Steve Trager
Staff Photo Journalist

Comments: Steve Trager resides in Philadelphia, where he has spent more then two decades working in the photography field as a photo lab technician. He has fine tuned his skills by printing countless images that have become the core of Trager’s talent in the photography world throughout a lifetime of working. Steve said he enjoys all types of music genres that including rock, metal, country, alternative, blues and classic rock. But he said that he has found that in order to be a diverse person, one needs to explore different avenues, such as going beyond the “norm,” as they say.

Trager’s fascination with the music end of it all became a reality in the late '80s, when he got his first lucky break in photographing some local bands in the area. At that time, it wasn’t an overnight sensation as one would think. “It’s all about building a reputation with bands and building some sort of name for yourself, much like climbing the corporate ladder in music,” Trager said. For about two years, he found himself building a nice portfolio along with capturing some national acts on a regular basis and built a foundation among famous bands. During the '80s, Trager found himself with a few other lucky breaks as a concert photographer and the pride of glory of getting photos published on a monthly basis.
“I loved the ideal of seeing my own work in print at that time. It is also even greater to collect a lot of tear sheets, which help you along the way as a published individual.” Trager said each show is like an adventure, in that you get the full range of the experience “so close that you can hear the music echo inside your head.”

Dating as far back as 1987, Trager earned himself countless published pieces in major rock magazines and local papers “You never forget where you started from or how you ended up, you just know how hard you worked to get to that point,” he said. He also has a passion for collecting autographs in the music world. “I have collected some amazing signatures over 20 years' in time. It’s much like a time travel if you look back. Some of these bands have fallen apart, others have died in overdoses in the abuse of drugs, and others just have given up the passion for the music in such a short period of time.”

Trager recalled having some of his photographs personally signed by some of his peers in rock. Those are “priceless,” especially Darrell Abbott, better known as Dimebag of Pantera, who was gunned down during a performance. “I have had the ultimate pleasure of meeting some of the finest individuals in the world as a concert photographer. I have been fortunate enough to cover well-known artists like The Rolling Stones and The Who at the legendary venue Veteran’s Stadium,” he said.

He said it’s not about how much you shoot with the high-end technology of digital anymore; it’s all about coming back with images that capture the essence of each individual artist. “I have earned well-known published credits with numerous Web sites that have given my work more exposure in such a unique way with photo galleries on several Websites. You might think it’s quite easy to pick up a camera and go shoot a concert, and in theory it is, but it is all about how you do it and how well you have crafted your shooting skills under the best to the worst conditions,” Trager said. He also has traveled with a few bands, including Single Bullet Theory and Shadow Dance.

Trager said he also enjoys other types of photography like portraiture and scenic avenues. However; he said he enjoys shooting concerts more than anything else. “In order to get good at something, you need to practice endlessly. Without that, nothing works at its finest degree.” he said. And he isn’t just a guy with a camera, he has also earned some public recognition for his concert reviews over the years. “I think my biggest published achievement had to be with a concert biography book with My Chemical Romance,” he said. “It’s all about getting a serious lucky break. You just have to work for it; nothing comes easy.”

Every picture tells a different story about someone. Great smiles, nice compositions and supreme lighting make up all the good effects of a great image that best represents you as individual, no matter who you are on or off stage.