Photo Passes

[woman4life]

well to bring this post back to full circle a bit (at least when i jumped in, around page 5), i found out today that the Zorn/Masada shoot i'd miraculously gotten a photo pass for ain't gonna happen. :(

apparently the venue is a union house, so unless i want to fork over $3500 in extortion (er, i mean 'buy out') fees, i can leave my gear at home. i'm not on any sort of magazine or website assignment, so i imagine that those sorts would have their sponsor pick up the tab (though i'd doubt anyone would think that $3500 for some pictures would be a good return on investment; seems to be solely protectionary to me, which is keeping in stride w/ general union philosophies...but i don't want to turn this into a union debate).

F that. for that sort of money, i'd expect Zorn to be the house music for my next several parties.

has anyone ever heard of this before?

Extortion sounds about right. Ask which Union you have to join. The fees have to be cheaper than $3500. LOL ;) JK of course, well, sort of. I don't think there is such thing as a photographer's union. With so many in photography being self-employed, a union hardly makes all that much sense.

I've actually said that same thing about what some scalpers get for concert tickets to some shows... that I'd want a private concert for that much. LOL

--Melanie

[Ciqala]

i'm a little peeved about this particular subject at the moment as i was given access to shoot a show this past tuesday (photos in another thread in this section) and had to jump through the hoops of signing waivers and disclaimers and the such which was fine as i wanted to shoot, the only place my pics would be used were on my websites and given to the label who were promoting the night for their use as well.

i turn up at the venue and the night manager has no idea whats going on, i dont even get a wristband which is standard (or at least was last time i was at the venue) they also dont seem to have any security apart from the lone doorman. i wander round taking a few candids and wait by the door for the artists to arrive (i know most of them so was able to ask them to stop and pose for shots).

then the main acts start and from nowhere no lie 10 people with slr's appear from nowhere when i was told it would only be me and the labels official photographer there so these are all 'fans' i then spend the entire evening fighting for space as these guys get in my way and stand in front of my camera while i'm shooting, all of them using flash direct at the artists so half my shots were overexposed as well. just general chaos.

then the video cameras showed up and i then had one woman who was about 4' 5" tall who was just holding her camera with arms outstretched above her head right in front of the artists (again with video light shining right at the artists face) blocking not only any shots i tried to take but also the view of half of the audience. she had permission to film but i felt she was not only unduly rude but she also didnt take into account the people who'd paid to get in she was just interested in her own shot.

then her and the other video camera went up to the side of the stage and stood at the rear so their lights were shining from behind the artists and causing the exposure to drop because i had these huge overly bright light sources in my shots.

depsite all this i got some ok shots but it was frustrating that even after going to all the trouble of getting the pass the rule-breakers and ignorant were able to make life for me 10x harder, its very easy to understand why this is a sore point for jobbing photographers and i would have been much more annoyed if the photos were for anything more important than a gallery on my website.

[Ciqala]

heres a pic i found that shows the video camera woman, the artist was directly in front of her and she did that for the whole show. :rolleyes:

[DwightMcCann]

One thing that we often don't keep in mind is that "concerts" at this level are heavily business driven. This leads to politics, connections, favors, friends, calling in favors, enemies (so to speak), very pushy people, sociopaths, unexpected events, and bizarre behavior. It is almost never the case that the rules that apply to you also apply to everyone else; that things are "fair" or "even handed"; that the venue or band has the security force to enforce strict rules, etc., etc. Sad, but true. You have my every empathy for your irritation but I suggest the only real solution is Prozac.

