Unearth trying to get unlimited promotional access for free

[pr0digal]

Unearth is playing a show near me on the 22nd and I happen to have a contact in the band that is playing with them (the brother of the guitarist) who asked me if I would like to come shoot his brother's band and as an added bonus Unearth.

I said yes and was told that I would have stage access and photo access. I thought to myself: Sweet, I am finally getting to shoot a major band!

My dreams were soon dashed. A couple days later I received a message back from my contact saying that in order to be allowed to shoot Unearth I would have to agree to the following condition: they would have unlimited free access to all of my photos for any promotional use they see fit. It's not like I asked for a photo pass for the show, I was in fact offered one.

The reason?

They are working on a DVD to be released worldwide.

Now I have talked to people who have shot Unearth in the past and they were rather surprised that Unearth would require this in order for me to shoot them.

Needless to say, I will not be shooting Unearth on the 22nd. If anybody thinks I am making this up, I am not. I have the messages from my contact to prove all of this

[narlus]

Unearth is playing a show near me on the 22nd and I happen to have a contact in the band that is playing with them (the brother of the guitarist) who asked me if I would like to come shoot his brother's band and as an added bonus Unearth.


My dreams were soon dashed. A couple days later I received a message back from my contact saying that in order to be allowed to shoot Unearth I would have to agree to the following condition: they would have unlimited free access to all of my photos for any promotional use they see fit. It's not like I asked for a photo pass for the show, I was in fact offered one.

it sucks that they are asking for that, but let's be honest here...you were offered a photo pass to shoot an opening band, and not the headliner.

since you have nothing to offer to the band (ie, you are not on assignment from a media outlet), i guess they feel like they should be getting something in return.

so on the bright side, it's not as bad as it could be (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=723573)

[pr0digal]

it sucks that they are asking for that, but let's be honest here...you were offered a photo pass to shoot an opening band, and not the headliner.

since you have nothing to offer to the band (ie, you are not on assignment from a media outlet), i guess they feel like they should be getting something in return.

so on the bright side, it's not as bad as it could be (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=723573)

The whole situation is a bit weird. From what I heard from my contact it was originally supposed to be Age of End (the opener) playing and they offered a Unearth a chance to play at Anchor's Up or something along those lines. It's all rather confusing and chances are I won't end up going as not to be screwed over (again) because I freelance instead of working for a newspaper/magazine

Yeah, I read that thread about the right's grab, that sucks.

[René Damkot]

They are working on a DVD to be released worldwide.
I'd guess they won't be giving the DvD away for free, so I see no reason why you should give your images away for free ;)

[Milky7x13]

ina way, if they take one or two pictures, and if you get you name on the DVD, that not that bad if you're an amateur :)

[blackshadow]

ina way, if they take one or two pictures, and if you get you name on the DVD, that not that bad if you're an amateur :)

No it is bad... it's a f*cking rip off. They want to use the images to make money therefore they should pay. If the images are being used professionally the photographer should be paid as a pro.

Photo credits are worth a poofteenth of f*ck all... they might give you a warm fuzzy feeling for a few minutes but ultimately they are worthless as other potential clients don't go looking at photo credits thinking - hey I like that shot I'll get that photographer to shoot for us.

[timmyeatchips]

You could just go shoot the openers and not stay for Unearth? (Or if you like them, stay and watch but take no photos)

[geeewocka]

I tried going through them to get access to soundwave festival last year & they asked me the same thing, no word of a DVD - but wanted all the high res shots for free

[Mark1]

You could just go shoot the openers and not stay for Unearth? (Or if you like them, stay and watch but take no photos)


This was my thought as well. Just go shoot your friends band then use the pass for a free concert. There is nothing in the contract that says you have to actually take a photo of them, its just if you do, they get free use of it.