Meet Andy Riggs | Concert Photographer/Videographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andy Riggs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andy, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
The single most important decision I’ve made that contributed to my success has to have been dropping out of college to tour the United States and United Kingdom with Holdfast. and Red Rum Club. The decision was terrifying considering I had multiple teachers strongly going against it. I remember one of my professors telling me, “If you drop out now, you will never come back to school and never have a successful career”.
Looking back it was the best choice of my career. Because of those two tours, I made so many connections and learned so much from amazing photographers like Jordan Daniel Logan (Only The Poets’ media manager) and Sam Crowston (Red Rum Club’s photographer). I also could see parts of the world I’d never imagined. It also secured me work with Red Rum Club; most recently joining them as their photographer/videographer for their 2024 US tour.
Now one year away from graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, I can say I proved to myself I can follow my passion while working towards a degree.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe what sets me apart from others is the connections on a friendly level I can make with the bands I work for. I have many friends in the same industry as me who work for absolutely amazing big-name artists, but never get an opportunity to talk to them and are restricted to taking photos for the event and then sending over the work. I pride myself on almost always finding a way to meet with the artist before or after the set and being able to connect with them on a human level. My hope is that it helps me in my editing process (whether in photos or videos) to show that connection to these larger-than-life artists. It also has helped me make connections to artists furthering my work with them to maybe a tour, instead of a one-off show in Colorado.
It was definitely a lot of work to get to where I am today. I am a very reserved person around people I don’t know so it took a lot of practice to get to a place where I could comfortably go up to a band I had never met and essentially make a strong first impression and connection. Once I got a feeling for that stuff though, doors started opening. I would meet one band that would lead to me meeting another until I found the ones that led to amazing opportunities to tour the country and the world.
The main lesson I’ve learned that I think anyone trying to break into the photography industry should know is that anyone can do it. You don’t need the most expensive camera or the best images, you just need to be able to make good connections and communicate with artists on what they want out of your work.
I want the world to know that I could not be more grateful to be where I am. Even though my work isn’t paying the bills yet, it’s an amazing feeling to know I’ve been able to experience so much and begin the steps towards a career all because one day I decided to bring a camera to concerts to try to get free tickets and then that turned into a passion.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Definitely, the first place I would take someone is the Incline or Barr Trail in Manitou Springs. Once a year my friend Adolfo Sanchez and I hike Pikes Peak which isn’t an easy hike, but anyone into hikes should check out. Barr Trail and the Incline also offer other easier hikes, but still beautiful.
The Great Sand Dunes is also an awesome place to check out. Somehow the desert is surrounded by amazing snow-covered mountains that left my friends and I in awe.
Colorado is also an amazing state to go to breweries. Whether it be well-known beers and IPAs like Coors and Voodoo Rangers or smaller brands like Weld Works, the state has great and fun breweries to visit.
The music scene and nightlife is also unreal. Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins have amazing concerts happening throughout the weeks whether it be at Ampatheatres like Red Rocks (also a great place for hiking) or indoor venues like Ogden and Boulder Theatre.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my family; more specifically my sister Molly Riggs. My entire family has been very supportive of my career even when it has led to me making decisions like temporarily dropping out to tour. My sister specifically was the one who got me into the live music scene and even recommended working for bands that have been instrumental in career milestones such as Richy Mitch and The Coal Miners. I’d also like to thank all the bands that gave me a chance when I essentially had no resume or credentials such as Holdfast.

Instagram: @andy_dot_riggs