I would say "no". All band promo pics look the same these days anyhow... a black & white photo of a bunch of dadbanders dressed in black and wearing RBFs all slouched against a wall.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Band Pics....are they still necessary?
- Thread starter 51PRI
- Start date
Yeah - they've become like real estate photos, just screaming "rock/blues cover band" that plays nothing worth listening to too loud.
From what I have seen and been told, many clubs still want an EPK, and that includes photos.
And I agree that gig shots are better.
And I agree that gig shots are better.
In a roundabout way, old timey band photos and presskits could work. With AI generated bands like Velvet Sundown and Velvet Rebellion out there (I'll admit, Velvet Rebellion fooled me), perhaps genuine article band photos and presskits may be a way to show that you are real humans, real people, with a real thing to offer. Let humanity and human connection be your calling card in a time when such things are lacking. People need it, but don't realize they do. And with people looking for authenticity, why not bring authenticity. It may not be pretty, but it's not fake.
Of course, that's difficult in posed shots where you want to put in the effort to look like a credible band but not look like you're trying too hard. Kinda like recording in the studio. It takes a lot of effort to sound effortless.
Of course, that's difficult in posed shots where you want to put in the effort to look like a credible band but not look like you're trying too hard. Kinda like recording in the studio. It takes a lot of effort to sound effortless.
Last edited:
Ha! You mean like this? That's me on the left. My brother, the drummer, is in the center. This was 1981-ish.
Yes they are. Photos show that you are serious enough to get together to take them, and that the lineup is stable. And they can look great if you do them right.
YES!!! It not only shows prospective clients and show-goers that you are professionals, but that you take yourselves seriously and will give a classy performance.
despite the bass player's excitement 
, these three cats worked steady for a number of years, using this posed pic:
but these days i like using pics of individuals --- solo shots --- for a more dignified look:
, these three cats worked steady for a number of years, using this posed pic:but these days i like using pics of individuals --- solo shots --- for a more dignified look:
It doesn't make sense. Don't underestimate the HUGE number of people who incessantly watch Reels and TikTok. Producers and venue owners are also interested in seeing what bands can show beyond just posing for a photo.
Stickers with your QR code directing to a linktree are the best cards.
As part of a press kit, yes, photos are needed. Venues will use them for advertising and what remains of print media will use them too.
Nowadays an EPK should include high quality videos as well….no phone clips.
My brother is a booking agent and he will not work with anyone who lacks a quality EPK.
Video carries more weight for booking these days. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s band pictures were all you needed. Our booking agent in 1970 would persuade us to buy matching outfits and have professional photographs taken saying he could get us into classier/higher paying rooms. Back then we were young and reasonably good looking and having good photos along with the booking agent's reputation got you work. The club would get a copy of the photo to put up and maybe post in a local paper We typically played a room 6 nights a week for 4 weeks. Often we traveled to a city some distance from home. The good thing about doing these longer term gigs was the opportunity to make friends and build a following in a particular region. For me this lasted into the early 90s when things changed to one nighters.
My longest lasting ( and last) group had a decent professionally done photo where we all looked like we were a serious band... interestingly we were "a mature" band... however they did make me turn my black tshirt in side out. It read... you read my tshirt... that's enough social interaction for today..... I looked tolerable in my buffalo skin leather biker jacket..... However.....
Our live pics probably would probably have drawn attention to sandals, black socks, and cargo shorts. (not mine)
Professional photograhers that know how to take a band pic are worth their weight in gold.
Depends...photos like that can be helpful for gig flyers or ads, but alot of bands will opt for some other type of imagery like art. Another option is to have a photographer take high quality photos at a gig and use those. But yeah you don't really need to do a staged "photo shoot" in 2025.
This might be different depending on where you are in the world, but I feel like for most paying gigs I've played in the last 10-15 years, the promoter or the band putting together the show handling promo typically requests a band photo for social media posts and sometimes for posters.
I agree that it's goofy as heck when it's super generic with a bunch of guys who take themselves way too seriously, standing trying to look tough or scary, like their favorite hard rock heroes of bygone eras... But if you pick a creative angle and some kind of eyecatching backdrop and present the band in a way that looks/feels genuine and communicates something about the general mood/vibe of your music, it can be a simple, cheap, effective way to grab a few people's attention while they're scrolling through posts on their social media feed.
I'd assume most people have a few local venues that consistently bring in music that appeals to their taste - when I was still on social media and would follow certain venues, I'd sometimes be looking for some live music to catch on the weekend. If one of my favorite venues had a post promoting a new-to-me original band with a creative well-done photo, I'd probably be more likely to look them up than if it was just their name written out in text. It can show creativity, pride and thoughtful effort put into their project, that may well transfer to their song writing. Has nothing to do with how handsome or ugly or fit or pudgy the band members are, unless of course stage presence is actually an integral part of your performance.
I agree that it's goofy as heck when it's super generic with a bunch of guys who take themselves way too seriously, standing trying to look tough or scary, like their favorite hard rock heroes of bygone eras... But if you pick a creative angle and some kind of eyecatching backdrop and present the band in a way that looks/feels genuine and communicates something about the general mood/vibe of your music, it can be a simple, cheap, effective way to grab a few people's attention while they're scrolling through posts on their social media feed.
I'd assume most people have a few local venues that consistently bring in music that appeals to their taste - when I was still on social media and would follow certain venues, I'd sometimes be looking for some live music to catch on the weekend. If one of my favorite venues had a post promoting a new-to-me original band with a creative well-done photo, I'd probably be more likely to look them up than if it was just their name written out in text. It can show creativity, pride and thoughtful effort put into their project, that may well transfer to their song writing. Has nothing to do with how handsome or ugly or fit or pudgy the band members are, unless of course stage presence is actually an integral part of your performance.
Last edited:
"...a bad pic could turn me off if you all look like a group of hoodlums holding instruments." These are the bands I like to go see. I'll pass on the dad band that looks like they're on their way home from a softball game thank you very much.
That's what we put on our social media. A mix of staged shots and live shots and promo posters.
