detroit.

A crowd member sways with a lighter during Mumford and Son’s first appearance in Michigan.