Hello, everyone! After an extended break we have returned with the latest installment in our ongoing series aimed at informing aspiring music photographers about the realities of life in the industry. If you missed one of the previous columns, you can catch up using this link. If not, welcome back! We’re happy you stuck around.
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-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 and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
The best camera you have is the one on you. For years I’ve thought that saying was the biggest cliche in the history of photography. I’ve debated and fought this countless times. My iPhone isn’t nearly as good as the guy with a Canon 5D MKIII. I’d even take a Rebel series camera of my that. I’m here to say that I was wrong.
On December 30th, I was privileged enough to see Patti Smith in concert at Webster Hall. I tried to apply for press countless times for the show, but was met with rejection each time. Patti Smith does not allow photographers; something that I think is very hypocritical as Patti Smith is a photographer herself and even had a relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe, an incredible photographer.
The day prior, Patti Smith also performed at Webster Hall, and a had surprise opener in Michael Stipe of R.E.M. It was his first public performance in years. With the idea that he would perform again the next day, I immediately looked up the guidelines for the venue and found out they did not have a camera policy, so I brought in a Fuji mirrorless camera, a camera which most would not even fathom calling optimal gear for a show. I wasn’t shooting for anyone, but just myself because of my love for R.E.M. Don’t get me wrong, I got the ticket for Patti Smith, but I LOVE R.E.M.
I got to the venue early and was about 6 rows back. I snapped less than 150 shots the entire show and thought nothing of it. I had a few shots I liked, but nothing that I would even consider my best work. Just shots to say, “Hey, I saw Michael Stipe and Patti Smith!”
I posted one photo on a message board and got an email later that night from Rolling Stone Magazine asking for images from the show. Why would they want a shot from a little Fuji. I sent them 15 of my best shots of the show and they bought the usage for them. What? Why? … I didn’t even use my gear.
Maybe it’s because I’m thick skulled, but I couldn’t imagine not published anywhere without my pro-gear. Maybe I’m spoiled in that thought, but regardless if a magazine like Rolling Stone took a photo that wasn’t on quality equipment then anyone really would. This was a point and shoot camera after all.
In the past, I’ve been guilty of judging people by equipment. I’m here to say that I was wrong.
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.
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, everyone! This post is for all the photographers out there, and it’s written by our good friend Matt Vogel. If you like what you read, please check out his official website.
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.
My workflow is the most important part of being a productive and successful music photographer. Other photographers rarely ask about it, but I feel like it’s something a lot of people don’t think about until they’re on the road and freaking out because their workflow sucks. So I want to share mine here, on my nice little blog.
I work really hard to impress each artist I work for with my workflow and turnaround every day on the road. Editing on tour can be really difficult because you don’t always have power for your laptop, no internet to upload things, run out of space on your hard drive, and an endless list of other frustrating obstacles. It’s never an ideal situation, so whenever there’s a green room with a desk, working wifi, and a pot of coffee, I’m a very happy and productive man.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FAST AND EFFICIENT WORKFLOW?
As a tour photographer, I’m always taking pictures – not just while the artist is on stage playing their songs. That’s like 1 hour of the artist’s 24 hour day, so it should be 1/24th of my job. Actually I take that back – don’t shoot your artist while they are asleep, because that is creepy. So it’s like 1/12th of my job or so. The point is, I should always be shooting, and when I’m not shooting, I’m editing. There is no “hey guys don’t do anything interesting and let the photographer edit” time so I have to find pockets of time when I can. When interesting or funny things happen, as the photographer it’s my job to be there and capture that. Many of the best moments happen offstage.
When I first started touring, my workflow sucked and in turn I had to spend a lot more time editing and processing pictures. I was usually the first one up and the last one asleep. It honestly became so much less fun as the days went on and I was so exhausted. Not to mention I was missing crucial moments, or not delivering the number or quality of images I wanted to. After a few runs, I managed to fix my system so I’m only waking up early and editing quickly before we get to the venue. If your workflow sucks on tour, your life sucks on tour.
I’m of the belief that each person in the band and crew should have pictures delivered to them each day. This may seem like overkill and a lot of extra work, but the people you are on the road with are your friends. If they’re not your friends, they will become your friends when you have photos of them for their Instagram accounts in a Dropbox folder every morning when they wake up. Most every crew member I’ve ever been on tour with has been astonished that I take pictures of them and they really appreciate it.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR A GREAT WORKFLOW
There are a few things that make or break my workflow. This is a short list of things as a tour photographer I would NEVER skimp out on.
A powerful laptop
I have a loaded up Macbook Pro that ensures that I’m not sitting around for 45 minutes waiting for photos to export. This is the most important piece of gear I own.
Adobe Lightroom
Hard drives
Like a ton of them. I use Western Digital MyPassports because they are really cost effective and I’ve found them to be reliable.
Good card reader
I use a Kingston USB 3 card reader.
Fast and large SD/CF cards
I use 32gb SanDisk Extremes – 45 MB/s. These import through USB 3 into a Lightroom catalog in just a few minutes.
Dropbox
You need it! Or a cloud storage equivalent. Something with a whole lot of space. I like Dropbox because many people already have it, it’s very easy to set up if not, and their app is very user friendly.
LET’S BEGIN…
PRE-TOUR PREP
Before each tour starts, I give myself some homework. I create a folder system for each date of the tour. Here is how that looks:
A folder for each date. Each day, I create a new Lightroom catalog 2 folders deep in order to keep the show’s folder very clean and organized. I also import the raw images into a subfolder 2 deep as well. Exported images are in the “Web” folder, but that comes into play later.
I replicate this folder system on 2 hard drives. I use 2 drives to back up my work every day or two. I keep the drives in separate locations in case one gets stolen. After my internal hard drive starts getting close to full, I will delete the files from it, and still have the two copies on separate hard drives. Do not be lazy about backing your work up because if you don’t do it, your computer will light on fire and you will lose everything and this is not a scare tactic, it’s gonna happen. So back your stuff up.
The next thing I do is create a similar file tree in Dropbox, which is selective synced to my computer. Everything I put in these folders on my computer uploads automatically in the background, which is amazing.
Everyone on the band and crew gets one of these folders with photos from each day of the tour. I make these before the tour and share the folders with everyone on day 1 so that they have access to the photos from the Dropbox app on their phones.
I also create a folder called ‘Galleries’ which just includes every image from that day – I share this link with management, publicist, etc. as well as the artist and any band or crew that may be interested.
EXTRA WORK ON DAY 1
Day 1 is crucial to your workflow. The first thing I do after the show is import photos and spend some serious time in Lightroom.
In the image below, you can see my presets on the left side. Day 1 of every tour, I go through behind the scenes images and live images and create variations of my own presets. After the first day, I know what the lighting will be like for the live show, which dictates how I edit. Create a preset folder in Lightroom and do this, it will save you a lot of time.
After you have your presets, head to the import dialogue and set up your “Apply During Import” settings to your generic live preset, and setup your Metadata. This saves so much time later as well.
