Music photography is simultaneously a very rewarding and profoundly frustrating pursuit. Capturing the vivacity and power of live performance is wonderful when it works, but it takes a remarkable amount of practice, effort, and luck to capture those instants of magic.

Musicians move and interact. Lighting changes wildly from instant to instant and place to place. Smiles and gestures are incredibly fleeting.

Resist the temptation to shoot thousands of shots and hope for the best. Watch and feel. Embrace the rythym of the performance. Focus on faces and hands; see how they move, and when they stop moving. How do the musicians interact with each other? With the crowd?

Look for the magic ... and be ready to hit the shutter when it unfolds.