Year In Photos 2014

author PP date 27/12/14

Our string of articles detailing the highlight moments of 2014 continues with an edition that focuses on the amazing work delivered by the group of photographers offering their time and services for Rockfreaks.net at numerous concerts and festivals throughout the year. It's no secret that our photographers are among the very best nationally when it comes to shooting concerts and festivals alike, frequently capturing the same events in a much more accurate and spectacular manner than their paid colleagues in print magazines like Gaffa and Soundvenue.

So we thought to ourselves: should we not dedicate a main page article to a celebration of their talent by asking each of them to supply their three favorite pictures from the year gone by, alongside a story of why this particular photo is better or more important than the remaining photos shot by them?

Without further ado, I present you, the best photographs by Rockfreaks.net photographers shot during 2014.

Peter Troest

1. Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones), Roskilde Festival

Troest: Festivals... An amazing time for music photogs. No time for fun and eating and drinking (perhaps a bit), because we mostly run around like headless chickens from gig to gig for days. This shot is a bit special to me. The photographers stood in line for 4-5 hours backstage to be among the 25 allowed in, and then we weren't allowed to shoot from the stage like usual, but from a security pit 25-35 meters away. It was a great sight - 25 photogs stood on the small steps on the fence to be able to shoot above the crowd, balancing with insanely long lenses, but when The Stones went on, and the long wait was forgotten. We shot like maniacs, and I manage to get a shot of Mick Jagger, singing and smiling that to me was the essence of the concert - 4 hours of waiting for 5 minutes of shooting but it was worth it.

2. Rise Against, Amager Bio

Troest: RA are known for their high energy shows, and me and another photographer was talking about watching the guitar player, since he's a jumper. I love the jump shots, because they are difficult to catch. The good jump has to be high - it has to be in the first three songs; you have to point your camera at the right person at the right time (duh); the light guy have to give you good light... and of course you either focus on the wall behind the jumper or misjudge shutter speed, so the shot turns out shit. But this time: success. Both me and my colleague got shit shots of Zach Blair, but suddenly singer Tim McIlrath took off - I was lucky to be in the right spot, lucky to have my fish eye on the camera with decent settings and lucky that the light guy chose white light at that exact second.

3. The Psyke Project - final show at Pumpehuset

Troest: Love the music to death, and it was my concert of the year. Simply insane - no barriers, no photo rules except "it's your own responsibility" and then 800 hardcore fans with a hardcore band playing on the floor of the venue instead of on the stage. I got so many great shots and bruises from that night and still wonder how I and the camera survived.

See more of Troest's photography at: troest.nu

Philip Hansen

1. Nothing, Loppen

Philip: Capturing images at Loppen is always a challenge. This night, this band, resulted in this image being created. I love it.

2. Carnival Kids, Lille Vega

Philip: A lot of great music comes by Lille Vega. I was lucky enough to document many of these concerts, this one with Taking Back Sunday and Carnival Kids in November.

3. Meshuggah, Amager Bio

Philip: The Lighting at Amager Bio is capable of doing amazing things, though metal bands often try wrangle lights down, making it for difficult working conditions for the photographers. In spite of this, this image shows some of the furiosity of Meshuggah's performance.

See more of Philip's photography at: philipbh.com

Lykke Nielsen

1. Iron Maiden, Copenhell

Lykke: Only a few of us were allowed to shoot Iron Maiden at Copenhell and I was one of the lucky ones. Before they went on I was told by a fellow photographer that I had passed the exam if I got Bruce jumping. I passed!

2. New Found Glory, Groezrock

Lykke: 2014 was the year I finally got to watch NFG and I truly felt a fangirl moment. Ian was so nice to strike a pose for me and I love the colors in the photo. It also shows his personality well.

3. Blink 182, Hamburg

Lykke: This might not be the best picture but I love it. 2014 was also the year that I finally got to watch Blink 182, the weather had been horrible, rainy and cold but the moment I stood in front of the stage at the end of the day and had Tom look at me and make a face, it was all worth it.

See more of Lykke's photography at: Flickr

Lauren Harris

1. Thy Art Is Murder, London

Lauren: This shot is of Thy Art Is Murder supporting Suicide Silence at the Koko. This show was the first official Rockfreaks.net review from the UK in over 9 months so it felt great to be back shooting shows. I felt like I got some really strong images of all the bands from this gig, so much that suicide silence asked to use some of them to promote the rest of their European tour!

2. Kvelertak, Desertfest

Lauren: This shot was taken from Kvelertaks' performance from this year's Desertfest in London​. It was my first time attending this festival, which I really enjoyed and I feel this shot captures the intensity of their performance.

3. Touché Amoré, FEST 13

Lauren: The story goes that it was Halloween at FEST (my first fest ever in fact) and I had got myself all made up with skull face paints due to the stigma of being in the states during Halloween yet I was the only one really that had bothered dressing up or so it felt! Whilst waiting for the band to start I was tapped on the shoulder and told 'you look like someone who knows their way with make up'. Turns out it was the lead singer of Touché Amoré Jeremy Bolm. He asked me to do the whole band in the same style. 5 minutes and 1 expensive gel eyeliner later this was the result! Truly a weird moment, but a personal highlight of the year!

See more of Lauren's photography at: facebook.com/laurenharrisphoto

Stefan Straten

1. Fu Manchu, Copenhagen

Stefan: This photo shows the extreme everlasting energy of the old pioneers of stoner rock; they still deliver and they have only gotten better on stage the last few years!

2. Pentagram, Copenhagen

Stefan: The photography reflects the great madness which the audience witnessed in Vega at this spectacular and at the same time fantastic performance.

3. The Raveonettes, Copenhagen

This photo is from the very last concert I went to this year, and I felt quite lucky to get some decent shots in an inferno of stethoscope lights on stage. It was a great act and a great way to end an awesome concert year - and my first year at Rockfreaks.net

See more of Stefan's photography at: thorstraten.eu/photos

Nikola Majkic

1. Esoteric, Copenhagen

Nikola: The red background and the shape of his right hand, makes the pic almost surreal. A bit of a "frankenstein-monster"-feeling. Especially when the soundtrack for the moment was the music of "Esoteric".

2. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Forum

Nikola: The picture has more of a sentimental value, than technical. Rick Rosa was a living legend, who worked on soooo many great records. The sadness in the picture hits me the most. The man was only 65 years old at the moment of the gig. But he still manages to look a lot older. He passed 4 months after the picture was taken... but already here, he has the look of someone, who has surrendered.

3. The Smith Street Band, Copenhagen

Nikola: An intense picture of a very hard-working man. A living proof of a musician that works hard for his passion.

See more of Nikola's photography at: facebook.com/thenoiseofliving

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