Tell us about yourself and how you first started working with your favourite bands?

My name is Casey Ryan (or Fuckin’ Casey Photos). I’m 38, Vegan, Trans, AuDHD - and I was born with 3 kidneys.

I met Jay Bentley (bassist) after my first ever Bad Religion show on 24th August 2010, in Manchester. I remember being very obviously more excited and enthusiastic than anybody else there, then getting a photo with him, walking away, realising it was blurry, and barging my way back through the crowd of people to get another one that was in focus. I genuinely thought that would be the one and only time I’d ever get a chance to meet him, and honestly, I was more than happy with that. But… Jay promised to follow me on my social media after that show, and good to his word as he always is, he did. The next time I saw Bad Religion, on 12th July 2011, he brought me in for soundcheck, then handed me a photo pass and AAA pass and told me I’d always have that for Bad Religion…as I stood there with my jaw hitting the floor.

Jay is my mentor, my friend, and my biggest supporter, and without him I wouldn’t be Fuckin’ Casey (because he literally coined this). He met me once for about 10 minutes and decided I was worth putting time and effort into, and believe me, he’s put in A LOT of time and effort. Without that, I wouldn’t have had the access or the confidence to take the backstage candid photos that I’ve become known for, and I certainly wouldn’t have been aware of any kind of backstage etiquette. Thanks to him and everything he has done for me, I’ve not only been able to work and tour with Bad Religion, but as a direct result of his recommendation, I’ve also had the opportunity to work with - and become friends with -bands and artists such as NOFX, Lagwagon, The Dropkick Murphys, Against Me!, Dave Hause, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.

You’ve worked with a lot of artists - what have been some of the standout moments so far?

There have been so many, quite frankly, unthinkably amazing opportunities, but there are definitely a few that stand out.

In 2016, I decided I was going to (try) to conquer my fear of flying and go to California to see Bad Religion at a hometown show, at the Hollywood Palladium. Photographing them at such an iconic venue in a state I’ve always wanted to visit, was a real bucket list moment. To top it off, I also got to meet Brett Gurewitz - the member I never ever thought I’d see in person, and to be introduced to him by Jay Bentley was, quite honestly, a massive fanboy achievement unlocked! Continuing on the Bad Religion theme, thanks to Brian Baker, I now have a number of laminates with my photos on them, and a couple of my photos in their book, which was written by Jim Ruland, who used the portrait I took of him in it too. To have Bad Religion use any of my photos is the biggest compliment I could ever receive.

Being flown to America at the beginning of 2023 to photograph The Gaslight Anthem recording History Books in the studio will always mean the world to me as well. I really love studio shoots, and the studio they recorded in had an abundance of character - it felt like something really special was being created, and to be given the freedom to just take it all in and document it all was just absolutely mind blowing.

I have photos of Alex doing haircuts in the kitchen, Brian doing air guitar in the studio, and Benny cooking beans and rice on the stove - really simple, candid moments, that I’m so appreciative of being able to document. It was through this that I ended up with a photo on the back of the album cover, and photos in Rolling Stone, Kerrang! and NME, and on the big screen at an NHL game at the Met Life Arena when the guys played at half-time, which is utterly insane. I also got my first ever front cover through the German publication Visions Magazine.

Most recently, I was asked by Xtra Mile if I wanted to photograph Frank Turner’s Lost Evenings Festival, which sent my excitement completely off the scale. It was the 8th time he’d held it, but the first one I’d attended, so to be his photographer for it made me so incredibly happy (and more nervous than I’d been for anything in a long time). I had never experienced such a sense of community at a music event - Frank Turner fans are truly something else, in the best way. The whole week is most definitely now a core memory for me. Lost Evenings is an amazing event, curated by amazing human beings, and I am very grateful to have been a small part of it.

Live shows can be chaotic and high energy. How do you approach capturing those split-second moments on stage?

I tend to stay vigilant for the candid moments, when maybe a couple of band members share a joke onstage (or when Frank’s guitar tech, Cahir, tries to make us all laugh at inappropriate times), or I try to find something unique to that particular show, like in February when Dave Hause broke Mark Masefield’s tin whistle over his knee and Mark threw it into the crowd. I don’t tend to excel at the dramatic mid-air shots, although I’ve managed to hit lucky on a few occasions, so I try to play to my strengths.

I’ve also learnt that a wide shot that encompasses the reactions of the individuals in the crowd is just as, if not more important, than photographs of individual band members. Something that I’ve been working really hard on lately are wide shots from the crowd, the sound-desk, or any available balconies or other cool vantage points, and I’m really happy with my progress so far.

Lastly, and arguably most importantly, I approach everything I do with an overwhelming sense of excitement and enjoyment. First and foremost, I’m a massive fan of the bands and artists I’m photographing, and to be there (and with my camera too) is a massive privilege.

Calmer®

As a Trans, AuDHD creative in the music industry, what challenges have you faced, and what advice would you give to others who want to follow a similar path?

From the perspective of being Trans - it was something that I was beyond terrified to go public about, but I have had nothing but support both from the bands I love (along with their crews, management and everyone associated with them), and from their fans. I have had so many absolutely lovely messages from other Trans and/or Queer Humans, and LGBTQIA+ Allies who are starting out with their photography, (or pursuing something else that’s very important to them), and I am extremely grateful that they take time out of their day to send such kind and supportive words, and I love hearing about what they’re passionate about too. All of the aforementioned are a massive part of the reason I feel so comfortable being visible and open about my gender identity and neurodivergence - it’s because they give me that confidence. I also want others in this position to see that they can be themselves and there will always be people like myself there to speak up for them and support them.

I would say the challenges I face have more to do with the executive dysfunction side of my neurodivergence - I struggle massively with task transitioning, which can make it very challenging to get started on editing, particularly if it’s a large batch which is unlikely to be completed in one sitting. It’s something that really worried me in the lead-up to Lost Evenings, as I knew I’d be on a tight turnaround between bands, but, as it turned out, deadlines have actually been very helpful in keeping me focused and on schedule (despite being slightly stressful at times!)

I also need to ensure I’m setting aside enough time to recharge after shows, particularly if I’ve been travelling and it’s been for a more extended period of time, as I don’t want to end up in burnout.

I would tell anybody who wants to follow a similar path to photograph anything that they’re interested in - and do it as much as they can. Nobody takes better photos than the person capturing something that they love; the passion will always be evident in the shots if the person holding the camera is invested in what they do.

I would also tell them to always ask the question… there have been so many shows that have felt impossibly far out of my reach, but I’ve asked anyway. Sometimes it hasn’t been the answer I’ve hoped for, or sometimes I haven’t even gotten an answer, but there have also been the times when I’ve unexpectedly got the gig, and I’ve appreciated the experience even more, because I wasn’t anticipating it. So always ask.