Concert photography and photographing other live performances is all about access.

While watching TV coverage of a recent political rally, I marveled at how many people ignored the immediacy of the experience and were, instead, preoccupied with snapping pictures with their cell phone, camcorder, digital camera or whatever available device they had at their disposal.

Britney Spears
Photo by Dennis Oblander

For every person in attendance who seemed interested in hearing what the candidates had to say, there were just as many who seemed more set on simply documenting the fact they were there.

Being in the moment is one thing, capturing it is something else. And as someone who has spent a lot of time with a camera pressed to his face, I submit that you can’t have it both ways.

Once, four rounds into a junior middleweight world championship boxing match that I was photographing from ringside, a female photographer perched nearby asked me who I thought was winning the fight. I hadn’t a clue. I could tell her whether my longer, faster lens was working better than my wider, slower lens. I could confirm that those were, indeed, droplets of blood splattered on my shirt (which I actually prefer to the snot). But even though I was watching the fighters' every movement in the ring through the viewfinder, I had no idea which fighter had the upper hand. I was only paying attention to technique, composition and other considerations critical to fulfilling the assignment. Mired in the pool of testosterone that's runs ankle deep at a boxing match, I hadn't even been paying attention to the female photographer!

Although the same disconnect can occur while photographing any live performance, concert photography and taking publicity photos of theatrical or other stage performances is often a sought-after photo op for pros and amateurs as well.

Lorrie Morgan
Photo by Dennis Oblander

What does matter is finding how to get stage-front access – where the real action is – for those larger events that restrict picture taking to credentialed photographers. It's one thing to get crushed against the stage with everyone else taking snapshots of a local band. But if you are at a big-time event and, typically, have only the first few songs to grab that must-have photo you are required to return with, there is no margin for error.

Press and photo access for covering upcoming events is regularly extended to larger newspapers and magazines or is made readily available at their request. Larger venues will very rarely honor credential requests from freelancers who have no press affiliation. Smaller clubs, schools, community playhouses and promoters of events otherwise overlooked by larger press outlets, may welcome freelancers in exchange for limited rights to their photos or even the remote possibility of free publicity.

Here are some photo access tips for freelancers who have ambitions of some day rubbing elbows with the big-time shooters (and be forewarned that some big-time shooters have very little patience with ambitious freelancers):

• Do you mean business? Get business cards that have your complete, current contact information. They don’t have to be fancy. Hand out a lot of them.

• Start small, like The Beatles. If you want concert photos of a touring band scheduled to perform at a larger club, contact the entertainment editor at any smaller, local, niche publication or local, on-line publisher that might be interested in having you cover the performance for them. Do an on-line search for photos of the band to see who is already in the market for them.

• Offer to shoot for free and be willing to grant “unlimited,” though not “all” rights to what you shoot. What you want, ideally, is to be given something on their letterhead (or their verbal endorsement) to verify that you are seeking credentials to fulfill an assignment for a legit news gathering organization. (And no, don’t embarrass yourself by printing up your own letterhead or press pass for some fictitious media outlet – I guarantee you, the people you are trying to outsmart have seen it all before).

• If no one is interested locally, contact similar small outlets in cities the band will be performing in following the local performance. They might be interested in photos to preview the upcoming show. Don't call them the day before the event; allow a lot of lead time of a week or more.

• If you can’t interest the publications, you are on your own. Try contacting the publicist for the group's record label. They have an interest in promoting the record company more so than the individual artists, but might be interested in seeing your work.

• Talk to the club owner or venue manager. It's a long shot, but there is a chance that they or someone who handles their publicity might have a use for your work on their Web site, in fliers or other printed matter.

• Sometimes the major sponsors of an event will want photos for their publicity materials. Instead of hiring a photographer, they may assign the task to an employee. Call them. Convince them your photos will be better.

• Keep in mind that press and photo credentials are generally issued by the event promoter, the tour manager, the artists’ publicists or manager – rarely by the venue itself (although the venue can usually put you in touch with the right people).

• At every juncture, make certain it is clear that you understand that even though you hold copyrights to any photos you take, you acknowledge that it is neither your intention nor your right to make any commercial use, that is to sell, the photos without permission of the artist.

• It's all on you to tell promoters and publicists how they will benefit from letting you take photos (even though you may have no solid media affiliation and, hence, can offer no real likelihood the images you take would ever be published). Be straightforward and candid. Don’t bother telling them how much you like the band or that you promise to put the photos on your Web site and that you'd sell your body for a photo pass – it’s all about what publicity they stand to gain by issuing credentials to you.

• If they are not impressed, as a last resort, tell them that although you have nothing to offer at least it’s all free. Maybe they’ll have a sense of humor.

The drill is pretty much the same whether you are seeking photo credentials for a concert, a sporting event, a play or any other live performance: You need to convince the right people that your taking photos will benefit them. It’s unfortunate that some large media outlets are regularly issued photo and press credentials on the assumption they will publicize the event when, in fact, they have no intention of doing so. Free tickets and press passes (that you'd die for) intended for media have a way of ending up in the hands of someone's teen-age daughter.

Whatever happens, do not get discouraged. Be persistent, but patient. It will likely take more than a last-minute phone call or e-mail to the entertainment desk to convince someone that it’s in their best interest to strike an alliance with you. Put together an online photo gallery of your best work for them to view. Keep careful track of anything you manage to get published and include it in your portfolio. Make up inexpensive, plain paper color prints of your best work that you can send to people without concern for having them returned. Be polite, professional, check back often and make note of who you speak to. Continue to sharpen your skills by taking pictures at small events that do not require press credentials. Ultimately, it’s the quality of your work that will do the talking. If you stick with it, people will eventually listen.

Anyone reading about photography these days finds it difficult to avoid the “Which is better, Canon or Nikon?” debate that seems to preoccupy so many photographers. Fact is, photo equipment is simply a tool -- a means to an end. It's more about what you focus on, not what you focus with.
I like to offer this analogy: No matter how knowledgeable a fisherman you are, no matter how carefully you select your lure, how well you cast, how patient or how hungry you are, if the fish aren't biting, you're going home empty handed. And whether you have a Zebco reel or a Daiwa has nothing to do with it and should be your least concern.
But don't despair. Rest assured that whether you are a professional wedding photographer or an amateur taking a casual portrait of the kids, it is possible to catch the limit with a Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony or any of the many other fine brands that are available. (For the record, my digital gear is Canon and my film gear is Nikon).

TIP: Remember, it's not what you show up with that matters, it's what you take home at the end of the day.

A photographer's most important piece of equipment isn't his or her camera. It's a brick. A brick...!? Actually, a hammer or any similar object will suffice -- as long as it's hard enough to knock from your head the first idea that comes to mind when you look through the viewfinder.
Usually, being experienced at something is a plus. But as a photographer, it can also lead to tunnel vision and turn an otherwise creative shooter into a creature of habit. So, when you take that first look and formulate that first impression of how to shoot your subject, immediately discard it. Grab your brick and knock that idea out of your head!
When it's time for your 6-year-old niece to blow out the candles on her birthday cake, don't stand and queue up alongside everyone shooting eye-level from across the table, stay seated and grab a tight profile from the side. It will be the shot everyone will be talking about. Don't confuse knee-jerk habits with spontaneity. Resist dull routine. Pack that brick and use as directed!

TIP: When planning a photo, the worst thing to come to mind is the first thing!