Action, Emotion, and Being Part of the Community

Photography by Scott Freeman

Since 2016, nightlife photographer Scott Freeman has been documenting the underground music and drag shows of Los Angeles. He talks about shooting in small venues, meeting other artists, and the joy of watching people fly through the air.

Los Angeles, USA

What is your history as a photographer?

I have been taking photos of the underground music scene and Drag kings and Queens since 2016. I started shooting photos just for fun then quickly noticed it was a great way to meet other artists and be a part of what was going on.

How did you get into shooting LA’s underground nightlife?

It became an adventure for me to seek out new dive bars and warehouses and back yard shows all over So Cal: Echo Park, DTLA, Long Beach, East LA, and Santa Ana. Part of the adventure was meeting new artists in bands, other photographers, music fans, and making new friends along the way, while taking photos of them performing and their fans at the shows .

I would follow bands and venues that I liked on Instagram and listen to their music on youtube then go out and finding the locations they were performing at and take photos of the fans and the music; same with a Drag show and photograph their performances and the people in the audience . I was going out almost every other night and shooting bands or Drag shows then editing photos posting photos and then repeating it over and over .

I love the smaller venues because how close you can be to the stage, or no stage, or just on the floor with the artist and the crowd and really be a part of the show. Opposed to a large popular band, playing at a larger music venue or music fest with a super tall stage and where all the photographers are all in a photo pit and only get to shoot the first 3 songs and then have to leave the stage area ushered along by security. I like being thrown up to the stage: camera in hand, music pounding through my body, people moving in a circle pit, my body being hit from fans dancing to the music, watching people fly through the air; watching this and shooting this makes me feel alive .

After living like this, I had a hard time staying at home and could not wait to get out and do it all over again. I was addicted to the music, the danger, and the thrill of being there and living in the moment of the performance and then capturing this all on film .

How does your style stand out from other nightlife photographers?

I like photos that are not posed but take place without people looking at the camera . I like action shots, real human emotion, artists caught up in the intensity of their performance-

Tell the story behind one of your photos.

EGGS EGGS EGGS

9/24/2018

Valor Von Tease doing her best Edith Massey at John Waters night for Exposure Drag onat The Offbeat Bar in the Highland Park neighborhood of L.A. I followed her out the front door to get this shot on the sidewalk after she had smashed about 3 dozen eggs on herself during her performance; she still had pieces of the egg shell stuck to her head along with a dollar bill that a fan had plastered on to her chest.

In what ways does photography influence the way you see the world?

Photography is a visual reminder of living in the artistic community. I have been a part of the people, part of the performances, as opposed to living my life behind a screen internet or TV or video games . I get to be a part of an artistic community and record it form my point of view, not just view it from someone else’s perspective.

For you, what makes a great image ?

Artist who do amazing things

Since nightlife is currently on hold, how else have you been creative ? What have you been learning or discovering ?

I have been editing all of the photos I took over the past 5 years and collecting images for a photo books I’m also printing photos from over the past 5 years and doing some studio portraits of artists from the music and drag scene.