[Steve Parr]

i'm a little peeved about this particular subject at the moment as i was given access to shoot a show this past tuesday (photos in another thread in this section) and had to jump through the hoops of signing waivers and disclaimers and the such which was fine as i wanted to shoot, the only place my pics would be used were on my websites and given to the label who were promoting the night for their use as well.

i turn up at the venue and the night manager has no idea whats going on, i dont even get a wristband which is standard (or at least was last time i was at the venue) they also dont seem to have any security apart from the lone doorman. i wander round taking a few candids and wait by the door for the artists to arrive (i know most of them so was able to ask them to stop and pose for shots).

then the main acts start and from nowhere no lie 10 people with slr's appear from nowhere when i was told it would only be me and the labels official photographer there so these are all 'fans' i then spend the entire evening fighting for space as these guys get in my way and stand in front of my camera while i'm shooting, all of them using flash direct at the artists so half my shots were overexposed as well. just general chaos.

then the video cameras showed up and i then had one woman who was about 4' 5" tall who was just holding her camera with arms outstretched above her head right in front of the artists (again with video light shining right at the artists face) blocking not only any shots i tried to take but also the view of half of the audience. she had permission to film but i felt she was not only unduly rude but she also didnt take into account the people who'd paid to get in she was just interested in her own shot.

then her and the other video camera went up to the side of the stage and stood at the rear so their lights were shining from behind the artists and causing the exposure to drop because i had these huge overly bright light sources in my shots.

depsite all this i got some ok shots but it was frustrating that even after going to all the trouble of getting the pass the rule-breakers and ignorant were able to make life for me 10x harder, its very easy to understand why this is a sore point for jobbing photographers and i would have been much more annoyed if the photos were for anything more important than a gallery on my website.

Nobody said this gig was easy...

[sydneyguy30]

hey


when people say "build up a good portfolio - this will help

etc


how do u mean

do u mean, actually print pictures and send hard copies to people / show in persopn


or is it ok to showcase your portfolio on a web site and show media types


I think it depends on who you are trying to shoot. For me I found a venue that was not taking photo's of the acts and worked a deal with them to be the house photographer. Now I've gotten to know some local and regional acts and have a portfolio strong enough to request a pass. For the more established acts you are going to have to find someone you have a connection with that can get you in. It will help to be able to show your portfolio.

[Screamer]

hey
when people say "build up a good portfolio - this will help
etc

how do u mean

do u mean, actually print pictures and send hard copies to people / show in persopn

or is it ok to showcase your portfolio on a web site and show media types

You will hear differing opinions on this, as it somewhat depends on who you are presenting your work to. There are some publishers that still insist on hard copies. But in general, web images are acceptable for most other clients.

Like other genres, but even more so for live performance, one of the keys to a successful potfolio is having a large sample of artists and images. Often people tend to side on the side of skeptical if you don't have a large sample. The logic is that you were able to snap "a few good ones", but you might have gone through 1000 frames to get 3 acceptable images. The burden is on you as the photographer to prove otherwise. Make sure that you have 12-15 solid images showcasing different lighting and venues. This will make more impact than a similar number of different artists at the same venue. Unless, your goal is to shoot for one venue. ;)

Knowing that you generally have a 3 song shooting limit, your future employer needs to have as little doubt in their minds regarding your consistency in lighting environments that you can't control. As you know, this is an entirely different beast than shooting within the creative comfort of a studio, etc...It will take time to build up a decent portfolio.

I will also go out on a limb here and say, while I'm typing, that, you will need to find some notable celebrity for your portfolio. My turning point was when I scored a couple of "A list" artist shoots and added them to my body work. This is an image based industry, nothing adds fuel to a fire like popularity. Sad, but true. But, you can start at any level, and be successful through persistance and consistantly delivering images that have a trademark look. :)

You never know what will happen. :)

[johnstoy]

Cigala has reason to be bummed out...There has to be some anticipation, and taking a powder like Dwight says really works these days.

On the subject of portfolios,
As a hobbyist I sometimes take hundreds of photos to get the right ones. I look for faces, open eyes, smiles...There are several good ones that popped right out of the 1000+ sort.
Soon I will develop a link to my gallery, to share with the masses.:rolleyes:

Then there is the "Lucky Shot"::D
Don't forget to send your photos to the entertainers web site or fan club...

