ROTTERDAM — The music industry, with its seemingly endless subsections, sometimes focuses on the creative minds that craft and perform new music, but what about those on the other side of the stage? Photographers like Stephanie J. Bartik, of NY Rockstar Photgrapher LLC, sometimes fall into the lands of unsung heroes, telling the visual stories of bands that exist on a small-scale, all the way up to national touring acts. In just five years’ time, Bartik has surely cut out her niche in this industry, and is always working on getting her hands involved with new projects.

I had a chance to sit down with Bartik recently to discuss her craft. What follows is our conversation, edited lightly for content and clarity.

Lucas Garrett: Stephanie, thank you so much for sitting down. It’s great to talk with you. How’ve you been?

Stephanie Bartik: I’ve been busy, which is good.

LG: You certainly are. But you haven’t always been. What got you started in this vein of concert photographer?

SB: I wasn’t looking for it; it found me. I was brought up … my dad was a photographer, my uncle, my grandfather. I was surrounded by it but I never got into the technical part of it. I was always the one with the camera at school functions, family functions, et cetera. A friend of mine about 10 or 15 years ago asked me if I’d photograph her wedding. I said, “I’ve never done it before. Sure!” It was a low-key wedding — nothing huge.

Someone who was at the wedding was also a real estate agent. They asked me if I’d photograph their housings for the listings. From there, he asked if I’d do headshots for him. “I’ve never done that before. Sure!” I started to do a lot of different real estate agents for their headshots and listings. One of those people happened to be in a band, and asked if I’d come over and take pictures of the band.

I did it, and then was going at it locally. Someone I knew, Lovey Lee, was the marketing person at iHeartMedia. They had a photographer lined up to go to the Schaghticoke Music Festival in 2016. Something happened and she asked if I could do it. Once again, “I’ve never done it before. Sure!” It was the first time I was in a photo pit. I was watching the other photographers and trying to take off their cues. All of the sudden I get a tap on the shoulder from security — I was on the fifth song and had lost count. It was a three-day thing and hopping over from stage to stage. One day, Sixx:A.M. — Nikki Sixx — was playing. At one point, something hit — the right string or whatever — and it felt like this thing zapped me right through the heart. It could’ve been either a heart attack …

At that point, this was what I knew I wanted to do the rest of my life. I put in a five-year plan for myself on how I was going to be able to do this. It was basically all through networking: a band would post their photos and another band would see it. The really cool part is that I’m starting to see the people I’d idolized as a teen, and being able to photograph them. It’s been a wild ride.

LG: Does it ever stop not feeling surreal, or is every day surreal for you?

SB: I don’t know … whatever I do, I tend to throw my entire self into it. If I did jigsaw puzzles, I’d be doing every jigsaw puzzle ever. It’s become a way of life; I like the music scene. It’s a tight-knit community, and I like how they show support for one another. It’s like magic to me. Every time someone gets up on stage and is singing, or playing a guitar and taking this piece of wood with strings on it and making such beautiful noise, it’s like magic to me. That’s what I try to capture. I’m a dreamer and I support other dreamers. If I can do anything to help promote that person to reach their dream, that’s good on my side. It’s selfish, feel-good, if you know what I mean.

LG: Absolutely. Is there a type of event in particular you enjoy working at, or is it all good for you?

SB: Whatever is at the other side of the lens of what I’m photographing is my favorite thing. For the past five years, I’d photograph the Lake George Classical Music Festival. You have these world-renowned violinists, et cetera, and the next day I may be doing hip-hop, sitting on the floor of Putnam Place, formerly Putnam Den. I have a lot of genres. It’s all the same as long as the passion is there.

LG: For anyone reading this who sees your work and says, “Oh, I want to do concert photography,” do you have any advice for how to get started in this whole industry?

