MUSIC MONTH SERIES: Kenzie Pigman

Words Hannah Powell. Images by Kenzie Pigman.

Yo Vocal had a chat to photographer Kenzie Pigman. Well-known throughout the local music scenes, as well as snapping for our magazine, Kenzie specialises in gig and artist photography on film. On a Sunday evening we called to discuss her work, her highlights, and what it’s like to be a female photographer working in the industry. 

Californian-raised and a Wellingtonian as of late, she has a day job in environmental management and recently came into freelance photography. “I got my first film camera a year and a half ago, if that, and then it became a real obsession”.

Self-described as a gig frother, Kenzie began to bring along her camera. It wasn’t long until friends and artists alike recognised her. Kenzie shot her first gig for Corduroy at Whammy Bar in Auckland, and after that, it became a relatively consistent event. “I was reaching out to bands every single time a gig got announced in Wellington, and I wanted to shoot that gig,” she says. 

Although most of what she was doing was unpaid at the time, it was less about the money. The aim was to get a foot into the industry. Now, she’s well-known for her skills in the local scenes. She’s shot for big names like Benee and Fat Freddy’s Drop. She spent the summer at festivals, snapping for Le Currents, Rhythm and Vines, Nest Fest, Electric Avenue, Downtown Shakedown, and Peachy Keen. Nowadays, she’s sometimes shooting three to four gigs a week. 

When she’s at a gig, she’s searching for moments to capture in the present. Even when she’s at an event off-duty, she finds herself examining the room around her.  

I ask Kenzie why she loves film. 

With film, it’s such a thing that you have to get so familiar with,” she says. Post-shoot, she explains how it doesn’t require a lot of editing. “[It’s] already its own flavour and spice.” 

As the conversation veers towards her work as of late, Kenzie tells me about her highlights thus far. 

“The first time I shot Fat Freddy’s Drop, it was absolutely surreal,” she says. A massive step as a photographer, it was a week later that she shot Benee at Shed6. “Within a week, I’d shot two of the biggest artists that I’d ever shot before,” she says. She has photographed for both artists multiple times since then.

“The really special thing about photographing artists is when you get familiar with them and their presence on stage,” Kenzie says. “Every time you photograph them, you become more in sync with their movement.” 

When an artist knows you, and you know them, that’s when she thinks you get the better shot. 

As for the festivals, it’s Nest Fest that gets a special mention. “Nest Fest all around,” she says, “Just because there’s fucking groovy people and such a cool set-up and a cool team who were working on it as well. I think that was a great young people working in the music industry having a great time kind of vibe”. 

Talking about the music industry, we chat about what she’s seen backstage and behind the lens. “There’s always exciting things happening [in the music industry],” she says first. “It never gets boring because there’s always something new”. For her, seeing an artist that she’s photographed multiple times do what they love is something she most enjoys. Viewing the creative outlet of the industry and watching artists use it is what she describes as a really beautiful thing. 

But there’s always an ugly side. “It’s very, very male-dominated, obviously,” she says. “There’s not enough female representation in really any sector, or sub-sector, of the industry”. With a shortage of female photographers and female-led line-ups, Kenzie is also concerned at the lack of representation of people of colour – as members of media teams, photographers, and artists on festival line-ups. 

“I hope there’s more growth in that kind of space…I think it definitely takes more females and more people of colour getting involved and actually getting into those positions of power to make those decisions,” she says. She tells me that some female artists won’t play at a festival or gig if there are not enough women in the line-up. Less and less are interested in being the token female artist. Now, there’s a call for a fair representation. 

“Most of the bands in Wellington, most of the bands in New Zealand are all boys,” she says. “Knowing how much I’ve photographed men compared to females is pretty staggering”. 

Backstage, Kenzie herself has sometimes felt out of place. She doesn’t deny that she’s been treated differently, but she’s never felt unsafe. Looks of ‘what are you doing here?’ have been thrown her way, but most people have made an effort to make her feel welcome. She tells me she’s had a lot more experiences that have been good than bad.

“I’ve learnt to walk in like I belong,” she laughs. “You just gotta fake it ‘til you make it”.

And made it she has. With the hopes of more gigs, bigger shoots, and accompanying artists on tour, Kenzie’s working hard at her craft. Her favourite project with Yo Vocal was the backstage portraiture at the festival Le Currents, and she tells me this is something she would like to focus more on in the future. It’s the favourite thing she’s done. 

As for the future of the industry, we finish our call on what Kenzie would like to see. “A fully represented framework and personage of people in the music industry would be a really beautiful thing,” she says. “I think especially from my lens as well, I’m not from here and knowing what I know about New Zealand I think it would be amazing to have all of the different types of people [here] to be involved in the music industry – you definitely don’t see that enough”.  

This music month, Kenzie will celebrate by doing what she does best: shooting many gigs.