Epic Portraits: Meet the Woman Behind Rock and Blues Best Photos

Epic Portraits: Meet the Woman Behind Rock and Blues Best Photos

 [Speaker 3]

In a world where one picture speaks a thousand words, Alison Morgan captures more, she freezes legends in time. Famous faces, iconic moments, all through her lens. From rock stars to soulful singers, her photography breathes life into music's greatest stories.

Now, dive into this exclusive interview with the Trout, where she shares the stories behind the shots. Now, here's Alison with the Trout.

[Speaker 2]

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[Speaker 1]

How did you get into what you do, and from the pictures I've seen, do it very well? Thank you. And if you mean by get into what I'm doing in the music photography realm?

[Speaker 2]

Yes, yeah.

[Speaker 1]

Because I started, not too dissimilar from you, a long time ago on my first film camera that I washed a whole bunch of cars to get, trying to do landscapes. And the challenging thing about landscapes, I think, is similar to the challenging thing about music photography. And that is that you are on top of a mountain in front of a lake, something very, very beautiful and breathtaking.

And you snap a photo, and then you get the photo back, and you think, that is not what I felt when I was standing there. And my approach to music photography is the same as that. It's trying to capture in one 400th of a second what that moment, that music feels like, what these people are giving to us from the stage.

And so, again, back to your story. I had taken a camera in 2017 on to one of the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea boats. And you know, I didn't have giant lenses and photopassers.

So you went on a cruise? Is that the one you went on? Yes.

Did you go on a cruise? Okay, yeah. That's Joe Bonamassa stuff, yeah.

It is. And so I just kind of like, wow, this is amazing. And there's artists everywhere, and you can feel it.

And I snapped a few photos. And that was it. Nothing formal, nothing big, nothing organized.

And then I started posting them, and the artists started to pick them up and repost and do this and that with them. And I thought, well, that's cool. I'm gonna keep doing this.

And then I realized that that was a way that I could give back, really. I mean, because I was sitting there consuming this amazing feeling and vibe in music. And you know, sort of automatically as a human, when I give back to somebody who's giving to you that way.

So that's how it all started. When you were there, did you take, I assume you did to a certain degree, you took pictures when they were performing, but would you also take canons? Because obviously, and I know some of the people that play there, they're just sitting around talking.

Did you ever take any of those, or were most of the pictures you took where they were performing for the people on the cruise? Mostly at that time, it was performances. Yeah.

So I had some selfies, you know, just iPhone, you know, and in an environment like that. And what I find is the blues artists in general, they're just the coolest people on the planet. So it's generally very easy to say hello and give them your appreciation for their performances and music.

Well, they don't. They don't. There's truth to that.

And I know everyone was. I know Joe Bonamassa's PR person real well. Never had Joe on my show.

I gave up trying to get him on my show because he's too busy all the time. He's got three homes. He's on tour all the time.

I've interviewed almost everybody that's on his record label more than once, some of them. So I know all of them fairly well just from talking to them. But one thing I do know is they appreciate being asked because you took a picture.

Did you take pictures of Jade? Did I see pictures of Jade? Jade McRae?

Yeah. Yes. I've been photographing Jade, I realized, the other day, as long as I've been photographing Joe.

Yeah. Well, she's been with him for, now we're going on 11 years, but they appreciate being asked. But the second thing is you've got to be a people person if you're going to be on a cruise because there's no place you can't run away.

I mean, you can't, you can go in your cabin and hang out, but you're not going to be there and go, can I have a picture? No, get away from me. I mean, that's, that would, that would kill the vibe.

So you kind of fell into it. But you know, the one thing I've learned about it, it's kind of like dealing with people that are talented. You kind of have the ability, you're given a gift.

Everybody's given a gift. You just got to figure out what it is. If you're a creative person, you're given a gift and you can be taken away, but you got to appreciate the fact that it's a gift.

You have an eye. Now I'm sure that when you first started, it was probably not as good as it is now, but now you have it and you know, in your mind, you already see the picture before you probably even take it. I bet you most of the time.

A lot. I do. Yes.

And because you know what they're going to like, but also people like this, this book that you put out and we talk about that in a few minutes, but you know what people want to see. And I, when I saw your photography, you'll never, you probably know this name, but you know, I thought of was Paul McCartney's wife that passed away, Linda Eastman. Oh, wow.

I'm so flattered because now Linda would take more sitting around, you know, in a green room or whatever, or more casual stuff. But when I saw it, because you're, you have, um, it's hard for people to understand this. It has action in it and you can feel it, which is what you want people to know.