Now on day 2 when I go through the rough 1,000 shots I took during the day, all I have to do for the live ones is adjust exposure and minor details on the sliders. This keeps a consistent look across all photos and makes my workflow much faster.
After shooting all day, I usually import the photos immediately after the show so that I don’t misplace a card, accidentally overwrite it, and basically just avoid any sort of data loss incident that could occur.
I won’t go through the actual editing of the photos, but the basic premise is I cruise through my Lightroom catalog, using the hotkey “B” to make a quick collection of the keepers, while I edit as you go. I usually have a quick collection of 150-300 images. I export them, resizing for web, into my folder “Web” in each date’s subfolder.
From this huge list of photos, I go through each one and copy and paste the photos of that person into their daily Dropbox folder.
I rarely edit the night of the show, and instead try to get to bed fairly early and wake up early the next morning to do my complete editing process before the bus gets to the next venue. I try to get in the venue as fast as I can and get on wifi so that my selective sync Dropbox folders update and the guys wake up to a notification that there are new photos in their Dropbox folders.
All of this stuff is pretty basic but has changed my life on tour and saved me countless hours by putting in an extra few of prep time before the tour starts and on the first few days. My entire workflow including importing and exporting is roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes for each show.
Photos on tour are very time sensitive – in extreme cases some artists like my friend Hoodie Allen like to post a crowd photo minutes following the show, so I import, edit that very quickly, and text it via iMessage to him right away. The whole process takes under 5 minutes, but really helps engage kids on their way home from the show reflect on how awesome it was.
Things like wifi on cameras are also becoming part of my workflow. For example, I was just with Hoodie Allen when he played a TV show. I took a photo of Hoodie and the show’s host on my 6D, connected via wifi to my phone, edited in the VSCOcam app, and sent Hoodie the high res image for his social media within minutes. That type of shortcut in my workflow is rarely used, but amazing in the right situations. When my artist asks “How the hell did you do that so fast?” I know that my system is working.
I’m always learning new things to implement into my workflow and how to improve it and make my life easier. My personal goal as a music photographer is to provide the artists I work for an insane amount of content, and to make that content amazing. The faster I churn out the content, the more time I can spend focusing on making sure it’s amazing!
Greetings! With 2014 quickly coming to a close, we wanted to find a unique way to present the best moments in music from the previous year to our readers without falling into the stereotypical routine of posting list after list detailing events and releases we never covered in the first place. We don’t really weigh in on music in general, so why try and do so now?
After much thought and debate, we settled on a new concept that we think everyone enjoy. Together with a group of our favorite music photographers, we have compiled a collection of images that showcase some of the best and most intimate moments in music from 2014. The images shared in this series were chosen by the photographers who captured them, and the only guidelines they were given was to choose the one image that meant the most to them. Some included an explanation for their photos, while others did not, but everyone chose images that are sure to linger in your mind for days to come.
On August 1st 2014, I was able to capture a photo (as pictured) of Suicide Silence’s Drummer Alex Lopez at the 2014 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival at The Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ! A few things about this image that make me feel that this is one of the best photographs of 2014, One being the fact that I was not only able to capture a truly amazing moment during a live performance of a drummer, which is honestly very rare to be able to get great photos of drummers as they’re usually posted high up on a drum riser where you can’t really get a good view of them. What also makes this photo rare/cool is the fact that its a photo with a direct eye contact and Alex has a drumstick directly pointed into the lens of my Nikon camera. This photos shows the talent Alex puts into his drumming as he can play and pose mid-set for a photographer, which is amazing and made this capture a very unique photo.
Another part of this image that I appreciate and think makes it stand out is the great lighting situation (which was a cloudy but bright sky) that day with not so great weather conditions as Mayhem Festival is obviously a mostly outdoor festival, It was pouring rain during Suicide Silence’s set which made me hesitant to even shoot them during this time but I was determined to get out and capture photos of their set as I was on assignment from Music Mayhem Magazine and I did not want to have a band missing from the review gallery but this photo made shooting in the pouring rain so worth it in the end. The colors within this image also make it pop as the bright blues from the backdrop of Suicide Silence’s set made for a very eye catching color addition to my photo.
As a photographer these moments are the moments I look for when capturing images, unique things within the subject or matter that I am capturing as it makes for a fantastic and uniquely awesome photo! Thank you to Music Mayhem & Mayhem Festival PR for allowing me to cover Mayhem Festival, & a Huge Thank you to Alex Lopez of Suicide Silence for giving me this unique contact during their set to capture such an incredible image.
Andrew Wendowski is a freelance photographer who has probably contributed to one of the music sites you read on a regular basis. To learn more about his work and what he will be covering in the future, click here to follow Andrew on Twitter.
Hello, everyone! We have been making a conscious effort to increase the number of interviews and photo-related posts we feature on our blog, and today we’re given the rare opportunity to deliver on both fronts. We told you last week about a young man who has joined us in our efforts to better educate the future photographers of music, and today you will learn his story.
This blog 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.
I have lost count of how many times we’ve said something like this in the past, but there is no one living today with the power to do more for your career in music than you. There may have been a time decades ago when someone with a lot of talent and passion would be given an opportunity to prove themselves in the business simply because they were looking to work and willing to complete tasks for very little pay, but those days are long gone. We’re well beyond the saturation point for music industry employment, and the demand for jobs, as well as unpaid roles like internships, is at an all time high. If you want to stand out from the thousands screaming for attention around the globe, you need to take it upon yourself to get your name in work in front of people with the ability to help you along. Then and only then will you begin to climb the numerous rungs on the ladder to music industry success. You’ll probably fall down a time or two as well, but hey – that’s life.
Connor Feimster is one of countless young people currently trying to navigate the often tricky waters of professional music photography. He’s a frequent contributor to Mind Equals Blown and, as we teased in the introduction, he recently came on board to aide us in further educating others interested in music photography. I didn’t know who Connor was a few months back, but he took it upon himself to make an introduction, and then did so a second time for the sole purpose of potentially appearing on this blog. Drive like that may come across as annoying to some, but as a person who still feels they must fight for any semblance of acceptance/relevance in the music business today I completely understand where Connor is coming from. I’m there too. Some people know my name and sure, I’ve made strong connections with important people, but every day I wake and battle with an internal voice that tells me I am not where I need to be yet. There is still another article to create, another hand to shake, and another email to send. Connor isn’t where he wants to be yet either, but as you will soon learn he’s working incredibly hard to get ahead.
If you would like to learn more about Connor and his ongoing adventures in music, please be sure to follow him, as well as Mind Equals Blown, on Twitter. Additional questions and comments should be left at the end of this post.
H: Hey there, Connor. Thank you for finding time to speak with us about your work. How is the week treating you thus far?
C: Thanks for having me! I just got to shoot Anberlin for the first and last time last night, so my emotions are all over the place. Other than that, I’m working a lot this week and trying to maintain whatever cleanliness I’ve found in my apartment.
