Music Photography Blog

by Adam Elmakias

Backstage Portraits With Asking Alexandria, While She Sleeps, Motionless In White, & Betraying The Martyrs

Portraits are my favorite. I remember telling someone after this shoot that if these were the only images I got on this tour, I would be okay with that and go home a happy man. I had never really photographed about half of the people in these photographs, so it was exciting to get portraits of them! These are all shot pretty quick, maybe 30 seconds- 3 minute shoots backstage. These shoots are very “go with the flow” kinda shots, someone was getting tattooed in the room next door, we were surrounded by three dressing rooms, James was warming up on his drums, people were showering, this was a busy area! Thanks much to the bands/ crew for putting up with me AND letting me take their photograph, so sick!


At the start of this shoot I did a few different setups and became pretty frustrated. I think this was try three of having Sam (first guy I shot/ tested light on) go back into the dressing room while I adjusted light, and then return so I could shoot him again. I eventually settled on this set up.

580ex shot at the ceiling, LED panel on camera for fill and catchlight. It worked great and gave me a nice soft light that can sometimes be hard to get in smaller shooting areas. Backstage walls are white maybe 5% of the time? It was quite cool to have such a clean backdrop and not one with band/crew graffiti from every tour that passed through, often consisting of phallic objects and words you can’t say in school.

Everything is shot on a Canon 35mm f/1.4L pretty wide open.

Sam Bettley of Asking Alexandria
Sam Bettley of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
Cameron Liddell of Asking Alexandria
Cameron Liddell of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
Cameron Liddell of Asking Alexandria
Cameron Liddell of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
Jesse Henke, Lighting Designer for Asking Alexandria
Jesse Henke, Lighting Designer for Asking Alexandria
Matt Welsh of While She Sleeps
Matt Welsh of While She Sleeps
Matt Welsh of While She Sleeps
Matt Welsh of While She Sleeps
Lawrence Taylor of While She Sleeps
Lawrence Taylor of While She Sleeps
Lawrence Taylor of While She Sleeps
Lawrence Taylor of While She Sleeps
Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria
Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria
Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
Tom Begley, Tour Manager for While She Sleeps
Tom Begley, Tour Manager for While She Sleeps
Ben Bruce of Asking Alexandria
Ben Bruce of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
Tyler Mahurin, Drum Tech for Asking Alexandria
Tyler Mahurin, Drum Tech for Asking Alexandria
Aaron Matts of Betraying The Martyrs
Aaron Matts of Betraying The Martyrs
Aaron Matts of Betraying The Martyrs
Aaron Matts of Betraying The Martyrs
Aaron Matts of Betraying The Martyrs
Aaron Matts of Betraying The Martyrs
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Joshua Balz of Motionless In White
Little Tyler, I don't know what he does or doesn't do
Little Tyler, I don’t know what he does or doesn’t do
Kyle Borman, FOH and Tour Manager for Asking Alexandria
Kyle Borman, FOH and Tour Manager for Asking Alexandria
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria
James Cassells of Asking Alexandria – Purchase Limited Edition Print
Ricky Olson of Motionless In White
Ricky Olson of Motionless In White
Ricky Olson of Motionless In White
Ricky Olson of Motionless In White
Ricky of Motionless In White
Ricky of Motionless In White
Aaran McKenzie of While She Sleeps
Aaran McKenzie of While She Sleeps
Alan Fraser, Guitar Tech for While She Sleeps
Alan Fraser, Guitar Tech for While She Sleeps
Adam Savage of While She Sleeps
Adam Savage of While She Sleeps
Sean Long of While She Sleeps
Sean Long of While She Sleeps
Josh Korel, Tour Manager for Motionless In White
Josh Korel, Tour Manager for Motionless In White
Elliot Taylor, Merch For While She Sleeps
Elliot Taylor, Merch For While She Sleeps
Elliot Taylor, Merch For While She Sleeps
Elliot Taylor, Merch For While She Sleeps
Elliot Taylor, Merch For While She Sleeps
Elliot Taylor, Merch For While She Sleeps