I’ve been photographing concerts since the early 2000s, and after adding a Widelux camera to my bag, I was eager to start bringing it to shows alongside my digital cameras. The unique 35mm panoramic format offered a completely different way of documenting live music, capturing not only the performers but also the atmosphere, stage production, and energy of the crowd within a single sweeping frame.
Due to the camera’s limited settings, Cinestill 800T quickly became my preferred film stock for for concert photography. Its ability to handle low light and vibrant stage lighting made it an ideal choice for live performances. I also continued to learn that timing is everything with a Widelux. Direct stage lights striking the lens as it sweeps across the film can create dramatic exposure shifts and flare, so waiting for the right moment between lighting cues became just as important as anticipating the musicians themselves.
These photographs of Rise Against are part of that ongoing experiment, exploring how a panoramic film camera can capture the scale and intensity of a live concert in a way that feels both immersive and unmistakably analog.
