LEA CAFFREY – PHOTOGRAPHER EXTRAORDINAIRE

Lea Caffrey is someone special. Not only is she a well respected concert photographer but also an amazing woman. Her passion for photography is self evident. What most people don’t see is her heart. The artists she shoots are not just subjects but become part of her extended family. Lea‘s photographs of such luminaries as Jimi Bell, King Kuel, and L.A.’s  Backstage Pass have earned her much respect and admiration

Lea, with significant other and business partner David Zulch, owns Morningstar Reflection. It’s her home base for her art. She handles most of the photo shoots and David handles graphics such as album covers. They work as a perfect team. Speaking of Lea‘s determination Zulch states: “Her photos have generated a happiness ripple that has engulfed musicians, fans, friends and to a very high degree, her and I. Music fans near and far are becoming Morningstar Reflection fans for Lea’s ability to capture aggressive performances and display them in dynamic, gritty, impassioned images“!

Lea has given AMP a personal and comprehensive interview discussing her passion and style.

AMP: What drove you to life in photography?

LEA: Photography has always been an entrancing and mysterious fascination of mine all my life. As a child, the cliché of “a picture speaks a thousand words” resonated with me and still does. I could stare at a picture and create a story in my head. Pictures are no more than light, reflection and the perception of the viewer yet they can create so much emotion and wonder. To hold a camera in your hand is powerful. Without the camera and photographer, the moment is forgotten in time. During my teenage years, I never liked my picture taken, I much preferred being behind the camera. There is this sense of empowerment and trust being a photographer I always felt. Even at a young age, I recognized I may have an eye for photography. I would receive compliments of my photographs and I loved doing it. It’s fascinating watching people and I see pictures in everything. My better half, David Zulch, is an incredible photographer, a real master of the craft. I truly started to flourish when he began teaching me much more in depth understanding, perception and, dare I say, even his philosophy about photography and editing. David’s impact on my continued development and the resurgence of passion in my art, cannot be understated.

Another passion of mine is live music. I want to capture what I hear in my photographs. A local band called King Kuel was my first concert experience as a photographer. I was hooked after that. Their energy, passion and sound all added to the the excitement that I felt behind the camera and I soon realized I was capturing my best work to date. As time went by, Fran Mynahan, the drummer from King Kuel, would be sure to invite me to their gigs. I would use these shows as experience in honing my craft. On such an excursion, Fran took me on a road trip to New York to shoot an event at the Juniper Theatre. They were playing with a band called Beyond Purple. It was at this event that I photographed Jimi Bell (Beyond Purple, House of Lords, Autograph) for the first time. As I started to post the shots from this show on my social media, the guys from King Kuel tagged Jimi Bell in the pictures. Jimi messaged me and told me that he loved my photos of the show. As different bands began to see my work, they started messaging me to tell me about their gigs, hiring me to shoot the shows. Soon after I was contacted by Tru Rock Revival Magazine, as they were interested in doing a piece on Jimi Bell. When Jimi was interviewed for the magazine, he talked about me and how we met, how he thought I had something special when it came to photographing musicians. Now, I do freelance work for Tru Rock Revival Magazine, as well as interviews, promo shoots for bands, CD/album covers and more. So, the answer would be, my passion for music, along with David sharing his passion for photography with me has led me to a life in photography.

AMP: Photographing musicians seem glamourous. What are the upsides (and downsides) of the profession?

LEA: The upside to doing concert photography is getting a front row seat along with a backstage pass to the shows. Being close to the musicians. I get to capture moments that most people don’t get to see. I get to share those moments thru my photos. Plus, I have been blessed to be able to meet some incredibly talented people and I have witnessed some spectacular performances. For me there is no downside to photography. I will never get rich doing it but it has given me a platform to share my passion for music visually with others.

AMP: What advise would you give aspiring music photographers?

LEA: I’ll share a statement that was bestowed on me; “If you are crazy enough to believe in your dreams, chase them…..always”!

AMP: What is your favorite photoshoot?

LEA: All of them are my favorites for different reasons. If I had to narrow it down, It would be Firehouse and Warrant at the MGM Springfield. The show blew my mind. Firehouse is one of my favorite bands and to be able to get that close to them and capture their performance is something I will never forget. Warrant was a bonus! Both bands electrified the crowd and the bands fed off the energy. It was an incredible night. There are a few more that rank right up at the top as far as favorites go. They would be Kivel Records/New England Rock Fest. It was my first experience shooting multiple bands at one time. I loved every second of it. The other would be the album release party for Alice Loves Alien. I was in awe of the show from the first note. It was the first time I ever witnessed a crowd completely mesmerized by a performance. The undeniable talent of Brendan Clark is something to witness. I could go on and on but these three events stick out in my head.

AMP: You probably have some great stories. Are there any good ones you are willing to tell?

LEA: I have two stories I will share. I photographed Slayer at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Ma. There were a few bands that performed before the main event, Phil Anselmo and the Illegals, Ministry and Primus. The vibe was intense. I had never experienced a mosh pit before. The photographers were positioned in front of the mosh pit separated by gates. When Slayer hit the stage, the crowd went absolutely nuts! We were granted access for 3 songs. In the middle of the 3rd song, one of the people in the mosh pit was thrown over the fence and I was kicked in the head. Within seconds, security was there removing the fan from the photo pit. The egg on the back of my head was worth every image I was able to take of that show! My son attended that concert and told me that he loves bragging to his friends that his mom was the lady that got kicked in the head photographing Slayer! The other story is a funny one. I was photographing Locash at MGM Springfield. there were 5 photographers shooting the show and I was the only female. The band started playing the song “Fat Bottom Girls”. I started to laugh as I was shooting the lead singer. You see, I am a “curvy girl” and that that certainly worked for me getting some great shots! I caught the singer’s eye and snapped the shot as he gave me this look and sly grin…. he was singing directly to me! That shot is my favorite from the show.

AMP: The hardest musician(s) to shoot in regards to capturing his/her/their true essence?

LEA: I would consider myself lucky that i can’t recall any artist that was difficult to shoot. Truth be told, I’m always up for the challenge. I’m very confident in my ability to capture a musician’s essence in my photos. Some are easier than others, but I always find it.

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You can view Lea’s work Here! and HERE!

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