FL Shooting Star: Kylie Keene

Mon 1st Jun, 2009 in Features

Over the next few months we will be paying homage to our most dedicated and talented photographers in our ‘FL Shooting Stars’ series. The first photographer in the spotlight is Brisbane’s Kylie Keene.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I have been a contributing photographer for Fasterlouder since approximately September 2006. Contributing to Fasterlouder has opened up many doors for me in the shooting world. I contribute to Brisbane street press Rave Magazine, Montreal [Canada] web-zine MetalUniverse [now MusikUniverse], stock photo website Press Photo International and I’ve freelanced for the Austereo Network. I also have a little website where I try [but fail miserably] to keep it up to date, kyliekeene.net

When and why did you first pick up a camera?

I first picked up a camera in roughly June 2003, it was a Canon 3000N film camera and I sucked. Hard. I decided to have a go at photography because I was a member of the world’s largest art site and it really inspired me to go out and take photos of my pets, plants and landscapes. n00b.

I discovered it was an expensive hobby, buying film, developing it at Big W, you know, the real professional way. After that I sold the film camera and got a Canon 300D for Christmas, then I could see how bad my photos were after I took them I tried to work out how to make them better… and visible.

What is it that drew you to the world of music photography?

Big Day Out 2004. I was crammed against the front barrier waiting for Muse, I’m a stick insect so I was getting a little crushed, I thought there had to be a better way to see my favourite bands without being kicked in the head or cracking some ribs. That’s when I saw all these people in orange vests sporting truck sized cameras walking into the vacant area in front of the heaving crowd. Muse came and went and I stayed plastered to the barrier to watch these people waltz in again for the next band, I wanted photos of Mathew Bellamy from a few meters away, not miles away with my disposable Kodak camera. I researched these people, I bought Jmag, Twisted, Blunt magazines and picked up street press, I had to do what these people were doing.

Fast forward to Big Day Out 2007 I was standing in the vacant area now known as the “photo pit” with my mini-van sized camera waiting for Muse. Mathew Belamy walked on stage and it was at that moment I knew my dream had come true [cue Disney music]. I shot Big Day Out, Gold Coast twice for Fasterlouder, shot backstage at Splendour In The Grass and had a AAA pass for St Jerome’s Laneway.

What is the best gig you have ever shot?

There have been so many it’s hard to pick out just one. Daft Punk was amazing I’m a huge fan of theirs but being two stories below them was a bit of a bastard to shoot, I had one awesome photo from hundreds. Slipknot was just insane from the costumes to the action to the epic lighting; it was hard not to get a great shot of this band. I am yet to shoot Pink though, I’ll let you know how it goes if I get a media pass!

What is the worst gig you have ever shot?

30 Seconds to Mars was the worst, well one of the worst. I was cleared to shoot three songs from the pit at the now closed down Arena in Brisbane, but when I arrived I was told two songs from the crowd. 30STM was all ages, it was sold out and it was summer, so it was bound to be a bastard. The reason I was not allowed into the comfort of the photo pit was due to safety reasons, I would have probably slipped over on some fourteen year old girl’s tears or been smacked in the head by Jared Leto’s guitar. I managed to make my way to the very front and shoot from just beside the pit – it was terrible. I had maybe one photo turn out, out of hundreds, due to the young crowd thrashing against me from every side and the poor lighting during the first part of the show. Since then I’ve never been the same at an All Ages show.

What would be you number one tip for aspiring photographers?

I’ll give you more than one. Have the right gear, have a professional attitude towards Editors/PR companies and most importantly take my photo and put me on the front page.

YOU CAN CHECK OUT A GALLERY OF KYLIE’S BEST SHOTS HERE