I Should Probably Know This...

[Steve Parr]

I've shot more live shows than I can shake a stick at. When needing to be credentialed, I've usually gone through the band. I've a friend who's the talent buyer at a SoCal venue, and he also helps me out.

I'm also a staff photographer for a guitar/music publication that has a circulation of about 140,000 per quarter.

My question is how do I go about using my publication affiliation to gain access? Who do I contact? Would it be better to have the Editor contact them?

Like I said, up until now, all of my shoots have been through connections with a venue or a band.

Appreciate any advice...

[shesgotthepic]

I suggest you have the editor do the approach for you. For every journalist that approach me there is 5+ photographers. It really should be the other way around. Most being those looking to expand their portfolio and nearly none actually being on a job for a magazine.

If your editor is doing the phone calls you stand a better chance of actually getting in.

She

[Steve Parr]

I suggest you have the editor do the approach for you. For every journalist that approach me there is 5+ photographers. It really should be the other way around. Most being those looking to expand their portfolio and nearly none actually being on a job for a magazine.

If your editor is doing the phone calls you stand a better chance of actually getting in.

She

That's what I was thinking.

I've had good success with contacting the bands directly but, in those instances where that doesn't pan out, it's good to have a back-up...

[narlus]

My question is how do I go about using my publication affiliation to gain access? Who do I contact? Would it be better to have the Editor contact them?

well you can do it one of two ways. have the editor of the mag contact the band's PR or label directly, enquiring about the pass on your behalf, and defining the assignment.

or, you can do the same, and CC yr editor on the email.

in either case, if you are using the pull of the mag affiliation for the pass, i would have to assume that the magazine would be running some sort of an article and interview and will run photos taken by you for that assignment.

[Nouks]

My experience is that the editor contacts the venue/management/organization too. If photographers (try to) get the themselves, most of the time they are the portfolio-shooters.

[DwightMcCann]

Yup, Editor!

[earplugsrequired]

as editor of a music site both myself and one of my photographers send in requests. either of us can do it. if you are sending it in, reference the editor by making sure you give the publicist of the artist your editor's information. Let them know when the piece will run etc.