Getting press credentials for events, concerts, etc.

[tiger20]

Getting press credentials for events, concerts, etc.

What is the process?

[ssim]

You need to be shooting for someone that has a reason to be there, newspaper, magazine, etc.

Your best place to start is with the venue management, the promoter, or the attractions management (ie the singers manager). None of these are easy slugging for someone just starting out. Not impossible but can be very hard depending on the particulars of the event that you want to shoot. This should not be viewed as a free ticket into an event. I'm not saying this is you but we have seen that before.

If you do a search here for press pass, press credentials or variants thereof you will find several threads that discuss this in great detail.

[Croasdail]

This almost should be part of the basic reference for this site as it is a very common question.

To cut to the chase, contact the event management. They will have a media relations person.... emphasis on "media". Some events will accomidate Freelancers, but they need to be able to make a good case for why they should get special treatment. Sometimes they will accomidate a hobbiest/artist if they are working on a special project that seems worthy. Manytimes they can't because of contractual arrangements with who ever or what ever is the main focus of the event. But it never hurts to ask.

What does crack me up though is if you paint in your part time, you can still be an artist. But if you shoot photography part time, you are not an artist but its a hobby. Huh. Artist are often accomidated. Hobbiest are not.

[primoz]

I agree with last part Mark. But I would still say it's a bit different with photography. If you paint in spare time you can surely be artist, but usually you do this in your apartment, on side of river or on middle of the field where you don't bother anyone. If you want to be landscape photographer in your spare time, you can still be artist or photographer or whatever someone wants to be called. But when it comes to sidelines of some sport event, people (and no I'm not pointing at you, because I know better then that :p) should still consider this is area where you can't fit infinity number of people. There can go only so much people to sidelines and they have to make the line somewhere. So "splitting" photographers to working media and to hobby photographers is one of their ways to draw this line.
PS: Sorry for off-topic post. :)

[Croasdail]

Oh, I agree with ya totally on this, hence why I said a worth project. The interesting thing is everyone wants to shoot the big event - pro's or here in the states big name school Division 1 sports. And I understand why, subject matters - a lot. But if you can come down just a little, small name division 1 school, or division 2 school, and they will be more then willing to work with you. Same with pro sports. Many want to shoot major sporting events, yet if you go down to the local pro sporting events, you can often get access that you would never get at the national level pro sport. Quite often the venues are dang good still, and the level of action just only a fraction less then at the big leagues. But everyone thinks it is Pro - or high school. Personally, I don't like to shoot kids because there are just to many potential issues out there. But if you are creative enough...you can find the next level down stuff and still get some great action. That's how I rebroke back into it again. If you can create portfolio images from minor league sports, those that are in the know will give ya a break

Now see... I went off rambling again. Cheers.

[primoz]

Hehe yeah exactly :) But people don't care for little league sport, unless their own kid is competing there. As you said... subject does matter, and it's way cooler to brag around you were shooting NBA match then some local basketball players.
But to be honest, I get much better photos from kids playing basketball for fun on local court, then on some Euroleague (this is European sort of NBA... kinda :D) match. With those kids I can stand in middle of field if I want to, and they will be happy to have that obstacle, while on Euroleague matches, space and possible compositions are extremly limited. But like I said... it's so much cooler to shoot Euroleague :confused:
PS: Gee I better stop... second post which has nothing to do with original topic. Sorry Tiger :)