H: I’m not really sure what your professional situation is, but I know many people with your career also have jobs on the side for those times when work slows down or they simply need to cover bills. Does the same apply to you? If so, what do you do when not looking at the world through your camera lens?
C: Oh, absolutely. Aside from shooting, I’m also an editor over at Mind Equals Blown, I work in retail at one of the biggest malls in the country, and I’m an actor in Philadelphia. Aside from working, I like to collect and listen to vinyl records, see as many movies as possible, and above all else, I love to nap.
H: You’re one of the first people to approach us about featuring your work on Haulix, and I don’t think you actually expected us to respond. What inspired you to reach out in the first place?
C: I honestly don’t really know! I’ve been using Haulix’s music promotion program ever since my start at MEB last year and only recently discovered the blog and how it showcases various aspects of the music industry and it really struck a chord with me. I initially tweeted as a quasi-joke because I’ve never been interviewed for anything before, but I mentally prepared myself for the possibility of actually interviewing and here we are!
H: The reason I asked that is because I think one of the most important lessons people can learn in music is that those who achieve their goals do so because of their own drive for success. No one is going to come along, pick your work out of the countless others hoping to have your dream job, and carry you off into a long-lasting career out of the blue. The only way to get noticed is to take it upon yourself to make people aware of your work. You did that for us, and now here you are. Kudos.
C: I completely agree, and that was honestly an idea in the back of my head while I was writing that tweet. I kept thinking “well, nobody but me can really do this for me, so why not?” The result is already pretty cool.
H: I’ve made it this far without mentioning what it is you do in music, but we have certainly hinted at it. Why don’t you go ahead and tell people what you do and who you do it for?
C: I’m a music and portrait photographer based out of Philadelphia. I’m currently a mainstay photographer for Mind Equals Blown, but am opening up to more freelance work whenever I get a chance.
H: We’ve featured a handful of photographers before, but not as many as I would admittedly like to have shared up to this point. I’m working on it though, and I’m glad you were willing to participate. Tell me, when do you think you first fell in love with photography?
C: Pinpointing a specific time is excruciating for me to even think about, because photography has always been integrated in my life since my childhood. My mother is a nature photographer and I’ve grown up shooting alongside her. It’s because of her that I shoot with Canon bodies and that I really love shooting landscapes on the side. This whole thing started with her. A given time isn’t quite an appropriate answer; it all stems back to my mom.
H: Before we dive into that a bit more, let’s talk about music. What are the earlier memories you have of music and the role it played in your life during that time?
C: Music has always played an incredibly valuable role in my life, whether I like to own up to it or not. The arts as a whole are what I’m truly about and what I love, but music has always umbrellaed over everything else as an overseer of sorts. I’ve loved to sing forever, I love going to shows, and I love how the production aspect plays out. As a whole, music is just so cool to me. When I was a kid, I was way into soundtracks, top 40 pop, and musical theatre even though I grew up listening to classic rock, Dave Matthews, and folk music. When I was 11, I attended my first concert, which was (I believe) the latest Simon & Garfunkel tour in December of 2003. The entire show was like a dream. I can’t really explain it much more beyond that. By the time I was in high school, I began hitting up smaller club shows, the first being Envy on the Coast’s Lucy Gray release tour with Kaddisfly, Danger Radio, and Powerspace (my then-all-time-favorite band). Since then, I tried to attend as many shows as possible. Nowadays, it’s something that’s purely second nature to me.
H: Let’s get back to photographer. Did someone in your life help nurture your interest from a young age? When did you first get a camera of your own?
C: As I said, my mother was my biggest influence to even pick up a camera. She grew up on a property that has acres and acres of natural, preserved woodlands so every time I would visit my grandparents, I’d see something new and memorable. As a kid, one of my favorite things to have was a disposable camera. It would almost be seen as a waste of money, given that I would fill it up in mere hours, taking photos of anything (and sometimes nothing) just to get it all developed as soon as possible. I got my first camera for Christmas in 2005 and have never looked back. Since my dinky little point-and-shoot days, I’ve upgraded to a Canon Rebel T5i DSLR and am saving to upgrade again.
H: Were you involved with music at all beyond enjoying it as a fan before foraying into the world of music photography? If so, how?
C: The most involvement I had was simply attending shows and doing street team work here and there, whenever I had the chance. I was on Fueled By Ramen’s team back in their neon heyday, that 2007-2008 style. That was the most I could do with whatever limitations I had and I certainly don’t take any of it for granted.
H: My research tells me you’ve attended college in the past. Did you study photography or anything else that aides you in your pursuit of a career today?
C: Indeed, I graduated from Arcadia University in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting. Photography and music, as I’ve said, have played extremely valuable roles in my life, but I’m a theatre artist through and through, which is something not many people know about me outside of my home and schooling life. I’ve taken photography courses throughout high school, but as far as a continued education goes, photography played absolutely no part in it.
H: Looking back, would you recommend that other aspiring music photographers attend college, or at the very least seek out additional education beyond high school? I know many of our younger readers have dreamed of making a living with their photos.
C: There are so many amazing photography programs around Philadelphia alone, so if it’s something you really want to hone in on and fine-tune, I absolutely recommend it. I’ve had friends go through programs and come out completely changed (for the better, of course). As a generality, a continued education after high school should be your decision alone. It’s a shame how frowned upon it is to not have a degree, but some of my closest friends are high-up managers at their respective workplaces and simply have a high school diploma. It’s up to you to decided what you want to do. I personally didn’t like college, but I don’t regret it one bit. My program kept me there because they believed in me. Surround yourself with positive vibes and you can get through anything.
H: You’re a part of the Mind Equals Blown news team, which is one of my favorite content creation groups in music today. When did you first learn of the site, and how much time passed from that point to the day you applied to be a contributor?
C: MEB has been around for a handful of years, but I didn’t really pay much attention to any site other than AbsolutePunk until very recently. I first paid closer attention to the site when I learned that my friends in A Lot Like Birds were really well-received by the team, so they had my respect right away. I connected with one of MEB’s writers through Instagram, of all places, in the summer of 2013 and he put a good word in for me to apply to the team. By September, I was enlisted as a photographer and a staff writer and got to review some great work. Throughout the rest of the year and the first few months of 2014, I was the site’s sole consistent photographer, which was a lot to take on, but the challenge of that has paid off tremendously. I was promoted to editor last month, so my writing is beginning to dwindle, but it’s quite an honor to be in this position. I like where I am on the team right now. It feels right.
H: What can you tell us about the application process?
C: It wasn’t anything too strenuous; I had to provide my age, favorite bands, any previous publications I wrote for (fact: there were none), and a few samples of my writing. I had actually reviewed my top ten albums released in 2012 on my personal blog, so I just sent them what I had and a couple weeks later, I was a member of the team.
H: Have you contributed to, or otherwise worked for any other sites since joining MEB?