SB: Yeah. I’ll mentor people occasionally, but I’m not going over settings on the camera. I’m going with how to deal with the crowd, et cetera. If you’re getting in there, first thing is, don’t beat yourself up. Band photography is everything a normal photographer hates: dark lighting, if there’s any at all; movement; flashes of light; people knocking into you all the time. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

What you have to do is show up at the little clubs and take pictures. Most bands, especially if they’re starting out, need to have that promo. Get their pictures. What I did, the very first time I started to do this on a regular basis, was a rock-aoke event. A friend of mine was singing and asked if I could come over and photograph him. Offer the pictures to the band, the venue, the promoter if one is involved. And post them.

By me posting online — and I know I’m an over-poster — my idea is that I’m also promoting the bands. You get your name out there, and then you start earning more money because you’re taken more seriously.

LG: Did you ever think you’d be this busy five years ago?

SB: No. if you asked me if I’d been a band photographer, I’d have said no. Because I keep myself open to different things, that’s how I found myself down this path. [I never thought] I’d be published in Guitar World Magazine. That was in the September issue (2023). Marcus (Nand) had an interview. He asked to use two pictures I took of him. Caffè Lena hired me for their children’s music school. I have big photos on their wall by the stairs and in their information booklets.

Frog Alley bought some [of my work] for their display. It was cool to see two of my photos on billboards. Also, I was in the digital display [at Rivers Casino].

Of all the genres of photography that I’ve done, there’s absolutely nothing that makes me feel how I do when I’m taking pictures of the bands. I’m very busy every time I get the opportunity to do it. I’m proud to be able to do it, and it excites me. If you’re doing something you love, you just get passionate about it and you get that extra energy.

LG: Absolutely. Do you still do other types of photography, or is it all band photography?

SB: I did just do a wedding. I still do headshots, and weddings — lower key ones where I feel more comfortable and down to earth. I’ve done auto photography for people selling cars. Antique cars. I’m open as long as the person knows I’m going to do the best I can. I probably won’t be a wedding photographer as much as Dino Petrocelli who’s in a world of his own. I’m always open to different things.

LG: Is it weird to go from mindset to mindset in different venues or do you know what you’re getting into now?

SB: If I’m going to photograph a band I’ve never done before, it’s a lot more than people see. I’m not going out there, showing up with a camera, clicking and leaving. I’m going to YouTube and looking at their videos to see where people are standing on stage so I know what to look for. When I go to an event, I go to security and make sure they know who I am and what I’m doing there. Security’s your best friend; don’t mess with them. I go to the lighting person and ask if there’s anything I should know about that’s going to happen at the show. There’s a lot to it; you just have to know what you’re getting into.

People have noticed when I take a photo, I have both eyes open. I’m looking through the viewfinder with one eye, but the other eye I’m scanning the stage. All your senses are all moving. When I’m done with a show, it feels like I’ve run a marathon because every sense is involved.

LG: Are there any concert photographers that you really enjoy, or say, “Wow, I wish I thought to do it like that,” when you look at their work?

SB: There are so many other photographers and I look at their work and I’m in awe. Claude Christopher. Technically, the way he captures it is very, very good. I look around and see the other photographers and sometimes feel like, “What am I doing here?” That whole imposter syndrome.

LG: I think that syndrome is a big part of the arts community. It’s almost a prerequisite for being in that community.

SB: Yeah, I wish I could get rid of that. People will tell me my work is good, but in my head, I think it’s better than it was, but it’s not good enough. By not thinking you’re good enough, it pushes you to always be better. If I thought I’m the best — and you’ll never hear me say that — what’s to strive for? I’m 70 and I’m still trying to learn new programs. I look at what a photographer does to see how I’d put my spin on something similar.

LG: Is there anything else you’d like to elaborate on?

SB: I always tell people when I’m mentoring them, when you’re shooting [an event], yes, you’re representing yourself, but you’re also representing the band. You’re representing the venue. You have to remain professional. You’re not part of the party. You have to respect the people. You have to stand in someone’s way because that’s the only way to do it, but talk to them. Say something like, “I’m really sorry. I’m going to be here for two pictures and then move out of the way.” On the other side, if you see photographers’ gear [at a venue], don’t put your food on it. That’s my livelihood, and if that gets ruined because someone bumps into a table because they’re having a good time, I’m out of work. Be respectful. That’s my big thing.