Gary O’ Toole

Photographing live music is an exercise in timing, anticipation, and luck — and this frame of Gary O’Toole behind his kit captures all three in motion. I shot this during a concert where the energy on stage was matched only by the enthusiasm in the audience. Gary, in his element, was caught mid-expression, the sort of look that comes only when a musician is entirely at one with his instrument.

Compositionally, the image works through a layered perspective: the guitarist’s back in the foreground leads the viewer’s gaze directly toward the drummer, framed by the gleaming brass of the cymbals and the forest of hardware. That over-the-shoulder view adds intimacy, as though the audience is sharing the vantage point of a fellow performer.

Technically, stage lighting is always a double-edged sword. Here, the strong spot on Gary gave me excellent subject separation, but it also risked burning out the highlights on his face. I exposed for the skin tones, letting some of the darker elements — the kit, the guitarist’s back — fall into shadow. The colour temperature mix from multiple stage lights created a natural contrast between the warmer cymbal reflections and the cooler backdrop, adding depth to the scene without the need for post-processing tricks.

Live performance photography rarely offers a second chance. This was one of those moments where instinct and readiness aligned, catching Gary O’Toole in a blend of focus, joy, and sheer musicianship — the kind that defines why we pick up the camera in the first place.