C: I’ve submitted some of my photos to Alternative Press, but there sadly hasn’t been any biting. I also shot for the stars and emailed Rolling Stone, to which they promptly (probably) trashed it. Other than that, I’ve just worked for MEB but am willing to shoot as freelance if people will have me!
H: Do you think it’s important for photographers to find a site to call ‘home,’ or would you be perfectly fine existing as a fully independent photographer in the music world?
C: My ideal goal is to be independent, because it builds a nicer résumé and shows variety. Having a home or a niche is wonderful; it’s what I have now and I’m pretty content. But I’d like to get out there and build up the credits.
H: You wrote a blog for us about a week ago on the topic of your first concert experience as a photographer, so I won’t ask you to talk about that again. I will, however, inquire about the other articles you may write in the future. Any ideas yet?
C: The holidays are upon us at my retail job, so I haven’t quite mapped out much else just yet, but I’d love to touch on etiquette or something focussing on the show rather than the equipment. That’d be cool.
H: What was the last event you covered? Tell us a bit about the experience.
C: I said goodbye to Anberlin last night and I cried. Their lights were incredible and epic, just as I’d expect them to be. They mean a great deal to me and my craft, so I’m glad I didn’t miss out on the show. It was one for the books, for sure.
H: You’ve been in music for a little while now, and I would like to think you have a strong grasp on the state of the business. Do you aspire to be a full time music photographer? If so, how are you currently planning to make that happen in the years to come?
C: You know, it’s hard. It’s very hard to have any job in the arts, whether it be photography, music, or theatre. Doing all three sounds like a nightmare to most, but the challenge is what keeps me going. Upon leaving college, I was cast in my first professional theatre role and that one show took up my entire summer on top of shooting, so it absolutely kept the wick burning under my ass, which I loved. Right now, I’m focusing more on saving my funds to move, so theatre is kind of on the back burner while I put in more hours at the mall. Photography is the one steady thing I can keep consistently doing; I don’t work nights and can plan out shows well in advance. If I could have a solidified, money-making career in the arts, that would be amazing. I don’t want to work in retail forever. I just have to get over that hill and get better at what I do. There is always, always, always room for improvement and anyone who says otherwise is a big, fat liar.
H: What are the biggest hurdles between where you are now as a music professional and the place/role you would like to reach?
C: Getting my priorities in order, for one. Another big one is time. My biggest problem is that I want too much too quickly. My friends and family keep saying “you’re doing too much to not get paid for it” but the fact of the matter is that I love it too much to make that a priority. I feel like things could potentially move faster if I allowed that to happen, but then I would be limited to what I could actually do. Aside from a few promo shoots, I’ve over ever sold my wares once, and that was because I didn’t want a free microphone.
H: If someone reading this is just starting to consider a career in music photography, what advice would you offer them?
C: If you like something, keep doing it. Nine times out of ten, what you want will never just fall into your lap; you have to work for it. For most of the time, it absolutely sucks and you’ll start off by getting little to no recognition, but if you keep at it, it’ll pay off. I’m almost there. Almost.
H: Where is Connor Feimster going to be five years from today, and what will he think of the way he spent his time in 2014?
C: Aside from joking that “next year will be the year of perfect vision”, I hope to have people know my work. The most egotistical thing I want, if you can even call it that, is to be appreciated. By 2019, I would like to eliminate the crutch of retail, complete with a roof over my head with the person I love by my side and maybe my own studio that can work both as an editing station and a practice space for whatever show I’m in. That’s the dream.
H: I think that is all I have for you right now. Before I let you go, are there any other thoughts/observations that you would like to share with our readers?
C: I’d just like to give an extended thanks to anyone who has taken the time to say a kind word about my work and took the time to read all of this. There’s no reason to shoot shows without fan input and appreciation, so for all that and more, I thank you. And thank you, James. This was a wonderful experience.
Good afternoon, everyone! We are thrilled to learn that you found time in your busy schedule to spend a few minutes browsing our company blog. We have received a ton of requests for additional photography columns, and starting today we’re thrilled to announce the return of those posts with a little help from our new friend Connor Feimster. Don’t know him? No worries, you’re about to learn his story in his own words.
This blog 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.
Hi! My name is Connor Feimster and I’m a music photographer based out of Philadelphia. I’ve been asked by Haulix to talk about my start in the music photo world by describing my first “official” shoot. For starters, I’ve been taking a camera to shows since 2006, using a Canon point-and-shoot that could easily be hidden inside my right Chuck Taylor. I didn’t start “officially” (can you tell I don’t fancy that term?) shooting shows until quite recently.
My first big-boy shoot actually fell into my lap on a whim. I was lucky enough to have won passes to see Anthony Green, my favorite musician on the face of the planet, perform a studio session at Radio 104.5 in January of 2012. The passes also came with a pair of tickets to his headlining show at Union Transfer later that same night. Once my friend and I were able to sit inches from Green’s godlike presence, we waited in a short line to share a few words with him.
(At the time, photographing shows was simply a mere hobby of mine. It wasn’t anything I constantly strove to achieve with any ticket I had to a show. I didn’t work for any publication or anything; I just had a camera and a Flickr account.)
After chatting with Green, my friend and I began to depart the studio until some weird feeling of confidence swept over me and I ran back upstairs to where the remaining fans were patiently waiting. I then found the first person with a tour laminate and the words just flew out of my mouth: “heymaniwaswonderingificouldmaybeshoottheshowtonight?” It turns out that the poor soul who had to deal with my shaky execution was Green’s tour manager. But it wasn’t until he said “of course, what’s your name?” that I realized I may have done something right. Just like that, I not only had a photo pass, but an extra ticket to the show.
Fast-forwarding to the show, I had my glorified point-and-shoot (a Canon PowerShot SX30 IS) and the beautiful press badge in tow when I entered Union Transfer. I immediately noticed that the venue had no barricade, and therefor no photo pit. My whole being succumbed to a temporary bummer until I asked a guard what I could even do with “this thing”. He then opened the backstage door for me and said “go up there and do your thing!” My eyes widened and I think my jaw may have dropped a little bit.
Thankfully, my friends who were with me knew how important this was to me, so they were fine with me departing for a majority of the show to stand side stage and try to do something right. After running into members of opening band The Dear Hunter (who would later become good friends down the line) for the first time ever, I was already pretty euphoric and starstruck. During their set, I was shooting from pretty far back at first, and noticed that Green and his wife Meredith were standing beside me to watch the set. Green then extended his hand and said “glad to see you up here!” and I silently screamed my little fanboy heart out.
Following The Dear Hunter’s set, I stepped off stage and returned to the backstage corridor and began going through photos and weeding out the bad from the good when a curious woman tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I got any noteworthy shots. I turned and noticed that she was a tad more mature than most Green fans and that she was with a man who was more than likely her husband. After showing her a few photos, I had a sudden realization and, again, just threw words out of my mouth: “This may sound like a weird question, and I hope I don’t offend you, but are you Anthony Green’s parents?” to which she smiled and nodded. I followed up with “I’m guessing you guys are pretty proud of your son’s endeavors”, Green’s father responding with “Every single day.”
