Photographing a band on tour can be challenging, and although not falling into the inevitable rock photography cliches is a priority, there are some definitive photo ideas that will usually work out. As Courtney Barnett was touring the UK with just two other musicians, Bones Sloane on bass and Dave Mudie on drums (plus a tour manager), the bus was small, the venues informal, and there was no security or hangers-on to circumnavigate.

Establishing some kind of connection to the musicians is important – and that's down to the photographer's intuition, and a bit of good luck too. (I've also been listening to The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas a lot.) Most bands understand the importance of photography, but taking time out to do it can seem like a chore, so it's a delicate balance. In this case, the musicians were genuinely friendly and interested in the process.

So in terms of photography, there is basically the performance itself, and everything else; and it's the latter that often yields the more interesting images. As with any performer, the difference between on-stage and off-stage persona can be marked, or non-existent. Here, it tended towards the latter.

For most of these photos I used my Fuji X-Pro1 and X-E1 digital cameras, with 14mm (21mm equivalent), 18mm (27mm equivalent), 35mm (53mm equivalent) and 60mm (90mm equivalent) lenses. The main advantages of this equipment are that it's small, unobtrusive, quiet and the lenses are excellent.

Here the band are passing the time in the bus, before their Sheffield gig, watching Seinfeld on a laptop. I used the 14mm (the widest lens), as space was very tight. Because everyone's looking to the screen, there's a very unselfconscious feel, and even at f2.8, there's enough depth of field.

Another quiet moment, when Courtney checks her phone for messages from home. Here I used the 18mm lens for its gentle wide-angle perspective, the low viewpoint giving a more interesting, intimate view of the scene.

The 35mm lens, at f2 cuts the depth of field, making for a simple, observational image, and the book – Freud on Da Vinci – gives an interesting context.

This is more of a classic band shot, and here some lightness shows that musicians don't always take things too seriously. The old posters and graffiti behind them might be a bit of a rock'n'roll cliche, but it works! Here I used the 35mm lens at f5.6.

This is the sweetest picture of the band, and in these situations what the photographer gets is often down to the connection made at the time. An aperture of f2.8 on the 35mm lens ensures that the background is out of focus , combined with a high shutter speed, if they all come tumbling down.

Anything a bit daft can give a good photo, and larking about has always featured in rock photography, so whatever happens, be there to photograph it!

The soundcheck (usually a few hours before the gig) is a good opportunity to get a different kind of performance photo. As some daylight was coming into the room, the lighting was OK, in contrast to how it would be later on. Here, the 14mm lens gives a dynamic, wide view.

As it's the soundcheck, I could get right in front of Courtney, using the 14mm lens. Getting this perspective wouldn't be possible during the gig itself, of course.

The problem with some music venues, like pubs, is that the lighting can be hopeless. At the Harley in Sheffield, there was a green spotlight on one side of the stage, and a blue one on the other, and in colour it looked terrible. So shooting black and white was the way to go, in this very low light. The exposure was 1/60th of a second at f2, ISO 6400.

Unlike most of the rest of the photos, this was made on a Canon EOS 5D MkIII, using the 24-70mm f4L lens (at 24mm). Because of the low light the exposure is 1/20th second at f4, ISO 12800.

Cropped to a square, made with the 18mm lens, this just about gets away with it in terms of sharpness. The lens is wide open at f2, and it's only 1/40th of a second shutter speed. But it's a well caught moment, and shows the dynamics of the performance.

Here I wanted a closer-in feel to the photo, so I used the 60mm lens which has given the photo that short telephoto perspective. Again, the light was marginal, as is often the case at small gigs.

Hanging around when nothing much is happening gives you the opportunity to catch odd moments, like this of one Courtney chatting by the tour bus. It's just down to taking the time and being observant.

Eye contact is a big part of my portraiture. But there are times when a glance away can be more revealing. Here the classic standard lens perspective of the 35mm is perfect for the job.

When the light's this bad, sometimes it's an idea to just go with it… and here, a six-second exposure has made light trails and multiple images, perfectly matching the psychedelic feel of the song History Eraser.

• Listen to tracks from Courtney Barnett's The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas here

• Read our interview with Courtney Barnett

• Courtney Barnett live review