With “Taking Aim,” an exhibit of rock music photography that opened February 5 at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, guest curator Graham Nash has assembled a selection of pictures that portray the passion and intensity shared by musicians of a certain age.

“Rock and roll is no different from photography, or composing classical music,” Nash said. “You tap into this incredible energy, and use it to create something magical.”

Nash, best known as the skinny part of Crosby, Stills and Nash, has been involved in making pictures since he was ten years old—well before his storied music career began. Since then he has taken thousands of photographs, including people whom which he shared a stage or a personal experience.

After nearly a decade as a museum, this is first time any kind of rock star has been directly involved in creating an EMP exhibit, according to is curatorial director Jasen Emmons, who shepherded the project.

The exhibit will be at EMP through May, and will subsequently visit three or four other cities, according to Emmons. In the meantime, there is a posh coffee-table volume that has all the included photographs peppered with commentary and context supplied by Nash.

There are a few obvious shots. Annie Liebowitz’ John and Yoko, days before he died. Johnny Cash flipping the bird. Janis Joplin, reflective on a couch with a bottle of Southern Comfort. "She wasn't the prettiest girl,” said Jim Marshall, who took the picture. “But she wasn't afraid of the camera. I took another shot 90 minutes after this one, and her mood was 180 degrees in the other direction.”

Most of the pictures are black and white, which the photographers believe is more evocative. Said Nash: “I don’t think in color, I think in black and white. The images are a lot sharper, and more interesting.”

Nash led a discussion on opening night, telling stories and singing two songs played on Buddy Holly’s stickered acoustic guitar. He was articulate and relaxed, speaking directly to the audience in a familiar way.

It is only later you realize they basically performed the book, more or less. Emmons asked the questions that elicited the right stories, and Nash told them as if it were the first time.

Afterward, attendees previewed the exhibition, mingling with all the photographers, carting around books and cadging signatures like it was their high school yearbook.

These shots succeed because they were taken in an atmosphere of trust and open access. Nash always got his subjects to cooperate because he was one of them. As a musician backstage he was able to point a camera across the room and shoot his pals.

The panel had a certain geezer-on-a-parkbench quality, with all of these old guys lamenting how much better it all was back then. Before the cold, digital age began and friendly competition was the rule and acting greedy was the exception. When pictures weren’t technically perfect, but evoked emotions that complemented the music.

There was the idea that all of these artists were in the right place at the right time, on several levels. They were living in the right time, and were in position to get the right shots.

Neal Preston went on tour with Led Zeppelin, photographing them every night, but never knew what to expect. “I was always told to figure out where the obvious spot was, where everyone else was looking and do the opposite,” Preston said.

“When we were shooting we had to be there and we had to be not there,” Marshall said, again referring to the famous Joplin shot. “Just like a ninja.”

Taking Aim Curated by Graham Nash and Jasen Emmons Experience Music Project, Seattle, through May 23

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