How Kate Cummings Got Her Start in Concert Photography | Fangirl Forward #6
Before even turning twenty, Kate Cummings had already toured with artists like Hozier and AJR. She shares what learning on the job looks like and how early opportunities come together in live music.
Welcome to Fangirl Forward, a biweekly look at the people and ideas reshaping fandom, media and entertainment. Each edition bridges the worlds of fans and industry, exploring how community and creativity can shape what’s next.
In today’s edition, we’re spotlighting a highly visible creative role in live music: concert photography. For many fans who love live music, photography is one of the first creative roles that sparks curiosity — but the path from shooting shows as a hobby to working tours isn’t always obvious.
Kate Cummings began photographing shows as a teenager, building experience through local publications before landing opportunities to tour with artists like AJR and Hozier. Her experience shows how early hands-on work and being ready when opportunities arise can lead to real momentum in live music.
Below, she shares how she got started, what tour life has taught her, and one practical step for anyone hoping to break into concert photography.
How did your journey in photography begin, and what drew you specifically to live music? What was the first moment you realized, “This could actually be a career for me”?
I’ve had a camera forever, but I started taking it seriously in high school — mostly shooting friends and school sports. Then, I got into concerts through a local publication, built a portfolio, and eventually shot for AJR. That tour pretty much made me fall in love with tour photography and video work.
You recently photographed Hozier’s tour. How did that opportunity come together, and what did you take away from the experience?
I got connected with Hozier’s team through a friend, and after a quick meeting with management, I was on a plane the next day. The tour ended up being more than I could’ve ever imagined — I got to travel to new places, meet amazing people, and really get immersed in the tour world. The biggest thing I learned was how important it is to take care of yourself when you’re out on the road. With the constant travel and crazy sleep schedules, prioritizing your mental health and basic routines becomes everything!
A lot of your work captures emotion, in addition to just the performance. How do you approach translating the feeling of live music into images?
I love love love capturing emotion. It’s definitely one of the first things I look for whenever I shoot a show. Before a show, I like to listen to the setlist and really figure out a vibe/color scheme for each song so that when the show starts I already have somewhat of a game plan. Post-show, whenever I go into editing I really try to reinstate the color scheme, framing, and story that I had made up in my head.
For other young creatives hoping to break into concert or tour photography, what’s one realistic first step they could take?
For anyone just starting their concert photography journey I’d say to prioritize making connections. Networking is so key in this industry.
✨ Wanna read more check out the full interview with Kate here, and see more of her work here.
Why did the ‘Stranger Things’ finale hit us so hard?
It’s a few hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve, and I’m packed into an AMC screening room in Chicago for the last big event of the year: the Stranger Things finale. Armed with nearly $20 worth of concessions, I settle into my seat with excitement as the lights begin to dim.
Two hours later, I’m a bawling mess.
Read the full Forward Focus piece: In this guest essay, Hannah Carapellotti reflects on the emotional aftermath of the Stranger Things finale, and the unique grief that comes with saying goodbye to fictional worlds.
The dialogue between fans and the industry keeps entertainment alive. Here’s a look at what fans are saying, what the industry is doing and why both matter.
Fan Talk
What fans are saying, questioning, and celebrating across pop culture – and what the industry should be paying attention to.
Harry Styles’ long-awaited comeback is stirring up a lot of fan discussion, particularly around his newly announced 2026 Together, Together tour. Instead of a traditional run, Styles revealed a global residency model, including 30 nights at Madison Square Garden as his only U.S. dates.
Before the onsale, fans debated what a residency might mean for access and pricing. As presales opened, many fans found tickets priced in the $700–$1,000 range, reigniting frustration around the affordability of live music and who gets to participate in major pop moments. Even as shows sold, timelines filled with fans weighing whether to buy out of FOMO or opt out altogether.
I did a deep dive into the Together, Together onsale through a fan-first lens, unpacking how extreme prices become normalized, how fandom enforces those norms internally, and why this moment felt especially personal for an artist whose career has been built on language of belonging. Read here.