I sent several to The Oak Ridge Boys and after some correspondence with their office, they featured my Picture on the present "National Anthem Council" web site out of Washington DC...This was back in early July, taken with a Canon 35mm SLR...

Immediately after I went ahead with my up grade purchase of the 30D. Why?.. main reason was quality and respect for the artist...I feel they deserved better in this age of technology to see me shooting a lot of pics with a better quality Canon camera.

[Steve Parr]

I will also go out on a limb here and say, while I'm typing, that, you will need to find some notable celebrity for your portfolio.

I believe that having a notable name is a good thing, but I don't think it approaches being a deal-breaker. I think it's far more important to have consistently good images, regardless of who the people in the photos might be. I'm shooting much larger acts now because my photos of "no names" were solid...

But, you can start at any level, and be successful through persistance and consistantly delivering images that have a trademark look.

Man, that can't be over-emphasized. Let's face it: Nobody starts out shooting Eric Clapton. More likely, you're shooting Eric Smith, the produce kid at the local grocery store, and his band. Make THOSE shots count! When I started in this, I was shooting bar bands with an eye to making them look like they weren't bar bands.

As for a "portfolio", I have two: One is on my website, and the other is a physical portfolio which I keep with me, with printed shots...

[Screamer]

I believe that having a notable name is a good thing, but I don't think it approaches being a deal-breaker. I think it's far more important to have consistently good images, regardless of who the people in the photos might be. I'm shooting much larger acts now because my photos of "no names" were solid...



Man, that can't be over-emphasized. Let's face it: Nobody starts out shooting Eric Clapton. More likely, you're shooting Eric Smith, the produce kid at the local grocery store, and his band. Make THOSE shots count! When I started in this, I was shooting bar bands with an eye to making them look like they weren't bar bands.

As for a "portfolio", I have two: One is on my website, and the other is a physical portfolio which I keep with me, with printed shots...

Yep, Even though I was just posing a couple of different tips, I wanted to close on the consistancy thing. My goal was to summarize what I elaborated earlier in that post. It's okay to get the occasional lucky shot, and your portfolio will benefit from some recognizable celebrity "pop", but in the end you get hired on consistency and from being professional in image quality, presentation, and business skills.

Managing your own photography career, from images to business communication...you quickly learn that behind most every succesful artist is a management team with a business background, and don't ever, ever, ever, forget this is a business. They are trying to make money, anybody looking to advance in this industry needs to have a firm grasp of their customer's business. A portolio is one tool in your advertising, the other tools are varied and combine to make "the package". I can't say that enough, I've gotten more gigs because of how I communicate and because I deliver when I say I'm going to deliver.

I'm most flattered when I receive a compliment when a client mentions to me that they were surprised that they found a photographer with dependable business sense and an eye for for the trade. It's happened more than a few times, enough to make me realize that often the two don't some in one package. We all like to think of ourselves as artists, and we are...I've just learned through experience that being "an artist" isn't enough...

Okay, I'm done rambling! :D

[johnstoy]

Dido on your suggestions guys...

One portfolio on the Web and one in the briefcase with your laptop and off you go...Sell yourself...

I'm a retired "marketer" from the resort business...Once in Houston, TX, I sat in a Pro Football Team's Office and my partner's secretary said to me...John' let go, we don't have anything here...:rolleyes:

Moment's later the team's General Manager comes out with my sample and a proposal....They teamed up on a region wide promo at 3,500 of my store accounts, our artwork, their two hundred free premium seat game tickets weekly, for the merchants exhibiting out promo displays... for the entire season...:D

If you want in, than close the deal right there...give the prospect enough pertinent information to make a decision in your favor right then and there...In reality there are no "be backs" (you know, I'll be back and get it later) in salesmanship...

[sydneyguy30]

thanks mate



Cigala has reason to be bummed out...There has to be some anticipation, and taking a powder like Dwight says really works these days.