Once my time with Green’s parents came and went, I jokingly said to myself that I don’t even need to shoot his set and I could go home and remember this night forever as is. But I had a duty to perform; this pass wasn’t given to me to look like a doofus backstage. So I stuck it out and excitedly texted my friends about everything that just happened in just a window of minutes. The lights went down and Green and his friends in Good Old War took the stage to open with “She Loves Me So”. The set was astounding, as it was the first show of Green’s tour supporting his sophomore solo record Beautiful Things in his hometown. Once his set was finished, I finally ventured back to my friends to watch the encore with them, which held the surprise of Saosin’s “Seven Years” and everyone went ballistic.
I only left that show with four or five salvageable photos (like I said, I didn’t really know what I was doing just yet) and was, at the time, “strictly against editing” for whatever dumb reason, but I left the happiest I had ever been from my time at a show. I don’t think I’d have had my first shoot any other way.
You can check out a few (not very great) photos, still untouched, from that show below!
Hello again. Thank you for joining us today. We have spent a lot of this week talking about the industry and how bands can better there efforts, but before we head into the weekend there is one additional industry profile that we wish to share. If you’re into photography, this post is for you.
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-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 and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
It’s not every day that someone writes us with a request that we consider their work in regards to planning our future content, but I have to be honest and tell you those are the email I open as fast as I possibly can. Why? Because it takes a special breed of person to speak out and let the world know they are doing whatever it takes to chase their dreams. Some people who do this may come across as egotistical at times, sure, but from my experience the people in the industry who are most vocal about their efforts have the results needed to back up their statements more often than not. This is a business that demands individuals take their career into their own hands if they ever hope to get ahead, and today we are thrilled to introduce you to one young woman who is doing just that.
Allison Newbold, otherwise known as Ally, has been building her reputation as a music photographer with an eye unlike any other since 2008. She knew she had a passion for photography from a very young age, and she realized early in her teen years that in order to make her hobby anything that could one day resemble a career she would have to do whatever she could to position herself for success. She shot every show she could attend, honing her skills and networking with groups of all sizes along the way, but things did not really begin to take off until Ally moved to Philadelphia in 2012.
I never knew Ally’s name prior to working on this feature, but as soon as I began to scroll through her photography I realized I had been enjoying her work for years. She has an eye for this medium like very few do, and considering how young she still is it’s very likely that talent will only continue to develop in the years to come. Even more important than that however, is the fact Ally has taken her career into her own hands, accepting responsibility for her successes and failures as they come. It’s something I wish every young industry professional could do, and my hope is that learning Ally’s story will encourage others to take it upon themselves to make positive changes in their own lives.
If you would like to see Ally’s work and learn more about her life in music, click here to visit her official website. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: Before we begin, please take a moment and introduce yourself:
A: Hello, my name is Ally Newbold! Thank you for having me.
H: It’s great to have you with us, Ally. It’s rare that someone comes to us looking to be featured, but I am happy that you did. There’s so many people working in and around blogging today it’s often hard to figure out who has the best story to tell. Yours is pretty great, but before we get to it we should tell everyone a bit about your past. What memories of music do you have from your childhood?
A: Music has always been an important aspect of my life. As a kid, my dad would listen to a lot of jazz and blues but I found myself listening to pop music at a young age. I would dance in my room to Britney Spears and aspire to be as cool as Hilary Duff. I also had a huge crush on Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys and also was a huge Green Day fan. Music has always played a major role in my life and I would not trade it for anything.
H: This is a question I think we have asked everyone on this blog to date, but I think it’s one that says a lot about a person and their journey: What was the first concert you attended? Bonus points if you share an early fan girl story.
A: My first concert was the Backstreet Boys Millennium Tour in 2000 which was huge for me because as I said I had the world’s biggest crush on Nick Carter. I had Backstreet Boys posters hanging in my room and had several Backstreet Boys merchandise items including t shirts and trading cards. I also learned the choreography to almost all of songs and practiced it for hours in my living room. My mom videotaped it. I will never release the footage.
H: Can you pinpoint any type of ‘lightbulb moment’ or experience in your youth that let you know a career in and around music was the one for you?
A: I did not have many friends growing up. I moved to a few different cities and changed schools fairly often. I kept to myself most of the time and found myself attending shows more often than not. I would attend these shows alone and my mom would wait in the parking lot for me after the shows. I knew that this would play a huge role in my life and I am still the same way. I still attend shows alone (not always) but now my mom does not wait for me in the parking lot anymore. Now, she will just text me after the show asking how it was. This was a strange way for my mom and I to connect, but the amount of time she wasted waiting in the parking lot means more to me than she will ever know.
H: You’re still fairly young, but that amount you have been able to accomplish up to this point is incredibly impressive. Did you pursue any education beyond high school for music, photography, or any of your current roles?
A: No, I did not pursue any education beyond high school for music or photography. Honestly, I don’t even know how to play an instrument. I am currently finishing up the last year of my undergrad at the University of Central Florida for a degree in history and legal studies. People are generally surprised by this because I did not study photography.
H: Do you feel secondary education is something everyone should seek out if they desire to work in music? Please support your answer.
A: I do not think it is necessary for someone to pursue secondary education if they desire to work in music. I think it could be a helpful tool to build connections within the music industry and a good way to start getting out there, but personally I think it is about a person’s work ethic and passion. A passionate person with a strong work ethic is the most useful tool one could have.
H: I know from our previous conversations that things really began to take off for you after you relocated to Philadelphia. What can you tell us about your first outing(s) as a photography/videographer? Who did you work with, and what do you recall from the experience?
A: Yeah! Philadelphia has been nothing but wonderful to me since I relocated here. My first show in Philly was the annual Lost Tape Collective Holiday Show hosted by Man Overboard at the Theatre of the Living Arts in December 2012.
H: You are involved in a few different projects within the music community, so we’ll have to bounce around a bit to let everyone in on all you do to keep this business moving. Let’s start with the blogging community. What initially inspired you to apply to various sites, and which sites did you seek out first? Why?
A: It is crazy to say that I have had a Flickr Account since 2006. I began my journey taking self-portraits in and around my house in Palm City, FL trying to push the limits of what I could do. I was inspired by so many talented Flickr users who were doing the same thing as me, but better, such as Lexi Mire and Alex Stoddard who have both come so far since then. I began taking portraits of others in 2007 and found myself photographing bands in 2008. Photographing bands was something that I never thought I could do. I thought I needed an education behind it and some sort of mentor, but all I really needed was myself. My process of this was trial and error. If I did not like something, I would do something different until I found something I did like. Even then, I would and still continually challenge myself to better my photographs. Photographing shows is something that is really important to me. I feel like although I cannot play a single instrument, I am an active member of the music scene and I am a part of something. This timeline can be seen on both my flickr page (flickr.com/allisonkilla) and also on my myspace photography page (myspace.com/allisonkillaphotography). I am still active on my Flickr account and sorry to disappoint you but I am no longer active on the myspace page.
