Ian Laidlaw has been photographing musicians since 2003 and since then his portfolio has grown to feature Australian and Global music royalty.

Starting out, Ian was chasing his passion for music in Wollongong and Sydney by shooting live performances to grow his existing and natural talent. Through his eagerness to learn and by embracing his expanding network within the music industry, it was only a few years before Ian earned himself the role of an official photographer for some of Australia’s biggest touring festivals including Splendour, Falls, Yours & Owls, Download and Laneway.

After relocating to Melbourne in 2010, Laidlaw worked in a studio alongside a reputable Melbourne photographer for four years which was a pivotal time in his professional development. Despite having no formal qualification, over the course of his career so far Ian has cemented himself into the Australian Music Industry as a highly sought-after creative, through his ability to capture the raw and authentic heart of musicians during live performances, behind the scenes and through studio portraits.

Ian has toured nationally with the likes of Leon Bridges, Hockey Dad, The Smith Street Band, Glass Animals and Celine Dion; he held the position of Head Photographer at Beat Magazine for a number of years and has a very impressive portfolio of experiences and achievements. Ian’s images have been published around the world including Rolling Stone, NME and the music to name a few.

Over the years Laidlaw has learnt that his love for creating art out of other’s music lies deeper than the final image. He feels the most joy and pride in his work when exploring the holistic process of an Artist; creating a piece that captures their style and their values from start to finish - from writing to recording to performing and touring. This is what Laidlaw believes draws him regularly back into the studio to create portraits.

‘I have always preferred the minimal approach to portrait work and like to connect with artists on
a communicative level to truly bring out their essence as an artist’.