Brittany O'Brien

I’m sitting in the corner against the window. A cup of hot tea in front of me. Normally I’d be looking at my watch while doing this — making sure I got back to work with time to spare. Today is different though, today I’m not at work. Today I can take as much time and stare out the window as long as I want. I’m home from tour after 280 days. No more musty smells, no more sweaty nights, no more smacking myself in the face with my camera. At least for a few weeks.

That’s what I do for a living. Smack myself in the face with a camera every night. A more official job description? I tour. I document musicians; capture life on the road. Another day, another state. It’s a whirlwind of a career and I love it.

I’ve been touring since I was 23. I had been dreaming of it long before then though. Living in Oakland, CA there is always a show to be at. Always something to do or someone to see. I became close friends with a group of guys in the scene who were on the rise. They were the ones you wanted to see, our city was lucky to have them. One day they got the call “Do you want to tour with Twenty One Pilots?” Of course the answer was yes. As Finish Ticket left for that tour, I decided I was going to invite myself along to the big shows. They were my best friends and I was their “photographer” after all. Two nights in New York City. Red Rocks. Seattle. I documented them on this journey and fell in love with the idea of doing it full time. So I made it happen.

“Girls aren’t made for touring. There are no luxuries out here.” A sentiment I remember hearing while bent over helping build a lighting rig. I wiped sweat off my hands and looked up to see who had made the comment. The voice belonged to this burly Texas crew guy. He walked away. It stuck with me in the beginning. Made me laugh really. So many women I know in this industry have completely proved that man wrong. It’s not a luxurious life but anyone is capable if they want to be.

2016 flew by. I saw thunderstorms for the first time. Fell in love with Vermont. Slept in a van in the snow with the flu. Woke up at 6 a.m. after rolling into a hotel at 4 a.m. Drove 22 hours straight to make it to Bonnaroo. All of those experiences made my job grand. The harder the day, the better the photos. I fell in love with gas station photo shoots and editing while balancing my computer on a road case.

I just spilled tea all over my keyboard. I still feel like I’m in “rush to get back and document soundcheck” mode. It’s weird to be alone. Can’t remember the last time I didn’t have nine other people around me to talk with. Who am I going to watch the cooking channel with at 3 a.m.?

I’ve been lucky enough to tour by van, sprinter, bus, plane and train. Seen 47 states and 9 different countries. Seven different crews and a tour dog. I’ve seen the Berlin Wall and the lush forests of Tennessee. I’m grateful that artists continue to trust my eye and have faith in my vision. I’m proud to be a woman in this industry and excited to watch more and more ditch luxury and join in on the fun.

WEBSITE: BRITTANYOBRIEN.COM INSTAGRAM: @BRITOBRIEN

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRITTANY O’BRIEN