1 -Hello Dalila how are you and thank you for taking time
to talk to us here at Flirt Magazine, we are big fans of yours!
So tell us where were you born and raised?
Hello Flirt Magazine, Thank YOU for the interest and
supporting the arts, it’s an honor to be selected for this fea-
ture. I was born and raised in Queens, NY – Still live here.
Bounced around Long Island for a while, but came back to
Queens and loving it !!
2 How did you first get into photography, and how did your
career develop?
I come from a family of artists – so creativity of some form
or another has always been in my life. When I was a kid,
family vacations to The Poconos my grandfather gave me
and my brother a camera, and I remember never getting
enough of snapping pix and hearing those disposable flash
bulbs pop. I remember I couldn’t wait until the store would
return my photos (When it would take about a week).. And
so on. All concerts I would go to as a fan I would sneak
in a camera and snap away – my dad would call it a sick-
ness – because I would bring about 10-15 rolls of film with
me, no matter where I was sitting (Nosebleeds in Madison
Square Garden) – It never mattered, I HAD TO document
the show. I started buying floor seats and getting as close as
possible and shooting.
3 How did you become a concert
photographer? Can you tell us the story behind
that?
My first real opportunity came in NYC 1993 as Len-
ny Kravitz granted a photo pass for his concert, and
that was when I got my first taste of the “real deal” in
the pit. That was an amazing experience as I have
wanted to do it for ages. I was hooked, and never
looked back... THANK YOU LENNY !! I always shot
friends’ bands, and was always in the scene to cut my
teeth and hone my craft.4 What gear do you shoot with these days?
I am a die-hard CANON girl. I am mainly using Can-
on Mark 5D II. Backup body Canon 40D. My go-to
lenses are Canon 24-70mm 2.8, Canon 16-35mm 2.8,
and Canon 70-200mm L 2.8.5 We heard about a tour that you are shooting, can you
tell us what it’s like going on tour with a band and what
your days consist of?
I tour with ANVIL doing their merch. When I get
the chance to take the gear with me, it’s killer !! It’s a
challenge day in and day out trying to get content that
will be so different – especially when the tour consists
of approx. 50 shows –
It’s incredible travelling with bands, the family unit,
the experiences you have – the craziness that goes on –
the untold stories – some end up on their albums, but
most don’t. But it’s definitely something that is in my
blood and I cherish every moment. The people I have
met on tour, some connections I have made that forev-
er changed my life – the memories created, the lan-
guages you hear, the food you experience, the cultures- it’s a gift. Also getting to hear music from around the
globe is indeed addictive. The fans of the bands as well
are amazing!!
Days off – There really aren’t any – Mostly travel days.
When the routing consist of long hours between gigs,
mostly we are on the road travelling to the next town.
If there is down time, we do the usual. Visit local
malls, try to grab a good meal, be a tourist if time
allows. I’ve had the ultimate pleasure of visiting some
amazing historic sites and hope there will be more to
come.
6 What are some unique challenges that come with
shooting bands?