CanonXtiDude wrote in post #7830183
By your question I assume you do photography for a hobby? If youre a pro please forgive me but the draw to nightclub photography is its fun and helps people make a living. I don't think the people doing it run out with cameras to nightclubs to post pictures on their flickr accounts and hope they get some cool comments and help boost their ego.
Most of my photography is of the hobby variety, but I also contract for a couple of aviation publications doing air show and other aviation related events. I asked the question because I don't understand the attraction for this type of photography. I'm just trying to get some insight into it.
I think a lot of my lack of understanding is due to the fact I grew up in a different era. I'm a leading-edge baby-boomer who, at the age of most of these club photographers, was overseas fighting a war.
I suppose there's some nightclub shooter out there reading this who is wondering why anyone in his right mind would go out and stand in the hot sun and wind to shoot pictures of airplanes in flight. I feel the same way about club photography. It's just a different niche...
The post below has what is probably a very good explanation of the popularity of the genre...
[Hyuni wrote:
='[Hyuni];7831457']I chuckled a little when you said Chicago. heh I've never been to Vegas, but I think it would be a very big slap in the face to compare a vegas club to a chicago one. haha
I did go out for a couple weeks in a row because of friend's birthdays and we had a good time. I checked out some of the photogs and they had some really crazy awesome gear. I guess that makes sense because they were trying to capture people in motion in the worst of lighting situations.
I talked to a few and they said they enjoyed doing it, but it's a hard business to get in to. The best way to get a gig as a nightclub photog is to show that you are 100% reliable and wiling to work throughout the night. They even buy some equipment for you! The guy I talked to had a 5D markII, 16-35 MKII, and two 530EXIIs. That's a great setup!
You can really tell the difference between those photogs though. The best I saw was at OHM, a club in Lincoln Park, Chicago. He was really friendly to everyone and just before he took a picture, he'd get into this clown stance that made everyone smile or laugh. He shot at the hip and used two flashes, one attached to the body and the other held with his left hand. Definately looked like he practiced a lot. I think it'd be fun for me to do it a couple times, but not as a profession. I think all the pizazz would wear off quickly and it would be extremely physically taxing.
I think the reason why so many clubs now have photogs is because most have their own websites and promote through serveral online venues such as facebook, email, myspace, etc. You pay a guy a couple hundred per night and you get pictures that interest the young crowd into going to that club instead of the hundreds of other clubs in the city.
You may have hit the nail squarely on the head with this comment.
!
that is paying for your soon coming up medicare 
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