Richard E. Aaron's career as a rock 'n' roll photographer took him around the world -- several times, in fact. But there were a couple of places that remained the same no matter what town he happened to be in that night -- The Pit and Backstage. As a working professional photographer, these spaces were home to Richard the majority of evenings on any given week.

The Pit refers not to the mosh pit, a Nineties innovation to the rock venue, but rather the photographers pit directly in front of the stage where Richard and his colleagues would gather to capture the elusive perfect shot. Often within reaching distance of the performers, these were the “best seats” in the house, although technically there were no seats in the pit.

When he wasn't shooting a live performance or backstage, Richard would work out of his studio, a Manhattan brownstone with 18 foot ceilings and 8-foot-high windows that was perfect for shooting in natural light. His studio was filled with a photographer's paraphernalia: strobe lights, umbrellas diffusers, light stands and tripods, and huge seamless rolls of paper.

Come along now as Richard recounts his best anecdotes about life beyond the mosh pit. Always the professional, Richard also relates insider technical details about the shooting of each photo. Please enjoy the gallery, and to view additional images, please go to www.rockpix.com/more.