“ This sure beats having a real job, professional photographer David Bergman is happy to declare when discussing his career. A successful freelance photographer, Bergman’s versatile career has led him from production to presidents. Today, Bergman is one of the most widely used and well-respected photographers in the field of sports and music, as well as the owner of tourphotographer.com, which showcases high quality photo’s of today’s hottest recording artists live.

StarPolish Associate Editor Kristina Mondo had a chance to speak with Bergman to find out how one fateful day changed his career, discuss his real passion, and find out what he thinks of the paparazzi.

To check out David's work, visit David's website and
and TourPhotographers.com.

 STARPOLISH: You began your career attending the Berklee College of Music, and the University of Miami studying music production, engineering and photography. How did you make the decision as to which path to pursue?

 BERGMAN: There was one fateful day that really set me on my current path. Early in the fall of my sophomore year at the University of Miami, I knew I wanted to get involved in either the campus radio station as a producer/engineer or the school newspaper as a photographer. My first stop was the radio station. While the staff was cool, they didn't seem very organized and I just wasn't inspired.

I then walked down the hall to the newspaper. I didn't know an aperture from a shutter speed, but I asked the photo editor a few questions about working at the paper. He told me how the process worked, gave me a roll of Tri-X 400 black-and-white film, and told me to shoot whatever I wanted on campus during the weekend. He made an appointment for me to come back so he could show me how to process the film.

Needless to say, I never went back to the radio station, but kept my appointment at the paper. After developing my film, the editor must have seen something he liked because he gave me my first assignment on the spot. I spent the whole semester working there and became the assistant photo editor the following semester. The editor graduated and I got the photo editor job the following year, and was elected to be the editor-in-chief of the yearbook after that.

That's how it all started. My freshman year was at the Berklee College of Music, and I spent more time photographing my friends' bands than playing in them. That should have told me something.

STARPOLISH: Have you ever worked with bands as a producer?

No. Maybe it's something I'll do one day, but it's not in my immediate career plans.

STARPOLISH: Your work as a photographer varies from sports photography to working with companies such as CBS and Island/Def Jam producing electronic press kits, music videos, and video blogs. You also own your own tour photography company. Which position is the most challenging, and which is your real passion?

 BERGMAN: I've achieved a lot of recognition as a sports photographer and I love covering sporting events, but I'm most passionate about tour photography and my company, TourPhotographer.com. I love photographing concerts, but there really isn't much of a market for those images. I started TourPhotographer.com to make it easy for bands on the road to offer high-quality photo prints for their fans.

My dream is to expand the company so that I can hire other photographers to go on the road. It's a really fun job and [you] can make good money. I'd love to create a market where I can help photographers actually make a living shooting concerts. That opportunity doesn't really exist now.

My video projects are definitely the most challenging. Because I don't shoot video nearly as often, that skill isn't second nature for me like still photography. I really have to analyze and over-analyze everything I'm doing. Also, video post-production is very time consuming compared to stills. The work is a lot of fun though and it's a skill I hope to keep developing throughout my career.

STARPOLISH: In your work as a photographer, how hard is it to capture the image you want for a live-action shot?

 BERGMAN: It totally depends on the gig. If I'm working for a magazine, newspaper, or photo agency, I usually get to shoot two or three songs from the pit. That's it. In that situation, I try my best to make photos that stand out, but I'm shoulder to shoulder with all the other photographers.

The good news is that I don't do very many jobs like that anymore. More often than not, I work for the artist. That's the ultimate, because I usually have two things you don't get otherwise: access and time. I'm given an all-access pass to shoot from anywhere, and I can photograph the whole show. If I'm on tour and have seen the show a couple of times, I get a feel for the artist's tendencies and can often anticipate what they're going to do before they do it. That allows me to get in place to make the best shot.

STARPOLISH: Two of your favorite subjects to shoot are sports and music--you have said in the past that you try to shoot them both in the same way. Can you elaborate on that?

 BERGMAN: Sports and music events are surprisingly similar to photograph. The action is generally confined to one area (either the playing field or the stage), but you're dealing with fast-moving action and unpredictable lighting. It's all about anticipating what's going to happen, getting in position, and hitting the shutter button at the right time.

STARPOLISH: What characteristics or attributes do you look for in the subjects you shoot?

BERGMAN: I like energy. Even when I'm not shooting an athlete, I often like to have people run, jump, or just play. It really works for me because of my experience shooting people in motion. Also, the shoot is a lot more fun if everyone isn't just sitting still.

STARPOLISH: In your work as a tour photographer, you’re usually in the front row in the middle of the action. How hard is it for you to get the shot you want, and have you ever had a bad reaction to your presence by a concertgoer?

BERGMAN: The only times I have a problem with the fans is at the smaller shows when there is no photo pit in front. If I want to get a shot from the front of the stage, I often have to push my way through the crowd to get there. It's not easy, and when I get to the front I feel bad for the fan who got to the show four hours early and now has my lens in front of their face. I usually tell them that I wont' stay for long. Then I'll just shoot a few songs and move on.

STARPOLISH: What’s one of the favorite shots you've captured on film?

 BERGMAN: I usually like my most recent photos the best. I try to make better images each and every day that I'm shooting, and when I'm successful those become my new favorite images, at least for a day or two.

STARPOLISH: Is there a shot that you’ve taken and published that your subject disagreed with?  And do your subjects have any say on which pictures are published?

BERGMAN: It depends on who the client is. If it's an editorial publication, then the subject has no say. However, I generally don’t want my subjects to look bad, so I'll sometimes give them a look at the photos in the back of the camera. If there's something in particular than I'm uncomfortable with, I'll either ask them or won't submit it.

However, if I'm working for a band, then of course they have the final say. I've found that usually after a few days on a tour, they learn to trust me and don't question what I'm doing.

STARPOLISH:  Do you contact the labels and clients you want to work with, or do they contact you?

BERGMAN: I'm fortunate that I'm at a point in my career when I'm getting more and more calls from potential clients. However, I still do my share of marketing and I push hard when I find a client that I really want to work with.

STARPOLISH:  What’s your take on the paparazzi--their persistence, determination and stalker-like tendencies to get the money shot? Do you think they are abusing their First Amendment rights?

BERGMAN: While I would never do any paparazzi work myself, I don't blame the people who do it. It's in vogue for the public to condemn those photographers, but the bottom line is that if no one bought the publications or watched the stalker TV shows, the profession would disappear. They only do what they do because the public demands it and pays big money for the images.

STARPOLISH: What advice do you have for those individuals who would like to pursue photojournalism or freelance photography as a career?

BERGMAN: The best advice I can give is to take business classes. Now more than ever, business skills will make or break your career. The old days of shaking hands with the photo editor and getting a wad of cash to travel the world with your Leica are over. Now it's all about contracts, rights, and licenses. Being a photographer is no different than running any other business. You have to know what it costs you every time you leave for a shoot and when to turn down jobs.

Technology has lowered the entry barrier for this business because the cameras are so good now. Just about anyone can buy a camera that will properly exposure and focus a frame. That doesn't make it a great photo, of course, but it makes it good enough for some clients. You have to know how to raise yourself above the fray, and usually that happens by running a solid business.