Why We Started “Girls in the Pit” — A Podcast for Women Who See the World Through Music and Light

I’ve spent years wedged between bass amps and barricades, chasing that one perfect shot where the crowd, color, and chaos all collide. Sometimes I’m shoulder to shoulder with other photographers. Other times, I’m the only woman in the pit. That feeling of being both seen and invisible, powerful and uncertain, stuck with me. It’s what inspired Girls in the Pit.

Steph and I wanted a space that shows what it’s really like to build a creative career in live music. Not the curated, polished version you see on social media, but the real stuff. The exhaustion, the late nights, the wild energy, the community. The parts that keep us coming back.

Steph and Tara in their home studio filming an episode of Girls in the Pit.

I’m Tara Lenehan, a nationally published documentary photographer and social scientist who’s covered everything from AAA baseball to punk pits and jam-band festivals. I’m drawn to the in-between moments - the laughter backstage, the quiet breath before a set starts, the chaos that somehow becomes beauty through a lens. Stephanie Smith is not only a renowned wedding photographer and owner of Southern Stitched Photography, as well as a live music photographer with a passion for amplifying women in the music world. She’s spent years building relationships with artists and crews, and I just so happened to cross her path backstage and the rest was history.

Together, we created Girls in the Pit as a mix of confession, education, and community for anyone chasing their creative path in this industry. Each episode dives into what it means to be a woman with a camera in a male-dominated space, how to land your first photo pass, deal with imposter syndrome, and build a career that pays and fulfills you. We talk about concert photography, the business side of creativity, and what it means to turn your passion into something sustainable.

But more than that, we talk about belonging. About the moments that happen after the show ends, when the lights fade and the stories start spilling out. That’s where the heart of this podcast lives. Because music photography isn’t just about settings or access. It’s about connection. Perspective. Empathy. The ability to capture something fleeting and make it last. Working together to create something bigger than you could create alone.

That’s what Girls in the Pit is about: real stories from women who live for the sound, the sweat, and the seconds between songs.

If you’ve ever dreamed about being in the pit, or if you’re building a creative career that doesn’t quite fit inside the lines, this one’s for you.

🎧 Follow Girls in the Pit on Instagram @girlsinthepitpodcast, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and join the conversation. Because the best stories don’t happen on stage - they happen between the noise.