*Cover Photo: Amanda Imm photographed by Simón Vargas
Lee esta entrevista en español aquí!
Exploring the intricate passages of her career, Amanda Imm, a photographer and videographer originally from Mexico City and raised in Veracruz, shares the fascinating journey of her career in the music industry. Through an evolution marked by the passionate pursuit of her creative identity, Amanda guides us through the challenges and discoveries that led her to establish her distinctive style. In the course of this interview, the photographer takes us back to the beginnings of her career, revealing the secrets that define her unique photographic style, and imparts wise advice for those aspiring to delve into the exciting realm of visual arts in the music industry.
Embarking on her career in line with her education, the photographer immersed herself in the environment of an advertising agency. However, from the beginning, she perceived that this job did not align with her true interests. Inadvertently, her freelancing activities during that period were exclusively directed towards the fascinating realm of video, marking the initial revealing signs of her true passion.
Amanda delved even further into the world of video during her experience at Televisa. Although initially she did not see photography and video as professions, she shared: “I really saw photography and video as a hobby. I never saw it as something I could make a living from. So I said, ‘Well, I’ll take the risk and do it.'”
From this job, the photographer opened doors to numerous job opportunities in this field. She began by collaborating with influencers and local musicians, later working for the Mexican artist Pambo. Thanks to this connection, she secured a position with the renowned pop band, Reik.
The first years of her career were characterized by a formative process and an evolution towards the style that defines her today. From an early age, the influence and cinematic aesthetic of classic horror films acted as the starting point to forge her own distinctive style.
“Since I have memory, my mom used to make me watch movies like ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ I remember that was the first horror movie I saw, and my mom showed it to me. My mom instilled that kind of visual heritage in me. I grew up loving ‘Scream,’ ‘Friday the 13th,’ ‘Halloween,’ ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ all with a grainy film style. For instance, ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ has warm undertones, ‘Halloween’ has cold undertones. I grew up with that.”
Amanda’s style today is defined by this concept, incorporating visual elements such as photographic grain, and often, a low shutter speed to uniquely capture movement. The color palette reflects a reduction in saturation, and her ability to play with different camera angles and use of wide-angle lenses contributes to the distinctive identity of her work.
Amanda shares that in the early years of her career in the industry, she faced a crucial challenge. In the transition from pursuing audiovisual production and photography as a hobby to practicing it professionally, she encountered the shift from being her own creative director to working in situations where there was a boss seeking a specific outcome. This, coupled with the new aesthetics promoted by emerging social media platforms like Instagram, created pressure to produce a singular type of content, all influenced by these expectations.
The photographer confesses that she felt her work was affected by these predefined notions. This challenged her to take the necessary time to rediscover her creative identity.
“As a result of this, I began to delve deeply into my roots, so to speak. One day, I sat down and said: ‘What do you like?’. I started listing movies, cartoons, clothing, my Pinterest boards. I gathered everything I liked and said: ‘What do these things have in common?’. I started playing around. I began making music videos and incorporated this new aesthetic into them. I hardly took photos; it was mostly videos. Then I thought: ‘What if I take what I enjoy doing in videos to photography?’. That’s when I started taking photos with a more cinematic approach. It was a process that took about half a year, one year to achieve this aesthetic.”
There is a strong emphasis on staying true to her own style coming from the photographer, as otherwise, there is a risk of losing identity and the source of personal inspiration. In this journey, the resistance to compromise her creative vision becomes a fundamental component to preserve originality in her work and establish meaningful connections with collaborators in the industry who share her aesthetic.
It was precisely her loyalty to her style that opened the doors to her current position as the official photographer of the renowned Colombian band “Morat.”
“Right when I joined Morat, in one of our early conversations, they told me, ‘We like and we take a lot of film-style photos, we like that aesthetic.’ I started incorporating that aesthetic I was already familiar with into the photos, and obviously, they were delighted.”
In her current role, the photographer emphasizes a strong collaborative spirit, turning her work into a collective effort. She works closely with Juan Camilo Triana, Morat’s stage designer, responsible for lights and visuals for the show. Amanda adapts with agility to the specifics of each presentation. The band members, especially Simón and Martín Vargas, play a significant part in the collaboration and decision-making regarding the visual outcome in each tour or performance.
