Today we’d like to introduce you to Elaine Tantra.
Hi Elaine, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started doing music photography and videography in my last year of high school as a hobby. I would bring my camera into small concert venues and shoot short visualizers for a couple of friends. It wasn’t until I was 18 that I realized that shooting concerts and creating music videos was something I could professionally pursue as my career. I grew my portfolio as a concert photographer by joining music publications and shooting shows for them; and through attending film school, I was able to connect with other filmmakers to create music videos for local artists. Now, I am fortunate enough to work with a lot of musicians in LA to shoot their album covers, music videos and other types of content, and even go on tour as a concert photographer and videographer.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not. I think one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced along the way is navigating the industry as an international student. Since I have limited time to work in the US after graduating college, I have had to grow my portfolio and my career very quickly. However, there have been many offers I have had to turn down in the past due to restrictions on accepting freelance work as an international student. So it has been really tough trying to make the right decisions and accept the right offers with a time restriction.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I mostly do photos and videos for anything music related. I shoot album art covers, concert photos, social media content, and press photos. I also direct, shoot, and color music videos and concert videos. I think what sets me apart from others is my visual style. Many people have said that I have a very distinct glowy, colorful, and bold style in my photos and videos. However, I have also been able to cater my work to a lot of different types of artists because at the end of the day, as a music visualizer, my goal is to visualize the story and mood each artist is trying to communicate through their music.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I think something surprising most people who know me might not know about me is that I was born and raised in Indonesia. I only came to the US around four years ago in 2019 to attend film school in Boston, just graduated at the end of 2022, and moved to LA in the summer of 2022.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elainetantra.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elainetantra/