A hundred percent. I could not have said it better myself. I want, you can go to a show and you can document that there was a performance and here's the performer performing.

But that picture doesn't grab anyone. It doesn't, it doesn't take them to the music that means so much to them or a moment or the people they were with, or the people, people turn to music when they're in pain. They turn to music when they're happy.

They turn to music when they're alone, want to be alone, whatever, any number of reasons. And so my goal is to, to try to make a photo that, that makes somebody want to look at it and go, as vague as that may sound, you get that moment in time and I'm sure you take a lot of photos to make sure you get that. But still when people look at that and they go, oh, wow, I think it cements a couple of things for the, for the artist.

You probably already known enough. I mean, you get close enough to people that I figure you probably know some of them already or they wouldn't let you, somebody's letting you down that close. I mean, allowing you to do it.

Yes, you have the other trust in your reputation for the artist, I think it shows you show them in a great light. And secondly, it instills a couple of things. First off, if you're already a fan, you're like, oh yeah, I love that picture of whoever.

And but if you're not a fan, you'll see the picture and go, man, I need to start listening to this person. It's true. That's what your work does.

Thank you, I appreciate that. And that's I have some rules, guidelines, personal guiding principles, if you would, about shooting. One, the first one we talked about earlier, I tried to make an image that looks the way the music feels.

The second is that I there's like you say, there's a guitar face and then there's unflattering and I don't do unflattering. And and so there is a big element of trust there, like and especially the bands that I've gotten closer to. And like you were pointing out earlier, I am in the green rooms.

I am watching them before they go on a show, be nervous, be happy, be, you know, going through their rituals, et cetera. And so I can photograph that, but only I never want anything unflattering. And so I work that way.

And then one of my other guiding principles is that I try to make an image, like you were saying earlier, that somebody wants to stare at no matter how well known the artist is or is not. You know, anybody could make a picture of Mick Jagger and everybody would know it was Mick Jagger. Yeah.

But, you know, I want to make compelling images of of all these artists. I don't mean to get too gushy on you. No, no, go ahead.

But I'm always aware that the folks that are delivering what these rock blues artists deliver on stage. You know, they've been in their bedroom since fourth grade practicing this stuff. Friends were going to birthday parties and they were pouring it into some guitar that they wish they had or, you know, had whatever instrument it is.

And so I appreciate that. And it shows in their performance and you can feel it in their performance. And so to be able to put out work and photographs and a book of artists like I want you to know about these people, they're freaking amazing.

And I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of them and going through the book process, I met a lot of teams and management teams as well. And it's one of the coolest people on the planet. And so people often approach me at a venue or a gig and because I'm in the fandom also.

Sure. And and they oh, my gosh, you are the luckiest person. You get to go to all these shows like I do.

But that's not exactly why I'm lucky. No. So the reason that I'm lucky is.

Is for me anyway, it's much deeper than that. It's it's a bonafide connection to this stuff and trying to. You're doing a job.

You're doing a job, and I tell people this, I said when I was young, I thought the best thing would be to be in a band, go on tour, do all that stuff. Now that I'm older, I'd never want to do that. I mean, because it is a grind.

It is a grind. And the fact is that you have to and I had this conversation with somebody the other day. You come into Austin and you play.

And then you might go to Houston or you might go to Dallas and then you're in New Orleans, then you're in Miami, then before you know, you don't even know where you are. Yes. And you're tired and you maybe don't feel good.

But every time you step on stage, they don't care. They want your best performance they can give. Yes.

And and as a musician, I know there are nights I've had this conversation with some famous people. There are nights that you could do to use the word pedestrian performance. You've seen enough of them.

You know what I mean? Like, OK, this or when everybody's on the same wavelength and you go on, OK, that's this is it. And you and you have to be there when they do do that.

But I think the other thing, too, is when you're when you're performing, that's what you're doing. You're performing. I heard an artist once say, actually a saxophone player that's in the book, say, Alison, they don't pay me to play music.

They pay me to lug the gear around and to carry it on stage and solve problems and get it out on time. He goes, that's what they pay me for. The actual music, he goes, that is one of life's biggest pleasures.

Like, OK, that's why you pay the dues. You do all that stuff. And, you know, and I've always said I want to be as famous enough that I can have my own guitar tech.

That's what you want. That's a guitarist. That's what you want.

Change my strings. I hate doing that. You know, it's kind of it's removed.