Currently, after several years of collaboration with the band, Amanda has solidified an established creative process and operates with familiarity in the preparation for each tour alongside the band.
“I take a lot of photos and experiment. Every time a new tour begins or they release a new album, I ask them, ‘What is the concept?’, ‘What feelings does it evoke?’. With all the information they provided, I managed to create presets specifically for this tour. That’s why they all have the same color palette. I already have my presets made, so for a particular song, I use a certain one, for the red one, I use another, and so on.”
During the tour, the photographer follows a meticulous routine. Her work unfolds at a fast pace, starting with the preparation for the day, which includes organizing her equipment, checking cameras and batteries, ensuring she has everything needed. Subsequently, she immerses herself in the soundcheck, capturing exclusive content of the band. The highlight of the day is undoubtedly the concert.
After the show, the work persists as the editing process begins. Although it is sometimes exhausting, Amanda shares that it is a highly rewarding job.
Life on tour is tough, it’s challenging. It’s not common to meet someone who works in this. I feel it arouses a lot of curiosity. All my friends always tell me, ‘Dude, it’s awesome that you’re going on tour, the rockstar life and parties,’ and I am like ‘no.’ You want to go to sleep right away. It’s working 24/7.
The photographer shares that the most rewarding moments in her work include camaraderie with her team and connecting with fans. She particularly emphasizes the passion of the followers in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico, expressing, “The audience is insane, they give themselves fully” The fans’ excitement is contagious; when the photographer is close to them during the show, it’s easy for her to immerse in that energy and experience the feeling of being one of them in the arena.
With an entire career ahead and being a passionate music enthusiast, Amanda would love to collaborate with various musicians in the industry she admires. Her wishlist includes names like Blink 182, Sum 41, Kanye West, Young Miko, and some highly popular options in the pop industry, such as Taylor Swift and Harry Styles.
From her experience in the music industry, the photographer shares a valuable piece of advice for all those aspiring to embark on a career in this exciting field.
“Practice a lot. I believe that practicing and staying true to your style is the smartest thing one can do. Research, now there are a thousand tools to do anything on the internet. Be true to that and practice every day, every day. I was lucky to dive straight into the industry with a big band and enter the big leagues. I also have experience working with independent artists. If you see an independent artist whose music and project you like, approach them. Send them a message like ‘Hey, I saw you’ll have a show in two weeks, I’m a photographer, and I would love to come and photograph you and your band, no charge, just give me a pass.’ Start looking for these opportunities with independent artists and also aim for the big ones. You never know what will stick or not.”
When it comes to choosing photographic equipment to start in this career, in a moment where the market options for buying a new camera or equipment can be overwhelming, Amanda shares her reflections.
“Use whatever you have. Right now, I can tell you that I take photos with a concert camera, a Ricoh. It’s reasonably priced and has a fixed lens. It’s a small camera, the size of a cellphone, and with that, I take most of the photos that are uploaded and displayed. Really, the camera doesn’t matter as long as you know how to use it 100% and make the most out of it, even if it’s a small camera. That’s more than enough to start.”
“Also, many Instagram photographers generate and instill this culture of ‘you need the best to be the best,’ because of the sponsorships they get. ‘The camera I recommend is a camera that costs 50,000 pesos, 4,000 dollars.’ For someone who is starting, who is studying, who has already graduated, it’s obviously difficult to start buying equipment. They won’t be able to afford a camera at this price. I have taken concert photos with my cellphone, and they turn out well. It’s about knowing how to use your tools, meaning, the camera doesn’t matter as long as you have creativity, passion, and know how to use it. Because if you know how to use a cellphone camera well, you can take good photos. Start with what you have, and gradually level up.”
The work of a touring photographer goes beyond capturing images; it involves establishing a connection between fans and their favorite artists, evoking the essence of the show through visuals. Throughout her career, Amanda Imm has played an integral role in projects that exceptionally showcase music, and today, she invites us to experience Morat’s concerts with an authentic and fresh perspective. Her style not only reflects her uniqueness but also her deep love for the art she practices and her constant desire for learning. Amanda’s story is an inspiring testimony of perseverance, purpose, and genuine connection with the people she has encountered along her journey.
FOLLOW AMANDA IMM’S WORK HERE!
*This interview has been translated from Spanish; to read the original Spanish version, click here.