Industry Moves
From awards to new releases and announcements, these are the entertainment world’s biggest updates fans should know about.
Nominations for the 98th annual Academy Awards have been revealed. This year is shaping up to be an interesting ceremony. Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller Sinners set a new record, receiving 16 nominations — the most ever received by a single film. Timothée Chalamet is generating continued buzz for his performance in Marty Supreme, while Wicked: For Good was completely shut out just one year after the first film earned 10 nominations. Want a quick breakdown of how Oscar nominations actually work? Read this FANFAQ.
Fans could soon have a financial stake in new music. Musicow has launched FANDOM, a new initiative distributed by Roc Nation that lets fans share in the royalties of select song releases — starting with a new Jon Bellion and Swae Lee single dropping this week. It’s an early and ambitious experiment to create “the world’s first fan-owned album,” in what could change what “supporting an artist” looks like when fandom moves beyond consumption and into ownership.
Universal Music Group just launched a new livestream hub on Twitch. Universal Music Live is designed to bring fans closer to performances, events, and artist moments in real time.
Don’t forget to tune into the Grammys this weekend. Although, if you’re a music fan, I’m sure it's already on your calendar. The show airs Sunday Feb. 1, 2026, live on CBS and Paramount+.
Forward Motion
Keep your pop culture career momentum moving forward with jobs, opportunities, events, and practical tips.
Calling all fan journalists: If you’re currently enrolled in college, Rolling Stone is opening its doors to student writers through its College Journalism Awards. The winner will receive $1,000 and have their work published on Rolling Stone’s website this summer. Apply here.
Universal Music Group has opened applications for its 2026 Summer Internship Program, with roles across labels, live events, merch, tech, and creative teams — ideal for fans who’ve always been curious how the music industry actually works. Apply here.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is accepting undergraduate and legal interns for upcoming semesters, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how copyright, policy, and artist protections shape the music industry fans care so deeply about. Apply here.
More from Fangirl Forward
Recently published or currently relevant stories from our site.
FANFAQ: Dynamic Pricing vs. Platinum Tickets. What’s the Difference? — Breaking down the pricing terms that keep confusing fans at major concert onsales. Read here.
Why did the ‘Stranger Things’ finale hit us so hard? — Guest contributor Hannah Carapellotti reflects on the emotional aftermath of the Stranger Things finale, and the unique grief that comes with saying goodbye to fictional worlds. Read here.
When Togetherness Becomes a Luxury: Harry Styles and the Cost of Belonging — As Harry Styles returns with a message of connection, fans are grappling with rising prices, limited access, and what togetherness really means when participation comes at a high cost. Read here.
FANFAQ: What Does It Take for Broadway to Cancel Performances? — The city says stay home. Broadway says the show goes on. Read here.
FANFAQ: 2026 Grammy Nominations, Explained — With the 68th Annual Grammy Awards taking place this Sunday, get your refresher on how the nominated stars made it on the ballot. Read here.
Danielle Gould on Building Industry Interns and Demystifying Entertainment Internships — From NEON to NBCUniversal, Danielle Gould turned her own internship journey into a practical resource for students and early-career creatives trying to break into entertainment. Read here.
FANFAQ: How Does Oscars Voting Actually Work? — Nominations for the Academy Awards are officially out, and this year’s list is already sparking lots of conversation. Here’s what to know. Read here.
Thanks for reading Fangirl Forward, your inside look at the cultural currents connecting fans and the entertainment industry. New editions publish every other Wednesday.
Fangirl Forward pushes fandom forward by connecting fan skills to career pathways, centering fan perspectives in industry conversations, and building more informed, intentional fan communities.
Our ecosystem goes beyond just this newsletter. We also publish essays, interviews and explainers that dig deeper into how fans shape pop culture, navigate the systems behind it, and build influence across three core verticals:
From the Crowd – first-person fan perspectives
Forward Focus – cultural analysis and expert interviews
FANFAQ – a Q&A series demystifying the entertainment industry through fan curiosity
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