I just did 10 dates on the West Coast with Robert John and The Wreck, and they were opening for Samantha Fish, who. Yeah, I've never talked to Samantha. I know Robert John, I've interviewed him before because he's on the biomassa label.

Yes, very good. All right. So let me ask you a question about this.

It may sound a little personal, but how do you get paid? You're in all these venues, I'm going, first of all, I'm sure they're letting you come in, but you've got to pay to fly there and travel and all that stuff. So how does that all work out?

It's a little variable for sure. And it. It's not my my retirement plans.

Different bands are able to do different things.

[Speaker 3]

OK. Yeah.

[Speaker 1]

So they. You know, everybody that I work with does what they can. And that's nice.

I appreciate the reputation you have. They know you work for that. And I'm I'm doing the same.

I'm doing whatever I can. I, I got a little bit more into portrait during covid because a lot of these guys came off the road. And then after a little while.

Well, I guess we'll start making records. Well, if we make records, we want to record some of the recording session, you know, photograph it. And and oh, my gosh, we need an album cover.

So and that's actually been really fun also to to get more involved on the the portrait side, because those images go out on tour posters and all kinds of stuff as well. And those are the ones they pose for. I mean, yeah, they're obviously a portrait that they're posing for it.

So they come in. And and I know some of the people I've seen some of their pictures where they got the. You know, the sheet or whatever is behind them, they got to do all the funky stuff to make them do this stuff that, you know, and and your job is to make them look natural, even though they're not in a natural.

Yes, I was in a very candid way. They turn this way and I look like you're really angry or something like that. It's pretty fun to like a bunch of the images for Sugar Ray Rayford that are out there.

I know him, too. Sugary. So, you know, he's just an absolute gem.

And so we we did some of the, you know, seamless style photos of him that you're referring to. But then also, you know, just stuff around town and and, you know, get him out there. And then at one point we brought in brought in my fog machines and fire.

Did you go to Arizona to take his picture? Did you go to where he lived? I know he lives in Arizona.

Yes, I did. One set in Arizona. I've done multiple sets in Los Angeles.

Any one professional person you go, I really like taking that pictures that person more or are they all about the same for you? Well, OK, here's a crazy answer. They're all a little bit different in a sense.

So like, for example, I know when I go shoot Glenn Hughes, for example, man, I better pull back and keep it what we call in photograph land loose because Glenn is so animated and so energetic and moving around so much that, you know, he'll he'll end up with pieces and parts outside my frame. If I don't back up a little bit on him. And then there's other artists like a couple of weeks ago, I photographed Tommy Emanuel here in Austin.

How is he to be around? He seems like he's such a well-known character. I mean, when I say a musician, he's he exudes professionalism because he's so phenomenally good.

But what's he like in real life? He is the nicest guy on the planet. Like I told friends, I'm like, I'm pretty sure that when you wake him up in the middle of the night, he's still that nice.

It is not an act. And I've actually run into him and photographed him more than once. The first time ever was in the Mediterranean on one of the blues cruises.

And I this crazy story. I was in Athens and I thought I didn't want to go all the way over to that old town area, which it was a little ways from the hotel. Right.

But, you know, I'm just going to look for a place locally. I can walk there and and have a sort of a more quiet night. Anyway, so there was this place around the corner.

And I'm walking and in front of me, I can see Tommy and a group of friends. And I thought, well, I don't want to I don't want to be weird or. You know, but did you admit him before right before I knew of him?

I'd never met him. OK, all right. I did see a video, though, of him earlier that day working or playing with a busker at the Acropolis.

And he told me the story that outside the restaurant, he said, yeah, I was walking along and the guy recognized me and so and asked me if I could play something with him. And so I did. And and so at the restaurant, we were going in and and I said, I think that's so cool what you did today with that kid.

And he's all you know, and and then they went in and he went with his friends. And I wasn't traveling with anyone. So I sat down at a table and Tommy had gotten up to go somewhere else in the restaurant.

And he looked over and he goes, oh, if I'd have known you were sitting here, I would have crashed your party. And then I said, anytime. And he said, well, you know, I'm with friends and I'll come back.

And I thought the man is phenomenally busy. He's not going to come back. And that's totally OK.

And I'll be darned if he didn't come back and had a seat. And we had a little chat. And he's just literally the nicest guy on the planet.

And then I saw him again a couple of weeks ago in Austin and was able to give him his artist copy of the book because he's in it also and so forth. And that was what he say when he get it. He goes, he goes, oh, it's you.

I guess it's me. And then I happen to have some Australian boots on. So we had a little chat about Australian boots and it was it was lovely.

