Real World Concert Photography Concert photography can be one of the most exciting and frustrating types of photography. Constantly moving lights, dark venues, fast moving subjects, limited shooting times, and limited access all make concert photography one of the more difficult subjects to master. The first hurdle to overcome is just being allowed to photograph the show. GETTING ACCESS There are just a handful of people who control the access to shoot concerts. You need to ask one (or more) of these folks for permission to photograph the show. The following people can usually grant you access to shoot a show: • The Promoter: The folks who are putting on the show. This also includes the companies like Live Nation or AEG. • The Publicist: Works for the band or label. • The Venue: They usually have a or need a house photographer. • The Band: You know, The Band! To find these folks takes some searching skill and it is time to make Google your friend. Some things to search for: • Search the band website for contact information. • Search publicity companies for contacts. • Look at the promoters for the shows you want to shoot. • Contact the band directly asking who their press contact is. • Look for the venue contacts. Once you have contact information it is time to offer something for something. What is in it for the person giving you the pass? What can you offer them? This is pretty easy to answer if you are working for a newspaper, magazine or wire service. You are offering good publicity. It is a little more difficult if you are a freelance photographer or just a fan. I asked a publicist to tell me what it was he looks for in an email. This is his reply: “In the initial letter, be succinct and up front. If you don't really have an outlet, say so. If you do, say so, and briefly. Being a long-time fan is nice, but going on about it is unnecessary. Saying in advance that you'd never use flash indicates good sense and some sense of experience. Offering to share the shots for the artist's website is intelligent if you're not asking on behalf of a publication. “ The truth is you just have to ask and be ready to be turned down. It will happen a lot, but you will find someone who will say yes and then another and another. The more you ask, the more chances you will have to shoot. There is a fine line between asking too soon and too late. I will usually ask about credentials about a month before the show. If I don’t hear back, and that does happen (a lot), I will ask again about 2 weeks out from the show. Many times I don’t hear back until a day or two before the show. For big festivals, there is usually a cut off date for media credential applications. You need to check with company handling the press requests. IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK FOR A PASS. THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THEY SAY NO. There are three basic passes: • All Access Pass: Many people think this is the holy grail of passes, but in reality, this pass might or might not let you photograph the show. This pass is usually controlled by the band. Could still need a photo pass to shoot the concert or be in the photo pit. • Working Pass: Given to folks you are working for the venue or the band directly. This pass is usually worn by folks there doing a specific job. They have access to every part of the venue, stage lights etc. They are working. • Photo Pass: This pass allows you to bring a camera into the venue and allows you to shoot the concert (usually just the first three songs). This pass might or might not let you stay after the photographing stops and it usually won’t allow you anyplace but the photo pit or the designated spot for photographers. But since that is your goal, a photo pass is what you want. VENUES There are six different types of venues that you, as a concert photographer, will deal with. Each type has there own pros and cons. Knowing what they are helps you to be better prepared. • The Stadium show: The big show! Huge touring acts with big lights, big names, and tough access. The bigger the act the harder it is to get access. You usually need to be shooting for a daily paper, national magazine, wire service, the venue or directly for the band or label. Many times these shows only allow photographs from the soundboard. • Halls: These are usually the bigger indoor shows held in venues that were probably not built for concerts. They are the basketball arenas, multi-use halls and are used for the big name bands when they can’t play outside due to weather or location. The rules here are pretty much the same as the for the Stadium show. • Clubs: These range in size but usually they are built for concerts and put on shows constantly. This is your House of Blues, Fillmore, Warfield, etc... They are usually good places to shoot with pretty good lights and probably a descent photo pit. The problem is, they usually have pretty strict rules about cameras and photography. • Bars: The worst light but the easiest access. This is a great place to start. There usually no real rules about shooting shows and it is pretty easy to contact a couple a of local bands and ask if they will give you permission to shoot them. The key is to treat this shoot the same as you would any big shoot. Remember to stay out of the way of the folks working and those that are there to see / hear the music. • Festivals: Festivals used to be a great place to shoot. Lots of different bands, usually lots of light during the day and are mostly general admission. The bigger festivals are now clamping down on audience photography but some of the smaller local festivals are still a great place to shoot. • Special events: Special events could be trade shows, product demos or any other place that there might be a performance that doesn’t technically mean a concert. GEAR The gear for concert photographers is pretty simple. Fast glass and high ISO / low noise camera sensors. Lenses. • 70-200mm f/2.8 - This is the standard concert lens. If you want to shoot concerts, you will need this lens. It gets you in close from the photo pit and if you have to shoot from further away then it still gets you in relatively close. • 24-70mm f/2.8 - This is the second lens every concert shooter should have. This medium wide lens will allow you to get wider angles and full body shots. The combination of these two lenses gives you a huge range of focal lengths and at f/ 2.8. • 14-24mm f/2.8 - While not a lens that I use on a regular basis it is a great concert lens if your style is to shoot wider. • Other lenses that I use on a regular basis are all prime lenses with apertures wider than f/2.8. These allow me to shoot in very low light situations. My favorite lens is the 85mm f/1.4. it is amazingly sharp and can shoot in really low light. Many bar shoots have been saved by this lens. Other prime lenses in my bag include a 16mm, 35mm, and 50mm Cameras. • When Nikon introduced the D3 it was a real game changer. The low noise / high ISO ability was stunning. The only problem was the price, which all changed with the release of the D700. The same high sensor means the same high ISO / low noise capability in a less expensive body. The bar was raised again with the introduction of the D3s and then the D4 and D4S. The good news for those not wanting to spend a lot of money is that cameras like the D750 have great quality and low noise at high ISO settings. Other equipment • Camera bag. I like the Domke and the ThinkTankPhoto bags but this is a total personal choice. The best advice I can give about a bag is that you need to know where your gear is. What pocket has the memory cards, which side holds the batteries. Concert shooting is fast paced and you don’t have much time. Spending any of that time rooting around in your bag is just time you could be shooting. • Earplugs. PROTECT YOUR HEARING !! You are going to be very close tot he speakers, if not directly in front of them. Earplugs are an absolute necessity. • Memory cards. Carry as many as you think you need, than add a couple more. Make sure they are formatted and ready to go. You don’t want to be spending your time formatting cards when you could be shooting. I use the Hoodman Raw CompactFlash and SD cards and the Sony XQD cards. • Batteries. Always carry extras. • Confirmation email. I know this is going to sound rather simple, but make sure you keep a the confirmation email with you, printed out. I cannot tell you how many times I have been at a will call window and the venue has no pass for me. Having the contact person and proof that you are supposed to be there can help get you to the right person and get your pass.