From photographing his kids to shooting Hamilton’s biggest band
- Elise Copps
- 13 Sep 2019
When photographer Nathan Nash posted his first photos of Hamilton’s beloved Arkells to Instagram, he didn’t expect a response from the band — after all it was his first time shooting anything other than family photos. Not only did he get a reply, the band asked for more. Fast forward four years to this Friday when his first solo exhibition launches at Supercrawl.
Nash has been an Arkells fan since his days studying communications at McMaster University where he was just a couple years behind the band members who also attended Mac. An amateur photographer, he brought an SLR camera into their 2015 show at Jackson Triggs winery, hoping to capture a few shots of the band on stage.
“I had attended the concert the year before, and remembered security was kind of lax,” he recalled. “So I snuck my camera in in my wife’s purse.”
From his seat in the front row, he snapped photos of the band in action and posted them to Instagram and Twitter. Nash was shocked when Arkells frontman, Max Kerman, reached out asking for more.
“They shared a bunch to their social, which was pretty cool,” he said. “I didn’t really think much of it though.”
In the following years, Nash contacted the band about shooting a few more of their shows and was invited to join them backstage with an all access pass. Though nervous, he says adrenaline, and his years photographing his young daughters got him through the experience.
“Concert photography is unpredictable. You kind of have to just go with the flow, and move quickly,” he said. “I like to get action shots of my girls and it’s a lot of the same skills — they don’t listen so you have to be fast.”
After a few Arkells shows, Nash started to hit his stride and began photographing other artists. 2018 was a big year for him; he shot Hamilton City of Music’s Music Mondays Evening Series, the Canadian Country Music Awards, Supercrawl, and was one of few photographers with backstage access at Arkells’ The Rally at Tim Horton’s Field. His solo exhibition is aptly named: Live in Hamilton, 2018, and features 96 photographs from music events around the city. It’s part of Tourism Hamilton’s Anne Foster window series that features music-related displays by local artists.
He’s humbled that his exhibit was chosen to be showcased during Supercrawl weekend.
“It’s very cool to be given that opportunity. It’s exciting to think that thousands of people will walk by and hopefully see it.”
This fall, Nash, who continues to work full-time as communications and marketing manager, is joining Arkells on tour to photograph six of their shows, including behind the scenes snapshots. He says he’s grateful for the relationship he’s built with the band. They’ve given him opportunities that would make any good Canadian envious.
His favourite? Remember when Raptor’s coach, Nick Nurse, joined Arkells on Budweiser Stage after the team’s championship win? Well, Nash snapped a pretty epic photo. Kerman had Nash sign a copy, and sent it to the coach. He told Kerman it’s the best photo anyone has ever taken of him, and has hung it in his music room at home. Not bad for a kid from the neighbourhood.
Nathan Nash’s exhibit, Live in Hamilton, 2018, opens Friday. It is located in the Anne Foster window of the Lister Block and will be on display until November 26, 2019.
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