How to Become a Concert Photographer

Becoming a concert photographer is a highly desired position for anyone interested in professional photography. For the music lover, it’s a chance to get into shows free and take pictures of your favorite musicians. If you make it to the big time, photographing artists such as Justin Timberlake, it can be a very lucrative business. But, like anything else, you’ve got to start at the bottom and work your way up.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Professional camera
• Camera bag

1. Hone your skills. Concert photography is a subset all its own because you’re only taking pictures in one setting. The house lights are always off, the spotlights are on the performers, and you’ve got to take these lights into consideration when shooting pictures. Practice in these situations to ensure that you’re taking the best pictures you can in a concert setting.

2. Start off by taking pictures at local shows for free. Many local bands and musicians would love pictures of themselves performing without having to hire a professional photographer. Go to a show and ask to take pictures, or email the band a few days before a show and ask. If they’re grateful enough, they might even put you on the guest list.

3. Make connections to bigger names. Once you start with the local musicians, work your way up to more famous bands. Connections are the best way to get into the shows you really want to photograph. Make friends with as many lesser known musicians as you can--some of them are going to have connections to bigger names eventually.

4. Obtain your first photo pass for a concert at a large venue. To be a concert photographer in big venues, you’ll need permission and a photo pass either from the musicians or the venue. No unsolicited pictures are allowed, so if you get to be one of a mere few photographers for an event, you’ll know that you’re getting somewhere!

5. Keep working and getting gigs! The more people you meet, and the more musicians that are impressed by your skills, the more gigs you’ll get. Keep doing what you love and meet as many musicians as you can. You can only become a better concert photographer with practice. And one day, you’ll be on your way to photography super stardom.

Tips & Warnings

• Having good photography equipment is most important in taking high quality pictures, so don't skimp on quality products!