A DECADE OF ROCK & ROLL — BILL WHITMIRE

I’ve been a musician for most of my life so when I bought my first camera I naturally dove into the world of music and concert photography. Barely even understanding my camera’s settings at the time, I began to photograph local bands in smaller venues around Chicago that my band also played at.

After a few years of serious hustling I was shooting top acts for top publications, working all of the great music festivals in Chicago (Lollapalooza, Riot Fest, Pitchfork) and spent many years as house photographer and photo editor at the legendary JBTV music television station, the longest-running music television station in the US.

Now days these images don’t have much of a place in my commercial portfolio but I wanted them to live somewhere to keep them alive and share this decade that was so special to me. Below is a small collection of my favorite images and memories from that time.

Chino Moreno / Deftones @ Riot Fest Chicago

Sergio Vega / Deftones @ Riot Fest Chicago

Joe Daniels / Local H @ The Metro Chicago

Mark Pontius / Foster the People @ Lollapalooza

Yolandi Visser / Die Antwoord @ Lollapalooza

Stephen Carpenter / Deftones @ Riot Fest Chicago

Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda / Linkin Park

Trent Reznor / Nine Inch Nails @ Lollapalooza