Photographer: Emily Quirk

Anyone else feeling intense clarity after that full supermoon on Monday? It’s been a while since I’ve shown up for myself on here, and I’ve been wanting to get back to making the blog a more consistent component of my life, so here’s a little reintroduction and some updates on life. 🌕

In a recent eye-opening chatgpt roast, with some tough love, it said my Instagram feed shows a strong visual narrative and can tell bold, eclectic stories, but I’m a bit inconsistent — and you know what, it’s not wrong! This *year* has been inconsistent for me — I’ve had job changes, I’ve traveled (quite a bit and more to come), and I continue exploring new avenues of photography.

For the past couple years, I was in a position where I couldn’t showcase my daily work, and my page became super personal — a lot of me, the boy, and @hernameiscowboy on our road trips. 

Now, I’m back to shooting what I find beautiful, thrilling, and captivating and deciding how to showcase it all. I shoot film and I shoot digital, and I love them equally. I’m no longer documenting a gritty rock scene like I once was — I’ll certainly document a show, but I’m looking to shift my focus to portraits, lifestyle, travel, documentary. I will always cover music and festivals. 

I’ve also been continuing to deep dive on my practice and exploration of architectural photography, and I’m kind of obsessed. I get giddy every time I have the opportunity to shoot it — I’m excited to start sharing more of that with you.

I’m also excited to get back to wedding photography—maybe you didn’t even know I do this! I’ve photographed a handful over the years and I’d love to be there to document yours. It always felt a bit off to juxtapose an intimate wedding with a rockstar jumping off the rafters, but I get to make my own rules and my range spreads far and wide because life is expansive, and honestly, shooting a wedding sometimes feels exactly like shooting a music festival.

I’m eager to explore everything that fascinates me. I’m here to capture the big moments, I’m here to photograph and document people, and I’m here to experience life LOUD.

While the subjects of my work may feel “inconsistent,” I am consistent in that I’ve had a camera in my hands for over 15 years. That’s something worth showing. So here I am, consistently myself 📸

and yes, you bet I’m still going to throw in moments of sipping wine on a camping trip, somewhere on a beach in our camper van with the dogs, too.✌🏻

📸 : Photos by my dear Katie Lee Sullivan, near the beachfront of Lake Michigan

Shred Thee Well, Diarrhea Planet

Shred Thee Well, Diarrhea Planet

Photos by me, words by Ryan Leas for Stereogum
and for the sake of DIY and rock n’ roll
and for Infinity Cat, the boys, and the city of Nashville

♥ you have my heart ♥

“LONG LIVE DIARRHEA PLANET,
AND LONG LIVE EVERYONE I KNOW”

THE FINAL 3 NIGHTS

Tame Impala ~ Nashville

Tame Impala swimming in daydreams in Nashville, Tennessee, diving into an unforgettable Thursday night performance.

“You guys look beautiful, the city looks beautiful, you smell beautiful.”

Photos by yours truly up on the Nashville Scene and in the May 9th weekly print issue.

Five Years of #SXSHESHREDS

“Those who have ever been to a She Shreds show before know the drill: community first, everyone is welcome, and no one is “good for a girl”, they’re just good. Fans and musicians come to our shows to be surrounded by people they love and look up to in an environment that in other contexts might be controlled by corporations. This necessity to be surrounded by an alternative yet necessary perspective on the music industry, one that celebrates diversity and identity is what fosters the spaces that She Shreds creates—no one can stop us from honoring that.”

— Fabi Reyna, Editor in Chief, She Shreds

I'm honored I was able to be a part of the She Shreds SXSW experience this year. I was involved with the one two years ago, as well, but this one was especially... special. Originally, the day was supposed to be at a space called Kinda Tropical - an old gas station convenience store turned cafe and small local market with cool teas, local beers, iced coffee on tap, and breakfast tacos. Everything was beautiful - the aesthetic could not have been more ideal and She Shreds had swagged up the place with decor, merch, cacti, banners, prayer flags, gender neutral bathrooms, and a breezy little stage on the back patio. The sun was beaming, and Shamir took the stage as I sipped the first few sips of my extra strong, bone chilling iced coffee as I began to shoot photos for the day.

And then... barely 30 minutes into the set, cops appeared and began roaming around the scene, eventually shutting us down due to a double whammy of overcapacity and unknown lack of a permit from our venue. Everyone lingered around like "Whaaat" for about the length of time that it took to make some phone calls, secure a new location, pack up all the merch, the gear, and relocate EVERYONE - the whole dang crew of show-goers and show-players. The Sahara Lounge saved the day in under 45 minutes. The show must go on!

Everyone packed into the teeny tiny super cozy bar that smells of old (and new) Lonestar beer. Like 500 bodies. A whole community. We were still all in this together, no one was letting anyone give up. The bands played on, and the day evolved into it's own beautiful success story. I was there to document the whole dang thing and I'm happy to share my photos of #SXSHESHREDS with y'all. 

FULL STORY AND ALL PHOTOS HERE!

Thanks for reading, see you out there next year!

xo, Emily

French Vanilla

French Vanilla

Speedy Ortiz

And to close this out, here's me, fresh faced and super stoked to shoot the full day ahead!

"The Eternal Character of Emily Quirk's Music Photography"

I'm TRULY HONORED to have been interviewed by Amadeus Magazine in October. They interviewed me about my life as a photographer, paired with kinder words from Alex than I was ever prepared to handle. I hope my word vomit responses are anywhere near as inspiring as my photos maybe can be. 

Please read the full piece HERE!

Thank you, from my whole heart. ❤️

Throwin' It Back: Twin Peaks + Together Pangea in Nashville

DECEMBER 14 2016

Whether or not this was a chilly December evening, I'll never fully remember, as I quickly basked in the warmth of the chaos of the family-style-reunion that blossomed as Together Pangea (LA) and Twin Peaks (Chicago) rolled into Nashville's Exit-In that afternoon. Bands, photographers, and friends alike, all together in one place - including members of White Reaper, NE-HI, Cage the Elephant, Daddy Issues, and Chrome Pony, and photographers CJ Harvey, Kelsey Reckling, Jesse Fox, (and myself!), all present, documenting throughout the night. One truly never to be forgotten. 

Together Pangea

Clay backstage

Clay (Twin Peaks), Danny (Together Pangea), Tony (White Reaper)

Cadien, Twin Peaks

Connor, Twin Peaks, backstage with a drone

After Party at Soft Junk Records, ft. Jesse Fox, CJ Harvey, Aly Webb, Jack Dolan, Danny Bengston, Jenna Mitchell, Jenna Moynihan

The Black Angels and A Place To Bury Strangers

On April 26, A Place To Bury Strangers and The Black Angels kicked off the Death March Tour together in Nashville at The Basement East, surrounding the release of The Black Angels' new album Death Song. It was a night of psychedelia with explosive, swooning, and haunting guitars, plus a three hour light show of lasers, projections, and strobes, both beautiful and at times seizure-inducing. I'm still seeing the rainbows of color bouncing through the thickest walls of fog.

My photos from the show are in the current issue of Original Fuzz magazine 👁 here ! 👁 

Christian Bland, The Black Angels

Big Freedia for Urban Outfitters

Back in May I had the honor of shooting Big Freedia, THE Queen Diva, in New Orleans for #UOPride month and the "About A Band" series for Urban Outfitters! Full story, interview, and photos below! 

If you know nothing about the New Orleans bounce scene, educate yourself! It's one of the most inspiring, freeing, and positive worlds of music existing today! EXPRESS YOURSELF!

YOU ALREADY KNOW!

READ IT, SEE IT HERE!

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