Meet: Photographer Richard Bloom
By Sara Rosenberg
Some photographers find a niche and excel in it. One of those photographers is Gothenburg-based photographer Richard Bloom (Instagram @musicinfocus). He captures live music and continuously produces high-quality photos.
Richard's portfolio features a wide range of work, and he is frequently present with his camera at various venues in Gothenburg, including Ullevi Stadium, Pustervik bar, Filmstudion, and more. In this article, we will get to know Richard and his work a bit more.
"Music is Magical": Capturing the Live Music Scene
Self-Portrait, Richard Bloom
Richard Bloom works as a photographer for Messed!Up Magazine, a magazine born in Hamburg, Germany, in 2018. It covers the music scene across several countries, including Sweden. He also does some portraits, art photography, and theatre photography, which he finds super fun.
I first noticed Richard’s work on Instagram a little over a year ago, when I was interested in trying concert photography. When I DM'd him and asked how he does it, how one gets into the venues, and how it works, he was quick and kind in answering all my questions. Later in the summer of 2025, when I was set to capture a band for a newspaper, Richard once again offered me his time and also the short and valuable advice on camera settings: “Look for the light source, set your aperture low, and then see how fast you can set your shutter based on the light”.
Richard lives in Kungsbacka, a city located about 30 kilometers south of Gothenburg, with his family. It was also there, in his hometown, Kungsbacka, that he first discovered his passion for concert photography, which he began pursuing in 2017.
“One of the first gigs I photographed was Hardcore Superstar at Schools Out in Kungsbacka. At that moment, I realized I had found the right path!", Richard explains.
**The Musicians & Bands**
Richard has photographed legendary bands like AC/DC and Metallica, as well as beloved Swedish artists such as Joakim Thåström, Miriam Bryant, and Håkan Hellström. And many more. A passionate music lover, Richard enjoys listening to Thåström but appreciates a wide range of genres, from electronic and goth to heavy deathcore.
Below are some of the photos that Richard has captured in his career. The first to the left is Angus Young from AC/DC, performing at Ullevi in 2025. Then there is Slaughter to Prevail, Soen, Miriam Bryant, and Thåström.
**Early Career & Pandemic Years**
Richards way into live music photography appears similar to mine. “I have always loved music and found Björn Olsson (bjornsphoto) at Fotosidan.se, and bothered him with a few questions that he kindly answered”, he says. Richard continued to glance at Björn's photos and felt he wanted to do the same.
I asked Richard if he had one of those “wow, that was really cool to photograph” moments he will remember forever, and he told me a story about an event early in his photography career, back in 2017. He was trying to build his portfolio and applied to everything that seemed interesting.
“I often got a no, but then came an email from Luger (Editor's note: concert/festival organizer) that said “We hereby confirm your accreditation for Thåström at Lisebergshallen” in October of 2017. I have probably never been so nervous either before or after that”, Richard says. He explains that it is a nice memory, but there are many more after that. This sticks out because it's so early in the career.
He mainly photographs for Messed!Up Magazine, but he also takes on some freelance work from time to time. He began his work with Messed!Up in January 2020, but was only able to complete two assignments before the entire music scene in Sweden was shut down due to the pandemic.
The pandemic didn't stop Richard and the editor of Messed!Up though, as they managed to turn the pandemic years into productive years, despite the challenges.
“When it all happened, I felt a bit of hopelessness, but the editor of the magazine was also in Gothenburg during this time, and we soon realized that we could do quite a lot with the help of, for example, Westside Music Sweden and their artists in Gothenburg. Together with all the sound and light technicians who were out of work and the empty scenes, we were able to create livestreams and YouTube shows. Together with Kungsbacka teater, we filmed Kungsbacka Rockfest with local bands”, Richard says.
**The Venues**
Richard has a few favorite venues, and it seems that the people and the atmosphere make them special. ”Pustervik, Filmstudion, and Monument 031 have become important to me; the people who work there are so kind, and you always feel warmly welcomed. The stage crew, security staff, and everyone who works there are amazing”, he says, and continues: "Ullevi is impressive, and you are humbly reminded of its grandeur when you take your place in front of the stage, turn around, and see all the expectant people—the joy and curiosity in everyone present. Music is magical."
Speaking of Gothenburg on the Swedish West Coast, I wondered what Richard thinks visitors need to do here to avoid missing out. “You have to experience a concert at Pustervik, and you should definitely go on a shrimp cruise. I mean, the West Coast without a few shrimp…