How to Get a Photo Pass for a Concert

If you are an experienced photographer or are just starting out, getting a photo pass is a crucial way to build an impressive portfolio, especially if you are interested in concert photography. With your camera in hand, gain backstage access to festivals and stadiums, or brave the pit and find yourself face-to-face with your favorite musicians, all while capturing that amazing shot. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A professional quality film or digital SLR camera with flash kit is recommended.

1. Browse through local concert listings to decide which artists you wish to take photos of, as well as when and where they will be playing. Larger artists on major labels will be very difficult to get a photo pass for, so it is best to first gain experience at smaller local venues with independent or up-and-coming artists.

2. Brainstorm where your photos could potentially be published. In order to obtain a photo pass, the artist and label need to see that the band will be gaining exposure. Some possibilities for publication are: relevant music magazines, music websites or blogs and local or college newspapers that might be doing a feature on the upcoming performance. Contact these sources to discuss the potential to work together.

3. Find the publicist’s or public relation person’s contact information for the artist you wish to take photos of. Check the artist’s CD liner notes, official website, MySpace page and their records label’s website. Keep scouring online if you do not find the information right away. The information is out there, but it is often purposely a challenge to find. Make sure not to wait until the last minute to contact the publicist, as details for your photo pass need to be coordinated well in advance.

4. Contact the publicist by email or phone. Introduce yourself, state your past photography experience, include a link to your work online and attach your résumé if it includes photography study or work. Tell the publicist which artist you are interested in photographing, the date of the performance and at which venue. Tell the publicist you are not only interested in building your own portfolio with the images of the artist, but also your plans of getting the photos published on a larger scale.

5. Wait to hear back from the publicist. Sometimes you will get lucky and hear back right away. The publicist will then put your name on a list to pick-up your photo pass once you arrive at the venue the day of the show. Other times you might not hear back at all, or there may not be photo passes available for that show. If this happens, don’t give up. Be diligent and try again.

Tips & Warnings

• Establish a website that displays your own photography work- include a bio, contact information, and your photos, of course. Your site does not have to be too fancy, but the more professional it looks, the better your chances are at scoring a photo pass.
• If you successfully get a photo pass, make sure to save the publicists' contact information so that you can easily contact them again if you wish to coordinate another photo pass for that artist or another artist they work with.

Resources

• Switchboard

[SickSense]

on 8/29/2008 Good Article, I will try this out. Thanks for the help

[Just1Becca]

on 6/4/2008 Great idea's - However major label artists are not that hard to get passes for. I was an entertainment journalist through high school thanks to being Home schooled and rarely had a problem getting passes from major labels - All you have to do is call the label (99% of them are listed in 411) and request passes for the show. Let them know you are with a local newspaper, or that you are a freelance photographer and are working on your portfolio. Most of the labels will grant you passes. I toured with NSYNC for 3 years this way, and got backstage at every CA Hanson show the same way.