On the subject of portfolios,
As a hobbyist I sometimes take hundreds of photos to get the right ones. I look for faces, open eyes, smiles...There are several good ones that popped right out of the 1000+ sort.
Soon I will develop a link to my gallery, to share with the masses.:rolleyes:

Then there is the "Lucky Shot"::D
Don't forget to send your photos to the entertainers web site or fan club...

I sent several to The Oak Ridge Boys and after some correspondence with their office, they featured my Picture on the present "National Anthem Council" web site out of Washington DC...This was back in early July, taken with a Canon 35mm SLR...

Immediately after I went ahead with my up grade purchase of the 30D. Why?.. main reason was quality and respect for the artist...I feel they deserved better in this age of technology to see me shooting a lot of pics with a better quality Canon camera.

[livewire-photography.com]

Hey everyone, sorry but i might stutter and mess up words cuz iv just found out, that im going to be shooting "Wednesday 13", this coming sunday! im soooo made up! i got hold of the PR Company and they gave me a pass and put me + 1 on VIP list!
Cheers to everyone who gave advice to me when i started this absolute Mother of a post lol
Thanks everyone
James......

[narlus]

nice one! good luck james.

[johnstoy]

Yea James,

Great new for you...You know, every one is going to wanna check your stuff out soon after...good shooting...

[livewire-photography.com]

Hey thanks guys, im still over the moon, buzzing like pete docherty doing Crack lol (joking, Dont touch drugs kids, theyre bad for you!) HAHA
James....

[Steve Parr]

Hey thanks guys, im still over the moon, buzzing like pete docherty doing Crack lol

What's a Pete Docherty?

[livewire-photography.com]

LOL steve he is a so Called Rock star over here in the UK, hes in a band called Baby shambles and also The Liberteens (i think thats how u spell it) hes just a major f'd up druggy, always getting busted etc. AKA waste of space but never mind, i was just saying i was buzzing with excitement etc!
James...

[sydneyguy30]

hi dude


can i ask, how u actually went about requesting it////

generally speaking, how did u phrase ur requestsss

Hey everyone, sorry but i might stutter and mess up words cuz iv just found out, that im going to be shooting "Wednesday 13", this coming sunday! im soooo made up! i got hold of the PR Company and they gave me a pass and put me + 1 on VIP list!
Cheers to everyone who gave advice to me when i started this absolute Mother of a post lol
Thanks everyone
James......

[livewire-photography.com]

Sydney Guy, What i done was -mailed the PR company, but didnt get a responce so a day later, i phoned them (all in all this is probably always better to do probably) and was extremly polite lol, and i just told the lady on the other end that was only enquiring about it, but luckily (not sure if they do this every time as there are alot of time waisters probably that they get annoyed at) but she put me through to someone with more info, turns out wich in all probabilty i was very lucky, that i got put through to the bloke organising everything for them, and again sounded very polite but did use the proper name as i learned off of this forum(Credential, thnks to everyone who told me that! lol) and i sounded like i knew what i was talking about told hi who i had shot for where my work has been used etc, and then he said drop me an e-mail with ur details and il get back to you, i though mayb he will maybe not??? so i did, told him to feel free at taking a look at website/portfolio and then i got an e-mail saying yeah i will be fine to get one! and boy was i happy,lol.
I should say tho when i heard an american guy say hello i was like ok that wierd as im in UK, then he siad who he was and i wasnt expecting him, and i absolutly sh*t myself lol,
Just be polite, u have to have proof ur not just anyone wanting to get better photos, proove yourself so to speak, and be consistent but dont piss them off what ever you do other wise they ill know who you are!
Good luck.
James.....
P.S im still buzzing! wwwooooooo lol :)

[rachelpattison]

Hey James
I'm shooting Wednesday 13 this Friday in Sheffield we will have to compare shots!!
BTW how did you get a +1? I was not so lucky!

Rachel

[blackshadow]

Hey James
I'm shooting Wednesday 13 this Friday in Sheffield we will have to compare shots!!
BTW how did you get a +1? I was not so lucky!

