Concert Photography 101

One of the most common question i’ve been getting asked recently is, “How do you start shooting with bands?” I decided to answer this question as well as some other tips and info to help those who are interested in shooting with bands. I’ve also included a free concert photography Lightroom preset at the bottom of this post. Head over to the presets page to purchase more. Let’s dive in:

So, how does one go about getting a photo pass to shoot a show? Well, there isn’t just one answer to this question. There are actually several ways to go about getting a pass. One of the ways it to shoot for a publication or label. This basically means you are shooting for the media or record label either on payroll or freelance. This will be tricky if you are lacking experience. The most common way apart from knowing someone, is to build a portfolio and work your way up.

I started off shooting small shows at Fourth of July events and pretty much any other places I could weasel my way into. After building a pretty solid portfolio, I asked several bands through Instagram. Most bands will either ignore your dm or won’t see them, but a good amount (in my case) responded and were stoked to let me shoot the show. Typically, 7 days to the morning of the show is when bands will ask that you remind them or send in your info for them to put you on the list.

The band agreed to let you shoot the show, now what? Your relationship with the artist will determine the type of pass you will get. 9 times out of 10, you will be shooting from the photo pit with a standard photo pass. This pass will let you in front of the barricade to shoot the first three songs, unless stated otherwise by the venue or band. (figure that out before the show). If you have more of a relationship with the band, you could get a VIP, Artist or All Access pass, which will allow you to shoot past the first three songs and will usually let you go anywhere in the venue.

Depending on the venue, it could either be a photo pass sticker you slap on your shirt along with a ticket for entry, or just a ticket, wristband or even nothing at all for some of the tiny venues. You will collect these at will call or guest list usually 15 mins to an hour before the show. In many cases I have had the guest list not show up and I was able to gain access by showing contracts or communication between myself and the band. When it is time to go in, they will usually let you walk in with the VIP line. After you get searched, you will present your ticket to get in.

Now that you are in, you will go wait by the barricade until it is time to shoot. It is important to listen to the security at all times. Security is there to keep everyone safe. If you feel like they aren’t doing something right, ask someone else. I had an issue during an All Access shoot where the security was telling me I couldn’t shoot from the balcony. After harassing me for a bit, I finally got it straightened out with the tour manager and head of security. Be courteous to them and they will treat you the same way.

When your three songs are up, don’t try and sneak in an extra one – get out. You will not go unnoticed. As mentioned above, it is rare, but some venues will let you shoot the whole time with a standard pass. Figure out the rules of your venue ahead of time. If you have an All Access, you are good to keep shooting in the pit or head backstage/on stage or anywhere in the venue. Make sure you get permission from other bands performing to shoot their set. Some have their own photographers and do not want to be photographed. After you shoot your three songs, most venues will let you enjoy the rest of the performance. Do not try and take photos from the crowd.

When it comes time to edit your photos, you might be wondering how many photos to give to the band or how to deliver them. That is totally up to you as the photographer, if there was no agreement set up. I typically give around 25-40 solid shots if it’s a free shoot and whatever was agreed upon for a paid shoot. Delivery method usually isn’t a big deal unless the band prefers one gallery over another. Dropbox, Pixiset, Google drive, etc. will all work and get the job done.

Concert photography is one of those things you will get with time. Making mistakes is inevitable, but equipping yourself with knowledge beforehand will help reduce some of that unnecessary stress. One of the most important things is to not stress during the show. There is going to be a lot going on but being cool and calm will help you focus on getting those perfect shots.