H: As far as I can tell, it’s this initial effort you made to get your name out there that really started the ball rolling on your career. In fact, as we will discuss in a minute, networking has played a large role in many of the opportunities that have come your way. What advice can you offer our readers on getting over your fears and doing whatever you can to get the word out about your efforts?
A: I think it is important to always be confident and to always challenge yourself. If you love something, do it. If you really care about something, show it. There is no greater feeling than to love what you do for a living and to truly be passionate about what you do in your day to day life. I moved over a thousand miles away to get my name out there and I do not regret it a single day.
H: You currently contribute to Nothing Original and PropertyOfZack, both of which are sites we have featured on this blog in the past. Do you see yourself adding more blogs to your resume in the years to come? Any ‘dream’ publications?
A: I love my families both at Nothing Original and PropertyofZack. Both Steven of N.O and Zack of POZ have been nothing but welcoming since I have contributed to their sites. I am currently in the works of adding more blogs to my resume. It is important to continually build your name and expand. I would love to be a contributor for print magazines and websites such as Rolling Stone, Spin, Alternative Press, and Fader Magazine.
Note: I have contributed to Alternative Press in the past but I would love to be an active staff member for their publication.
H: Your photo taking skills play a large role in everything you do within the industry. What first got you interested in photography? Do you recall anything that specifically turned your attention to concert photography?
A: I first began taking photos as a way to build up my self-confidence. I took creative self-portraits to show that it is okay to love yourself and that you have to love yourself first before anyone else could really love you. The more I took photos, the more I wanted to learn about the different areas of the photography world. I began photographing concerts at the end of 2007 and only took it professionally since I relocated to Philadelphia at the end of December 2012. The first time I really wanted to take photos at concerts was during the Manchester Orchestra headline tour for Simple Math. I was at the House of Blues in Orlando, Fl with a couple of friends. I am fairly short, barely 5 foot and I was standing in the crowd. No matter how close I got to the stage, I still could not see the band perform. I saw the back of people’s heads and felt extremely overwhelmed from the environment that I was in. That was the moment I knew that I should take photos at concerts. Although I still have anxiety at shows, it’s a different kind of anxiety. I am now anxious to show my photos to the internet world, but I love challenging myself by getting the best shots I possibly can.
H: People who may not be familiar with your blog efforts may know your photo work from Man Overboard’s most recent Rise Records release. Can you tell us a little bit about your history with the band and how you were recruited to take that photograph?
A: I began working with Man Overboard in February 2012 when I was put in contact with guitarist Justin Collier about taking a photograph of vocalist/guitarist Zac Eisenstein for a feature in Alternative Press Magazine. I took this photograph of Zac in Tampa, FL while they were on their headlining tour with Handguns, seahaven, and Candy Hearts. From then, Justin and I remained in contact with each other. In December 2012, Justin was promoting their annual Lost Tape Collective Holiday Show and I expressed interest in attending. Within a handful of days, I relocated from Orlando, Fl to Philadelphia, PA and began working with the band. Since then, I have worked with the band on several merch items including their newest LP, Heart Attack, as well as shirts, pins, posters and more. Recently, I went to Made in America with Man Overboard and I am working on a new project for them.
H: You are also involved in Space Jam Sessions, which is a recurring video series highlighting intimate acoustic performances from a number of up and coming alternative acts. When did this project first launch, and what inspired you to create your own web series?
A: Space Jam Sessions launched on January 1, 2014 with the premiere of our first video with Erik Czaja of Dowsing. Space Jam Sessions was created at my house, the Michael Jordan House, originally named by roommates. This project was created because I wanted to find a way to showcase some of the most talented and hardworking bands I know in a personal, intimate environment. It is a way to show that these bands are more than just band members, but creative and interesting people, too. I tapped on Zac Suskevich (guitarist of lovechild, video editor at Topshelf Records) to edit the Space Jam Sessions and it was the best decision I have made. We work together really well and I am happy that he’s my partner on this project.
H: How have these video sessions evolved, if at all, from when you began? Have you learned any lessons about the industry that you can pass on?
A: Space Jam Sessions grow and grow with each and every release. Zac and I are always coming up with new ideas and recently, we have been premiering sessions with bands collaborating with each other. This is my favorite segment that Space Jam Sessions has done because it is really cool to see bands performing with each other in such an intimate environment.
H: You have so much going on it’s hard to imagine how you find free time to think about the future, but I assume you’re doing all this because you have larger successes in mind. Tell me, what are your current career goals?
A: My current career goals are to find a band or label to collaborate with and to travel the world documenting my experiences through photography. I really enjoy candid moments and after the touring that I have done already, I know that I belong on the road in the back of a van seeing the world.
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to those considering pursuit of a life in the music business, what would it be?
A: One piece of advice to those considering a life in the music business would be to learn things on your own. Go to shows all the time, whether you are friends with a band or not. If you are not friends with a band, be friend them. We are all involved in this for the same reason- the love of music. Go ahead and make friends and don’t forget to have fun.
H: Do people have any misconceptions about the life of music photographers? If so, what are they?
A: I think that sometimes people think that the life of music photographers is all fun and games but they don’t realize all the behind the scenes work we put into it. There is so much that people don’t know- such as the time it takes to build relationships with bands, managers, public relations, labels, and others involved in the music industry. We also send a ridiculous amount of emails day in and day out and spend hours editing. We have to make sure our schedules are flexible enough to cover as many shows as we possibly can and although the shows can be fun, sometimes we have deadlines and requirements that can make a show feel a hell of a lot more like work.
H: If you could change one thing about the modern music industry, what would it be?
A: This is a thing that is currently developing but just for people to be more accepted of people no matter what race/gender/orientation/age they are.
H: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: Hopefully graduating with my master’s degree and still taking photos. I would love to have my own darkroom and studio space but that’s just wishful thinking.
H: That’s all I have for now. Thank you again for speaking with us. Do you have any final thoughts or observations that you would like to share with our readers?
A: Thanks so much for your time. This was the most interesting interview I have ever done and I am quite happy to be a part of your site. To all the photog nerds out there, keep doing what you love and don’t be afraid to try something new!
Hello everyone! After a brief break to celebrate the holiday we have returned with the latest installment in our ongoing effort to inform aspiring music photographers about the realities of life in the industry. This column is dedicated to photo releases and how they may or may not impact your interest in working with certain artists. There is a lot to read, but professional photographer Nick Karp has done a great job of breaking everything down into easy to understand chunks, each with real world example.
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-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 and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
This week, something happened that is not necessarily uncommon in concert photography, but something I neglected to think about. I was asked to sign a photo release to shoot a show. What is a photo release? In music photography, it’s a contract that a band sends the media that indicates some rules and regulations.
What they state:
All photo releases are different and they can vary on how strict they are. Below are a list of different type of contracts I’ve been sent, with my opinion on them.
