Hello again, everyone. We have heard your demand for additional photojournalism posts and we have set to delivering just that. The post you’re about to enjoy was written by Matt Vogel, professional tour photographer and someone whose work has appeared in essentially every music publication people who enjoy alternative music might read. It’s a little longer than some of our other photo columns, but it’s definitely worth your time.

This site exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Every year the barrier of entry for music photography seems to get lower. This isn’t a bad thing, in fact I think it’s awesome. But what it means is that the number of people working toward becoming music photographers is much higher. It’s not an uncommon thing to be a music photographer these days, and there are thousands upon thousands of us.

Cameras that can perform in low-light are no longer super expensive, starter prime lenses can be bought for cheap, and it’s easier than ever to start working for a publication of any size and get photo passes for shows. Boom! You’re in.

I often hear photographers complain about other photographers who are undercutting their prices or offering to do jobs for free to get the experience. It’s a very real issue but the fact of the matter is that there are people out there willing to pay music photographers. If you’re being undercut for a gig, yeah that sucks, but if you’re working with the people you want to be working for – the ones that value your work – you can meet your personal definition of success and also create work that you will be proud of.

The artists I work for don’t just value having “someone" out there to take photos, they want the right person. Every musician has an artistic vision for how they want their band to be represented, and some have higher standards than others.

There are thousands of aspiring music photographers out there and standing out from the crowd isn’t easy. This isn’t a tell-all blog post for how to become successful but I wanted to share a few things that helped me get to a place where the bands I work for see me as a valuable asset of their team.

Oh, and in this post I’m talking about working directly for bands. That was my goal and that’s who I typically shoot for, so I just want to make that clear!

#1 – MAKE IT ART

It’s photography! If you want to stand out, do it differently. There’s obviously huge subjective arguments as to what makes a good and bad photo and you can spend years at an art school becoming knowledgable about this. But fact of the matter is you should be proud of your photos, and hopefully they will feel like they are uniquely yours. I try to be a really good photographer. I try to get unique angles, catch the most exciting, fun, and memorable moments, and edit in a style that I not only love, but also hopefully makes my images recognizable.

#2 – BE COOL

I know that headline sounds stupid, but I’m serious. When I work for bands, they want someone they can trust and someone they enjoy being around. Photographers are really disposable. There are so many of us! So you have to be cool, and you have to be trustworthy.

Being on tour is like being roommates with someone, times ten. You’re cramped in a van or bus or whatever, and have no personal space and are around each other 24/7. If people don’t enjoy being with you or you don’t click together then nobody is happy. And hey, sometimes personalities don’t mesh and that is nobody’s fault. But building a trusting relationship with artists you work with is so important. If they can’t trust you to be around and capture everything aspect of their lives then neither of you will be happy, and you won’t be producing the best photos you can be.

Your photos can be incredible, and you can sometimes be hired on that alone, but if you are not a solid person to be around then you probably won’t be invited back.

Nearly all of my touring work is from referrals, which is awesome! That means people are vouching for me as a good person to have around and they think I do my job well. That means so much to me. I feel like very few artists are willing to hire people that aren’t vouched for or don’t know personally.

Me napping with Trevor of Our Last Night in Russia

#3 – CREATE AMAZING CONTENT

Ok so you’re cool? Check. Creative? Check. Now get to work! I do my very best to optimize my workflow, know my gear, and try to understand what my artist needs and wants.

UNDERSTAND WHAT GEAR CAN HELP YOU DO YOUR JOB BEST, AND EITHER GET IT OR WORK TOWARDS GETTING IT.

Most people can’t buy all of the gear they’d like right away, but anyone can research and recognize the tools they are working toward getting, and why they are better.

KNOW WHAT TYPES OF PHOTOS DO WELL FOR YOUR ARTIST.

Some artists get incredible feedback from behind the scenes stuff, some get way more engagement from live shots.

GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA, AND TEACH YOUR ARTISTS.

Your content is a marketing tool. Your photos make shows look fun and exciting, and that in turn sells concert tickets. This is simple but true, and I feel like very few people recognize this fact! Someone commenting on a photo your artist posted saying "WOW THIS LOOKS AMAZING, NOW I’M GONNA BUY TICKETS” is exactly what you want. It can be art and also be an effective marketing tool at the same time – they’re not mutually exclusive.

