Casey Steinmiller shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Casey, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think the biggest thing about working in music is that it isn’t all the glamor it seems. Everyone see’s all of the highs online and never any of the behind the scenes. At the end of the day it still is a job and there are some downsides. It’s always late nights and early mornings. I miss a lot of big family and friends life events and being away from home and my fiancé is hard. I don’t always have some of the basic luxuries from home, whether it’s a good shower or even a home cooked meal. We sleep on a bus or in hotels and are constantly on the move which can get quite tiring living out of a suitcase. It definitely isn’t for everyone, but all that being said I’m incredibly grateful for where I am and for my career. It truly is special getting to travel the world and be a part of these shows.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! My name is Casey Steinmiller and Ive been touring with musicians for almost a decade doing photography and managing VIP programs on the road.
I started photographing and traveling with small local musicians in broken down vans out of southeast Kansas around the summer of 2016 right out of college. I slept on floors of friends houses, in my car, and made barely any money. Now I travel photographing large international tours and events, music video sets, and more. My speciality is creating stark, contrasting imagery, with a journalistic look for every project. I really try to capture the essence of being a rockstar and put you in the moment while focusing on the art instead of creating “content”. Some past clients of mine for photography have been Simple Minds, Bayside, Theory of a Deadman, Spiritbox and many more!
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was in College at Pittsburg State University I worked for the Gorilla Activities Board; An on campus booking group that brought entertainment to the campus. As part of my responsibilities I was sent to a national convention to scout talent to bring back to our campus. As a bit of backstory, my dad worked for the same kind of group when he was in college and asked me to say hi to some of his old coworkers. After chatting with one of them he offered to let me use his camera to take photos of the showcases. I fell in love. I knew in that moment what my calling was; working in music and getting to capture an artist in their prime moment. It truly made me see that photography was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
After touring for a few years with some smaller artists, at the age of 23 I had a heart attack. I was a healthy ex collegiate track athlete with a hidden genetic heart condition. Who would have thought? It stopped me dead in my tracks. I had to have surgery and take months off of work which felt like the end of my career. I thought this is it, I’ll never be able to tour again. All the momentum I had built up came to a screeching halt and it felt like a career death sentance for someone still breaking into an intense industry. Luckily I had a very supportive family that helped me get back to good health and back to work. Later that year I was put onto my very first bus tour and my career seemed to take off after that.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
In all honesty it is and it isnt. I have a very public facing job dealing with fans whether taking photos or running meet and greets for an artist. Sometimes I have to be the bad guy and tell people no and while I dont enjoy it; it is part of the job. I tend to keep my personal life relatievly private and put my creative work forward in front of it.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that people remember my art and the journey it took to get there. Anyone can work in any industry no matter where they come from as long as they work hard and have a little talent. A milestone I want to hit which I may never actually see is to give an artist a photo that anytime someone thinks of them its of that photo. Iconic and you instantly know who it is and while not everyone knows the photographer, the legacy still lives on. I hope i get there someday, but even if I dont I still strive to give my clients and their fans memories that they’ll cherish.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.steinmillerproductions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steinmiller_productions/
Image Credits
All photos by Casey Steinmiller