Rachel

Rachel I usually request a +1 and more often than not it's no problem - there are times when the media or guest list is tight and it won't be granted. The way I look at it - nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[sydneyguy30]

cool

Sydney Guy, What i done was -mailed the PR company, but didnt get a responce so a day later, i phoned them (all in all this is probably always better to do probably) and was extremly polite lol, and i just told the lady on the other end that was only enquiring about it, but luckily (not sure if they do this every time as there are alot of time waisters probably that they get annoyed at) but she put me through to someone with more info, turns out wich in all probabilty i was very lucky, that i got put through to the bloke organising everything for them, and again sounded very polite but did use the proper name as i learned off of this forum(Credential, thnks to everyone who told me that! lol) and i sounded like i knew what i was talking about told hi who i had shot for where my work has been used etc, and then he said drop me an e-mail with ur details and il get back to you, i though mayb he will maybe not??? so i did, told him to feel free at taking a look at website/portfolio and then i got an e-mail saying yeah i will be fine to get one! and boy was i happy,lol.
I should say tho when i heard an american guy say hello i was like ok that wierd as im in UK, then he siad who he was and i wasnt expecting him, and i absolutly sh*t myself lol,
Just be polite, u have to have proof ur not just anyone wanting to get better photos, proove yourself so to speak, and be consistent but dont piss them off what ever you do other wise they ill know who you are!
Good luck.
James.....
P.S im still buzzing! wwwooooooo lol :)

[livewire-photography.com]

Rachel,
ok as your shooting before me lol tell me what the stage is like lol, i did a bit of research on them and stumbled across a couple of videos on youtube.com, they have like layed infront of like sold out sadiums etc lol, i like them but didnt know they were that big lol, do you like them? where are they playing in sheffield? I shot alice cooper there once woo lol.
And yeah we will have to compare, im getting nervous already lol
James....

[rachelpattison]

Rachel,
ok as your shooting before me lol tell me what the stage is like lol, i did a bit of research on them and stumbled across a couple of videos on youtube.com, they have like layed infront of like sold out sadiums etc lol, i like them but didnt know they were that big lol, do you like them? where are they playing in sheffield? I shot alice cooper there once woo lol.
And yeah we will have to compare, im getting nervous already lol
James....

Hey James
I'm shooting at the Sheffield Corporation, its the venue in Sheffield where most of the heavier bands tend to play I think. So I'm already nervous aswell (nice to know its not just me), its only my second proper pass and I emailed the woman I had been given the pass by to confirm and double check the details and she hasn't got back to me yet which makes me more nervous!!

Provided everything goes well, which I'm sure it will, I'll post something up on the forum the next day to let you know what it was like, I know its a different venue but I'm sure some stuff will be helpful.

I'm not really into the band and I don't think they are that big but they are certainly a 'known' band. I'm hoping they will make for good shots because of the costumes/outfits/makeup!! I was in Manchester the other night for the Billy Talent gig and Wednesday 13 were playing the same night near by, there were loads of kids all dressed up so I'm hoping it will be a good night.

Rachel

[sydneyguy30]

kool stuff hey

[AGENT 99]

What about drag strips? Theres one here in town and I'd love to be on that wall taking some shots. How would I go about it?

[Steve Parr]

What about drag strips? Theres one here in town and I'd love to be on that wall taking some shots. How would I go about it?

You might get some better input by asking in the Sports forum. While I may talk to the Production Manager when I want one, I don't know what that position equates to at a drag strip...

[AGENT 99]

You might get some better input by asking in the Sports forum. While I may talk to the Production Manager when I want one, I don't know what that position equates to at a drag strip...

I think I'll just give them a call. It cant be too tough; its just a little drag strip on the outskirts of town.

[johnstoy]

When you call, be real nice and keep it on the positive side only...

They'll spook really easy if there is any negative talk at all...