Editorial Release:
Usually this release indicates that your photos can only be used for the publication you are shooting for. This is the least restrictive of all of the releases, and most of the time is only implicated to prevent a photographer from selling the image for non official merchandise. You still retain copyright of the photos and most of the time management will allow you to use the photos for your portfolio and other publications (magazines, newspapers, etc.)
Example: This letter serves to confirm that you, (Photographer) , may photograph (first five songs, no flash) of Matt and Kim on the condition that any material arising from the photographic session to be held on (Date) at (Venue) ______________________________, is used for editorial use, in the following publication(s): ________________________________________. The license hereby granted to you to photograph the artist is limited to the above grant only and NO right to use the photos for commercial purposes (e.g., for use as posters, calendars, T-shirts, prints, etc.) either to be sold, to be distributed free or to be otherwise exploited in any manner whatsoever unless prior permission has been obtained from Matt and Kim and their management.
Pre Approval Release:
This release usually indicates that the artist must approve all photos prior to them being published. Some bigger artists have this release to rely that their image isn’t tarnished, but weirdly enough a lot of older bands are starting to have this in their release. Maybe they want to hide a double chin or some eye wrinkles. I have not signed a release like this and I’m indifferent about it. My job as a photographer is to make my subject look as good as possible, and I don’t think I need someone telling me that my photo does not meet their imaginary criteria.
Example: Photographer hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Photographs to be used hereunder are subject to the prior approval of Cheap Trick.
Injury Clause:
An artist doesn’t want to take responsibility for you being an idiot in the photo pit. Protect your gear at all time. It shouldn’t be the artist’s responsibility anyway (unless they assault you and then that becomes a whole different issue in of itself.)
Example: You acknowledge that you are performing your services at your own risk and voluntarily assume such risks and accept full responsibility and liability (including indirect liability) for your own safety. You and [Periodical/news crew] hereby forever release and discharge us from any and all claims, demands, damages, or causes of action which you may have against us for all personal injuries, known or unknown, and damage to your property, caused by or arising out of your services.
Artist using photos release:
This isn’t a rights grab release (discussed below.) This release indicates that I still own my photos, however, the band are allowed to do what they please without compensation including but not limited to; Posting on social networking, using photos for merchandise, and basically whatever they want. I will not sign this. You should not sign this. This is exploitation of your intellectual property.
Example: In addition, in consideration for the rights being granted to Photographer hereunder, Photographer agrees to provide, at no charge, to Cheap Trick Unlimited, duplicate negatives and/or transparencies (as designated by Cheap Trick Unlimited of the Photograph(s)). Cheap Trick Unlimited shall have the right to use the Photograph(s) for any and all commercial and non-commercial purposes whatsoever relating to Cheap Trick and Cheap Trick’s activities and Cheap Trick Unlimited shall have no obligation to make any payment to Photographer, the Publication or any other third party in connection with any of such uses.
Rights Grab:
What is a rights grab? To keep it simple, it’s a release that indicates that after you take photos of an artist, your work is not owned by you, but by the management company/band. I’ve never sign this type of release and I never will. Some artists will pay you a dollar for this which indicates a “Work for Hire”, but either way you lose the rights to your photos. They can do whatever they want with the photos. You have 0 rights to them. Hey, maybe if your nice, they’ll let you use a photo that you took for your portfolio! This is never worth signing, no matter the band.My photos are mine and will always remain mine.
Example: (a) Photographer does hereby assign unto Company all of Photographer’s right, title and interest in and to the copyright of all the Material created, and all parts and elements thereof, including all derivative rights therein, the exclusive right to register copyright in the name of Company, and any and all causes of action arising under the rights assigned by Photographer to Company under this agreement. All Materials shall, from the inception of their creation, be considered a “work made for hire” for Company within the meaning of the Copyright Act of 1976 (Title 17, U.S.C.), as amended. If it is determined that any Material does not so qualify, then such Material, and all rights therein shall be automatically assigned to Company by this Agreement.
(b) Photographer does hereby assign unto Company all of Photographer’s right, title and interest in and to any other intellectual property rights that Photographer may claim in the Material, or any part thereof.
The worldwide copyrights(and all renewals and extensions thereof) in the Photographs are from the inception of their creation and forever thereafter owned solely by The Cult (and their designees). In the event that the undersigned Photographer, the aforesaid newspaper or magazine or any other persons or entities wish to make any use of the Photographs other than as hereinabove expressly permitted, the prior written consent of The Cult shall be required (which The Cult may withhold or grant in The Cult’s absolute discretion), failing which consent, any such use, reproduction, dissemination, publication or distribution shall constitute willful copyright infringement and subject the photographer, the newspaper or magazine, the user and all others concerned to civil and criminal liability as willful copyright infringers. The worldwide copyright in the aforesaid concert (and all elements thereof) together with all rights of reproduction, distribution, publication, and dissemination by any and all means and methods are exclusively owned and controlled by The Cult (and their designees).
How to avoid these releases:
Ask to waive the release: Tell the connection that you will only shoot the show if the release is waived. Sometimes that’s all it takes. What’s the worse they say? “No”? You have nothing to risk.
Shoot from the crowd: Many photographers do not shoot Kiss from the photo pit mainly because of Kiss’ rights grab release; however, many buy front row tickets and shoot from their seats, insuring that they own their Kiss photos and they even get to shoot the whole show! Granted, you may not be able to bring a DSLR into the venue, but there are many mirrorless cameras that can capture amazing photos (especially with their light rig.)
Sneak In: I mean, you can try right? Don’t be surprised if negative consequences result in this including being blacklisted.
Try to go through the opener: I actually got to shoot a rights grab artist without signing their release by shooting the opening acts, and never being presented a contract to sign. This won’t work all the time, but if it happened to me…
Festivals: Sometimes bands with a release will not present said release for a festival. This isn’t always the case.
Don’t: Don’t support this barbaric request. Tell the publicist why you won’t sign the release and leave as that. Maybe they’ll get the memo and waive their release for good.
All in all, I do not support signing releases. I don’t want the usage of my intellectual property to be hindered. I don’t care if my favorite band has a rights grab (they don’t), I will refuse to sign it and move-on with my life. There are plenty of bands without releases.
Nick Karp is a professional photographer and freelance music writer. He recently relocated to NYC and dyed his hair bright pink because that is the kind of thing people do in the music business.
Hello and welcome to the dawn of yet another brand new week. We know quite a bit of time has passed since our last photo-related editorial, but sometimes the best things in life take a little longer than expected to come together. We appreciate your patience.
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-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 and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Never purchase a photo pass from anyone. Let me repeat this again, NEVER PURCHASE A PHOTO PASS. I’ve noticed a trend of bands starting to offer photo passes for sale, and this is not okay. It’s appalling. This is essentially selling media credentials to a show, which is unheard of in journalism. Most cases they offer to post your photos that you took of them on social networking. Why is this accepted in the photography community? What makes bands think it’s okay to use people’s work for free, let alone charge people to photograph them?
