How do you get working for a publication?

[Village_Idiot]

The reason I bought my first DSLR many many many years (like 3?) was to try and get into the concert photography scene.

I quickly learned that a 30D and an 18-55, do not a concert photographer make. Anyways, hopefully by January my 5D MKII delivered and I'll be golden on equipment and experience.

I've done some shows, mostly local bands and a few larger names, but this has all been done freelance or have been favors for friends I know that put on the shows.

I've recently acquired my business license and I'm working on getting that going, so I have experience, equipment, and a portfolio chocked full of all kinds of images. I've finally gotten back around to wanting to pursue the concert photography thing.

I've been looking for "local" publications out of DC and Baltimore that might need photographers, but it seems like those don't exsist in large numbers. There's a few, but they look like small time e-zines or otherwise that are run by one or two people.

I'm not looking to shoot for Rolling Stone and I could care less if I'm shooting Mr. Green Jeans or Metallica. I'm just wondering where I should start looking and how I should approach these people.

I mean, this was the original reason I wanted pursue photography as a serious hobby or profession. As much as I like all the other aspects I've learned and all the other things I shoot, I'd really like to be able to get into doing concert photography on a regular basis and at some place where I'm not having to shoot from a chair in the back of the room to see over the mosh pit/crowd/ 5 people standing right infront of the band.

How did you guys get your start and do you have any advice?

Ed: And I've tried contacting several bands manager/PR people trying to get photo passes and I even have a contact in August Burns Red, but even with the hookups, this is one thing that has eluded me.

[johnms88]

All you can do is ask. Contact editors and show them your work. Thats pretty much all you CAN do.

I was lucky with my beginning. I worked at a venue and eventually became staff photog. Met a few people and eventually got freelancing with the local publications. Its all about who you know.

[londonblue007]

My friends from college started up a e-zine or online music magazine or whatever you want to call it.
I was already shooting for some bands and would email 1 or 2 shots from the shows I was shooting just to help the bands get some exposure. Since I was a friend and I guess the shots were decent, BMS (bostonmusicspotlight.com) would post the photos. Then BMS emailed me asking me if I was available enough on short notice to shoot larger events for them and would be staff photographer. There isn't much pay, since everything is just starting up, but I agreed and they hook me up with passes and I get my photos "published". The site is still growing, lots of work behind the scenes to upgrade and build in flash photo galleries and all that.
Anyway, Thats how it all worked for me. I get a email one or two days before a show and then go shoot. Not a bad deal I think. I've gotten to shoot the Police, Newport Folk Fest, Ted Leo, Dashboard Confessional and lots more.

[canadatv]

There are two basic questions you're asking:

1) how do I get a photo pass so I can shoot from the pit, and
2) how do I make money doing concert gigs?

Number 1 has been addressed quite a lot on this and other forums. You need to work the venue, the band, the label, the publicist, etc. Shooting one big name act will get the ball rolling. That's what happened for me after I shot Satriani. All of a sudden people took more notice and were willing to lead me in the right direction as far as getting contacts, etc. Now I'm shooting a couple of times a month in medium sized venues, and working on getting into the bigger venues. It's a lot of work. Some venues can grant you access on their own, others will ignore you unless you have an approval from the band.

Secondly, how does this hard work translate into income? Staff photographers for publications are a dying breed. With the increase of people with DSLR's, and everyone willing to shoot for free to "build a portfolio", it's quite easy for a publication to get shots for nothing. I've contacted pretty much every music mag out there, and have been basically ignored. The local music scene rags are even worse. Where I have earned some $$$ is working for an online blog that has contracts with venues to post photos as a way to entice traffic to their site and draw people back to the venue. That means lots of people shots of the crowd, kids like to see themselves on the net.

I shoot a lot of local bands and bands just getting started. I shoot their performance, email them low rez pics and offer to either sell them the originals, or better yet try to get a promo shoot scheduled for them. Young bands know they need some good shots to show they are serious.

In my humble opinion concert photography in itself is not a viable full time money maker, it only can open doors for you for other paying work.

[bacchanal]

Where I have earned some $$$ is working for an online blog that has contracts with venues to post photos as a way to entice traffic to their site and draw people back to the venue. That means lots of people shots of the crowd, kids like to see themselves on the net.

Do you get model releases for these shots? Seems that the photos are essentially being used for advertising, so I'm just wondering. I did one commercial shoot one time (at a concert) and they wanted some audience photos, but I had to get model releases. What a PITA!

[hooookup]

There are two basic questions you're asking:

1) how do I get a photo pass so I can shoot from the pit, and
2) how do I make money doing concert gigs?

Number 1 has been addressed quite a lot on this and other forums. You need to work the venue, the band, the label, the publicist, etc. Shooting one big name act will get the ball rolling. That's what happened for me after I shot Satriani. All of a sudden people took more notice and were willing to lead me in the right direction as far as getting contacts, etc. Now I'm shooting a couple of times a month in medium sized venues, and working on getting into the bigger venues. It's a lot of work. Some venues can grant you access on their own, others will ignore you unless you have an approval from the band.

Secondly, how does this hard work translate into income? Staff photographers for publications are a dying breed. With the increase of people with DSLR's, and everyone willing to shoot for free to "build a portfolio", it's quite easy for a publication to get shots for nothing. I've contacted pretty much every music mag out there, and have been basically ignored. The local music scene rags are even worse. Where I have earned some $$$ is working for an online blog that has contracts with venues to post photos as a way to entice traffic to their site and draw people back to the venue. That means lots of people shots of the crowd, kids like to see themselves on the net.

I shoot a lot of local bands and bands just getting started. I shoot their performance, email them low rez pics and offer to either sell them the originals, or better yet try to get a promo shoot scheduled for them. Young bands know they need some good shots to show they are serious.

In my humble opinion concert photography in itself is not a viable full time money maker, it only can open doors for you for other paying work.

This guy speaks the truth.