Also, you have to understand social media. Does your artist want to post 30 photos individually on their Facebook timeline every day? Maybe not the best idea. Teach them to regularly update their Instagrams, use photos to promote ticket sales, etc. A lot of artists are really good at this, but some aren’t. If your artists are using social media right then your value as a photographer and content producer goes through the frickin’ roof. This is so important.

LEARN HOW TO PRODUCE MORE CONTENT, AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO ABANDON IT IF IT FAILS.

Try new stuff! I’ve tried creating daily square Instagram videos for artists, shoot acoustic videos, post entire photo albums to a website, upload videos directly through Facebook, shoot and edit tour weekly updates. There’s so, so much more than just ‘take photos’ that a photographer can do on tour.

However, sometimes only taking photos is the best thing you can do. Some artists don’t benefit that much from tour updates, and they take up a ton of your time as a photographer. Figure out what works and what content is worth your time producing. If you try to do too much then the quality of everything you’re producing is going to go down.

ASK YOUR ARTIST AND THEIR TEAM WHAT THEY NEED.

Talk to your artist, their publicist, their manager, their label, and figure out their needs and wants. You want your artist to be successful and your title may be photographer, but you are really a content producer. So anything relevant to producing content for your artist is something you should be willing to do – and sometimes that means getting extra money for things, which never hurts.

There you have it. These are just a few ways to create value for yourself as a photographer beyond just taking good photos. Hope this post helps!

Matt Vogel is a professional photographer who spends most of his life traveling from city to city with some of the biggest names in alternative music. He also writes about his experiences, which he shares alongside photos on his official website.

Hello and welcome to another week of music industry insight and advice here on the official blog of Haulix. We have chosen to end the month of March with the introduction of a brand new column, and we think those of you with an eye for photography will be thrilled with the results. If you would like to learn more about the efforts of this blog, or if you would like a tour of our servicing platform, please do not hesitate to contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Hello, readers of the Haulix! I’m going to assume that none of you know or acknowledge my existence, so let me introduce myself; My name is Nick Karp and I am a New York state Concert Photographer. Trust me, that title is not as lucrative as it sounds. I was asked by Haulix to write an introduction on how to get started in the world of Concert Photography, and that is what I am here to do. Over the course of the next several weeks I will be sharing with you all my knowledge and secrets about the world music photography, beginning today with a guide on how to obtain photo credentials for a concert.

There may some language in this article that you may not understand. Shoot is another word for “taking photos of.” A Photo Pass is a pass that allows you to photograph a concert. Usually a photo pass will allow you entry into the front of the barricade, which is called the photo pit.

Before I continue, I would like you, the readers, to know a little bit about my background as a Concert Photographer. There is no “right” way to begin in concert photography, but I do not recommend following in my footsteps. I skipped the basics and jumped immediately into shooting bigger tours, beginning with a weekend of Against Me! and the Bamboozle Road Show. I had no idea what I was doing and all my photos from both shows are garbage. Not only that, but looking back now I realize I also made a complete ass out of myself in front of photographers in the photo pit. It was a complete disaster, so please, do not be like me.

What I do recommend, however, is starting with bands and events within your local scene. There are plenty of young artists out there looking for photographers who are willing to take photos of them, so the best thing you can do is email them and let them you are interested in working together. Ask them if they would be willing to trade admission to their next show in exchange for the rights to use your photographs on their various marketing efforts. Building a good reputation with bands in your area through networking and word-of-mouth will help you develop a portfolio even if you are not being paid for your work. In fact, you should not even be thinking about money at this point. Your first show should be about getting out there and taking some photos. Earning experience in the field and studying movements of people on stage. This photo pit is as much your office as it is a classroom. Soak in everything.

Most bars and VFWs that host local shows will allow you to bring a camera, but it’s always smart to double check the photo policies at each venue before attempting to set up credentials. If you are unsure of the venue’s policy, or if it is not readily available online, call them direct. It never hurts to ask, and there is always a chance your conversation could lead to additional opportunities down the line.

You will not always have a photo pit, especially at these early gigs. You’re going to have to find out how to shoot in a crowd, which has its own set of pros and cons that will be discussed in the coming weeks. For now, I will say that one positive from venue without a pit is the opportunity you get to shoot a band’s entire set. That doesn’t happen very often otherwise (we will go into more detail further in.) Lighting will most likely be worse, but that helps you grow as a photographer and it will help you adapt in shooting in different and difficult environments.