Hawthorne Heights were the first band I’ve noticed that have done this. They offered $150 for a photo pass to shoot their set at Warped Tour. My favorite part about this is that in prior years (this year not included) a monkey with a blog could have received credentials to Warped Tour. Everyone and their mother literally could attempt to cover the festival, and I bet 75% of the application would be approved, if not more. That’s not dissing the tour, but it is a majority of photographers’ first festival, and it is sort of a rite of passage to shoot the event. There was an outcry within the photography community against Hawthorne Heights, but despite that face there were people who actually bought the package. However, Hawthorne Heights eventually cancelled it after I assume someone on their PR team brought it to their attention that the photography community at large was not pleased. I’m not sure if it was the pressure from photographers or if the Warped Tour shut it down, but either way, Hawthorne understood that they were wrong.
Black Veil Brides have offered a photo pass and an interview for their upcoming tour on their Pledge Music campaign. This seems to have flown slightly under the radar. The only people paying for this are parents of 12 year old girls that missed the MySpace era. Don’t waste your money, wait for the band at their tour bus, that’s how you can meet the band…. Not by buying a $200 interview. I mean, does it come with dinner? Because most people like to be wined and dined before being fucked.
Paramore might be the only exception to this. They are offering 15 disposable Paramore cameras for sale, per show, and a photo pass will be in two of them. I would like to note that Paramore rarely approves photographers and when they do, they have one of the worst photo releases in music. In short, if you want to shoot Paramore, you will have to sign the rights to your photos away.
We [the photographers] only get three songs to photograph a band. That’s not a lot of time to get the shots I want/need. We essentially only have 9-14 minutes shooting, which is not a lot of time to capture the energy of an entire show. In that time, there are usually unprofessional photographers in the photo pit, (see Assholes In The Photo Pit) security to hinder your view (and protect you,) and many times crowd surfers as a distraction. I understand the whole “you have to start somewhere” argument, but read my first blog that entails how to get a photo pass properly and not supporting the defamation and destruction of my art.
Nick Karp is a professional photographer and freelance music writer. He recently relocated to NYC and dyed his hair bright pink because that is the kind of thing people do in the music business.
Hello, again. Welcome to the second Advice column of the week. We received such an overwhelming response to our last photography feature that we partnered once more with Nick Karp to create a third installment in what appears to have become our latest ongoing series aimed towards bettering the music industry. We have several additional photo-themed columns planned, but we are always looking for suggestions on topics worth covering. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Following my local music scene played a huge influence on my desire to shoot bands. Within a local music scene comes a DIY culture behind it, and bands performing at unconventional venues was the norm. Shooting bands at VFW halls, Leigon Halls, Basements, living rooms, and even backyards was not a rarity, and if I am being completely honest I would have to say that shooting at those establishments is much harder than shooting at an arena or other large scale venue. Arena shows have big production budgets, including lighting with front and back lights. You can shoot at low ISO’s and still produce a correctly exposed photo. DIY venues however, may only have a single florescent light bulb in the entire room.
So, how do you capture great moments in a situation like that? Flash. Shooting these type of shows often requires you to break some of my unwritten rules of the photo pit, but there is a reason good reason for such rule violation. 99% of the time there is no photo pit, or anyone making sure you stick to the ‘3 song rule,’ and with the band’s blessing, flash can be allowed. The follow is a list of techniques I use for shooting at these types of venues…
Flash bounced off ceiling:
The technique I have found most useful is having an external flash aimed directly up to bounce forwards on the ceiling. This distributes the light equally over the band member you are trying to shoot. That said, this method can only work with a lighter colored ceiling as black/dark ceilings will absorb too much of the light.
When using this technique I try to have my power high enough so that my ISO is 800 or so. My shutter remains around 1/100 and my F stop is at f4. Some examples of bouncing a flash against a ceiling can be viewed below:
In this picture you can see how the light spreads pretty evenly over bass player Nicholas Inman(You Blew It!) and some of the fans.
In this photo, lead singer Damian (Fucked Up) is in the crowd. There is virtually no light in the crowd, so I bounced a flash at the ceiling to try and get some light on him. It worked and this is the image.
Flash at 60 degrees:
This is a technique I use when the ceiling is really low, like when shooting in a basement. The bottom of the photo will not be lit up as much as the top so I suggest upping the shadows and blacks in post production. An example of this can be shown below.
Here you can see what happens when I use a 60 degree flash. You want to keep your flash power low enough to not blow the highlights out. In post I raised the shadows and added some contrast. Lucky for me, TMP had floor lights that went on and off, and they gave me a little extra light to work with in this tiny basement.
For this one, I did the same exact thing with my lighting as the shot before, except there are no floor lights. Check out the bass and you can see how grainy it is from pushing the shadows. The light was bright enough to light the bass below, but dark enough where it didn’t blow his face out.
Dragging the shutter:
Dragging the shutter is what occurs when you use flash to light up the subject and have a shutter speed so low (Around 1/20 – ½) that you’re able to move the available light in the photo. You can either bounce the flash to the ceiling or point the flash directly at the band. If you do the ladder, make sure to ask the band’s permission prior because having a flash directed and flashed in your eyes Is distracting when you are performing. If pointed at the band, I try to have my flash power low, and even with that, my ISO at 400 or so. My aperture will be somewhere around f 5 -6.3 and again, shutter will be at 1/8th. An example can be seen below.
Here’s a somewhat extreme look of dragging the shutter. You can see that theirs is two Pat Butlers [Singer of Sleepy Hahas]. My shutter speed was at ½, so this is an extreme case of dragging the shutter. I feel as if this photo gives off a psychedelic feel.
In this shot of Zealot, I had my shutter speed faster than I did than the previous photo. This is at 1/25th of a second where the photo is not heavily distorted, but I obtained enough back ground light to slightly move bend the light so my subject and the room lights can pop.
Using off camera flash:
Off camera flash is something I do very rarely mainly because of venue limitations. Although some would allow me to set up a flash or two on the sides of the venue, I choose not to because my equipment is out of my sight. Despite this, off camera flash is one of the better methods to use when shoot at DIY venues. The way I set is up is to point the flash at the middle of the stage and then shoot about 45 degrees towards the center of the stage. If I’m using a second flash, I can point that flash to my other side of me, 45 degrees towards the center of the stage, or if I can put it behind the band, I will set it up directly across from the first light. An example of when I use off camera flash is below.
In this shot you can see one of the the flashes in the back of the phot. The lead singer was lit up by another flash to camera right. The flash was so powerful that my settings were ISO 500, 1/100, F9.
For this shot, only the flash on the back was used. The other flash was having a hard time being triggered. You can see the difference not having a back flash makes, and how essential it is to have that front flash.
Pop Up Flash.
I hate it. There’s a reason top of the line equipment doesn’t have pop up flashes.
Nick Karp is a professional photographer and freelance music writer. He recently relocated to NYC and dyed his hair bright pink because that is the kind of thing people do in the music business.