Oh, but back to your question about. Like how it is shooting different people. He carries his own lighting person and so I know that while his performance is not necessarily all over the stage and that sort of thing, his lights are going to be amazing.

Well, for a photographer is wonderful. So I'm going to be looking for the shots where the lights flatter him and and that sort of thing or create drama, that kind of stuff. You know, when I'm trying to focus on somebody who's playing keys or somebody who's behind a drum kit, that has a set of challenges in and of itself also.

Because, you know, I can't tell you how many keys players I have where I'm the keyboard and then just like a little head kind of creepily sticking. I said they got multiple tears and all that stuff. Yeah.

And so I better figure out a better way to to make a picture to tell that story. So do you think knowing the artist or at least meeting meeting them has an influence on how you take their picture? I mean, you know their personality.

Yes. Yes. When I've met them personally.

Yeah. And I don't mean I don't mean I don't mean like, you know, like, oh, I think he'd want to. I think it's because, you know, them, you probably get a feeling about something different about knowing their personality, I guess.

Yes. I think more so what affects my ability to make pictures of them and compelling pictures is having seen the artist felt the music and I can get a vibe for how they are on stage, knowing what they're going to do, what they're not going to do. I'm I'm always looking for which way somebody might turn.

Are they left handed? Are they right handed? And then I'll match that to the lights in the venue.

Also, you know, if there's always something straight overhead, then I know when they do this, I'm going to get a beautifully lit shot. And then having when I met them and had a more personal connection with them, I can. I can communicate that vibe better on in the image.

Well, I think also it helps you. I feel like I understand exactly what you mean, but no. But the other thing I didn't think about is if you watch them perform, whoever the band is or the individual over several nights, you know what's going to happen.

Yes. So you can. OK, this is coming up.

I got to get ready because this is going to have like it's going to have a spot over this one or it's going to have. You already know. So you can get ready for the shot after you've seen him.

That's that's that's got to be nice to know that to a certain degree because they follow a pattern every night. And and so when you said about the light, yeah, she knows it's like, oh, that's like I don't know what's going on now. So I'd be ready for that.

Well, that is an advantage because like I learned with Samantha Fish that she then certain types of songs, she'll do a jump at the end and like, oh, you know, I missed it one night so I can try and grab it the next night. That's really cool. Where the flip side of that is, OK, I've been shooting the same artist for ten nights.

How do I make something unique and compelling for, you know, maybe it's the same set, even night after night or. Yeah, that's the other part of it, too, because it's like.

[Speaker 3]

Yeah.

[Speaker 1]

So how how do I approach that? That's not just a different shot of the marquee outside the building. And here's my.

Yeah, sold out a different night. Yeah. And so that's actually kind of fun.

That's that's a that's a photographic brain bend to try to figure out, like, OK, how am I going to. How am I going to do this? And that's that's actually really cool.

I enjoyed that. It was hard, but I enjoyed it. Oh, yeah.

So who's on your wish list that you'd love to take pictures of? Everybody has somebody they want it like me. And I have people on my list of, oh, I want to interview.

But who do you have on your bucket list that you'd love to go take pictures? It doesn't matter what the genre is. I just thought maybe it's by a man.

Yeah. Like with the with the photo pass access. Yeah.

I really want to shoot Guns N' Roses. Really? Yeah, I, I did.

I did the stones with a point and shoot from the rail. Oh, yeah, because I saw that one with wasn't with wasn't Mick. It was I'm in a mental break.

But it's Ron Hood looking right at Ron. It was Ron Wood. Yeah.

Yes. That was really cool. And I learned the stones, man, they have perfect lighting, which is I think it cracked to somebody like me.

Anyway, but I've always wanted to photograph Guns N' Roses as as a band. I've done a couple of portrait sessions with Slash individually, and then I photographed his blues band when they came up to Omaha appeared. That's the image of him that's in the book is from the Omaha show.

How did I come up with the idea for the book? Yeah, the book it because that's an expensive proposition. Indeed.

And and so, again, it started as how am I going to show this to? To my 20 something daughters that listen to Harry Styles, who is an amazing vocalist, by the way. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

That guy's got some really powerful vocals that I absolutely love. But anyway, it kind of started with that. And then what it really essentially ended up being at its essential level is a love letter to the artists that are making the music and to the fans that support them.

And that's a nice that's a 50 50 relationship happens every night. You know, when you go out, I mean, every night on stage, they're just out there giving it. The artists and the fans are just loving them.