Once you have some experience in concert photography,you can begin your quest on obtaining a photo pass a national touring act. You can attempt to build a name on your own, but a far easier and smarter move would be to research and apply to join a digital music zine. Find a site you like to read and contact the editor about opportunities regarding live coverage. They will likely ask to see some of your work, which is when you can show off the local coverage you began working on after reading the initial paragraphs in this post.

When you find an outlet willing to give you a chance, work with your editor to find upcoming events that would be ideal to feature on your site. Your editor may apply for your photo pass themselves, but often times they will ask you to apply so that you can begin building a network of professional publicists familiar with your work.

Who do you contact about shooting a show? 95% of the time the answer will be the publicist of the artist or event you are hoping to cover. A publicist deals with all press and media requests for the band, including live performances, and will be your best friend when it comes to setting up coverage. You can find a band’s publicist usually on their website, Facebook page, or, if they have terrible digital marketing skills and do not post such information on their own, by using Google. If you cannot find a publicist’s info, keep trying. If you are certain there is no contact to be found, go ahead and email their manager. The worst thing anyone can say to you is “No,” and after five or six times even that won’t phase you all that much.

As far as actually emailing contacts are concerned, I have only a few quick tips:

Publicists do not want an essay as a press request. Make it quick and simple. Let them know why you’re emailing, which band you’re trying to shoot, what date at what venue and in what city.
You should be a little personable. Great networking skills are the best tools for success anyone can have in the music industry.
The time frame in which you want to send out a request for a show is somewhere around 10-14 days prior to the show.

I re-created a coverage request scenario with Thomas Nassiff of Exit 384 Media, just so you can get a glimpse of a typical email and response:

Thomas.

Hope all is well. My name is Nick Karp, I am a photographer for *Enter Publication* (www.PublicationURL.com). I wanted to inquire about photography / media credentials for BAND at VENUE in TOWN on DATE. We would love to do a gallery of the show as coverage.

Thank you for your time and I appreciate the consideration! If you have any questions, my photo editor *Photo Editor Name* s CC’d on the email.

Best,
~Nick Karp

www.nickkarp.com
www.PublicationURL.com

His reply:

Thanks for the request Nick, we would love to have the coverage. I’ve CC’ed the band’s manager on this email so he can make sure there is room on their guest list for that night. If so you’ll be all set with a ticket plus photo pass.

-Thomas Nasiff

As you can see, the exchange you make with publicists does not have to be long or complicated. Short and to the point is always preferred.

Always update your editors with progress and responses, even if you are turned down. Sometimes a publicist may ask for information on the publication. Talk to your editors on how to handle that situation.

If you have not received an answer from the publicist, you should follow up about 3 days prior to the show. It never hurts to remind them about your request. Chances are a publicist is dealing with countless media requests and press requests for 20+ bands any given day. It’s easy to understand how a message or two may fall out of the loop.

What you should absolutely not do under any circumstance whatsoever is nag the publicist by emailing them every single day for the same request. Do not be rude. You’re asking for something. If you get rejected, accept it. Tell them, “Thank you for your consideration,” and move on. You want to stay on good terms with every publicist you work with, regardless how much access they give you. Rey Roldan, the publicist behind Reybee Productions even created a blog documenting some of the most ridiculous requests he receives. Rey has always been a pleasure to work with and he’s great at what he does; however, if you try to sass Rey, he will sass you back and you won’t like the results. Don’t be “that” person. Check out the site. It’ll give you a lot of tips on what NOT to do. – http://myphonecallssuck.tumblr.com/

Prior to shooting the show you will want to make sure you receive confirmation from the band’s contact on site. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE CONFIRMED. If you do not receive an email receiving a confirmation, follow up with the publicist. Make sure you receive the tour manager’s number in case you are not on the list. That’s your emergency contact. If everything goes smoothly, don’t bother him. He or she has more important things going on than chatting with you about your photos.

The next step is to go to the show and shoot! We will cover that undertaking, as well as everything from gear tips to why everyone hates the guy using flash in the pit, in the weeks ahead. Follow Haulix on Twitter for updates on the next column and follow me for insight on my daily life in music.