David Bergman

Behind the scenes from my perspective. Here’s the start of last Saturday’s Luke Combs show through my Meta Ray Ban glasses and Canon cameras. I document Luke right before he walks out, then head up to the stage after our video team gets their shot. The new, rotating 360-degree stage adds some challenges, so once Luke moves away I shift to the other band members, grab what I can for the first song or two, then spend the rest of the night working every angle from the top of the stadium to the front row. For the photographers: I’m carrying two Canon EOS R1 bodies, one with the RF24-105mm f/4 and the other with the RF100-500mm f/4.5-7.1. I also have a remote camera on the drum kit and one mounted overhead for some different angles. Both handhelds are on full manual exposure, so I zoom with my left hand and adjust shutter speed with my right as the light changes. Search YouTube “David Bergman Fast Exposure Change” for a deep dive on that technique. Yes, it’s the best gig in the world and no, you can’t be my assistant. :) Any other questions, drop them in the comments. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight @raybanmeta @gefellmd @kenmelgoza @atlspecialfx @guitarpickerjd @kurtozan251 @dnunley321 @koreyhuntmusic @jakesommers7 @tylerkingmusic @mathewmaxwell @uva @adorama @progradedigital @camerabits @photoshelter @thinktankphoto @dxolabs @platypodtripods @manfrottoimaginemore

We’ve got a brand new rotating circular stage with 40 trucks of production, so I wanted to capture a unique perspective during the first show of Luke Combs’ 2026 stadium tour. In addition to my drum riser remote, I mounted a Canon R5 with the RF 7-14mm circular fisheye directly above center stage and triggered it with a PocketWizard Plus Ve. I also ran a fiber optic cable so I could see the camera’s write light from the front and confirm it was still firing during the show. Then I just had to wait for Mike Willett and the @atlspecialfx pyro team to light it up. Huge thanks to our lead rigger Dave Target, along with Steve Gordon and Micah Shalman, for creating a mounting point exactly where I wanted it and adding a crossbar to counterweight the rig. Incredible work by production manager @slone_jerry and lighting designer and director @silverbulletsdesign bringing this stage to life. 7 straight weekends of shows starting now. LFG! @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight @adorama @progradedigital @camerabits @photoshelter @thinktankphoto @dxolabs @platypodtripods @manfrottoimaginemore

VOTE NOW: I’m thrilled to be nominated again for Favorite Tour Photographer at the iHeartRadio Music Awards for my work with Luke Combs. It’s so cool to see tour photography recognized by a major awards show, and I’m grateful to be included alongside so many talented photographers. The winner is decided by fan votes, so if you’d like to show your support, you can vote daily at VoteBergman.com (link in bio) until March 10. Each day, you get 50 votes, and from 8-9 p.m. ET, you can cast 100. It's true that just being nominated is an honor, but winning would be pretty awesome too. Thanks for celebrating live music and tour photography with me! @iHeartRadio @iHeartCountry @LukeCombs @Adorama @CanonUSA @BonJovi @JonBonJovi #canonexploreroflight #askdavidbergman #shootfromthepit #iHeartAwards #FavoriteTourPhotographer #LukeCombs #TourPhotography #ConcertPhotography #iHeartRadio #MusicPhotography #LiveMusicPhotography

Luke paid tribute to the late Toby Keith in Norman, OK by walking out to “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and wearing a “Toby” hat. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight

Norman, OK • May 8, 2026 • 6:30 p.m. A big storm rolled in after sound check, so I mounted a camera in the rain and made pics. Tonight is the last night this year for our beloved 360 stage. It’s been a challenge to document, but that’s what makes it so fun. Huge thanks to our incredible crew for making it happen every week. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight

The story is bigger than the stage 🎶 With the RF10-20mm F4 L IS STM, Canon Explorer of Light @davidbergman captures the atmosphere, scale, and energy of live stadium performances in a single frame. Head to the link in our bio to check out his other favorite lenses!

Multiple hall of famers shotgunned beers on stage in front of a record crowd of 92,045 in Knoxville last weekend. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight

Luke was on fire in front of a record-breaking crowd of 97,367 fans at Ohio Stadium. Thanks to @atlspecialfx for bringing the heat. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight

97,367 fans • Columbus, OH • April 25, 2026 A stadium record and Luke’s biggest show ever. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight

“Focal length choice is something that doesn’t get talked about enough. Your gear should follow what you’re shooting, but that intuition takes time to develop. I’d love to see a video exploring how to match your focal length to your subject.” 🎥 New episode of ‘Ask @davidbergman ’ out now on AdoramaTV! ⏩ Comment the word “LINK” below and we’ll send you the full video 😊 Make sure to check out more photography videos and tutorials from David on our Youtube channel! #adorama #askdavidbergman #photography101 #photographytips #photographers

This might be the favorite photo I made from our tour so far. It starts with a great moment, where Luke and the band huddle up in front of 80,000 people and take a shot right before heading on stage. Photographically, I love the way it all came together - the cup mid-air, the body positions and faces of the band, the crowd and stadium in the back, the kiss of light in the sky at dusk.... It just works. South Bend, IN • April 18, 2026 • 8:57 p.m. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight @koreyhuntmusic @jakesommers7 @tylerkingmusic @mathewmaxwell @guitarpickerjd @kurtozan251 @dnunley321 @adorama @progradedigital @camerabits @photoshelter @thinktankphoto @dxolabs @platypodtripods @manfrottoimaginemore @notredame @ndsocial @experience_nd @fightingirish

Ames, IA • April 11, 2026 • 10:15 p.m. @lukecombs @lukecombshq @canonusa #canonexploreroflight