Vans Warped Tour, the summer camp of punk rock. Every year many people get their start shooting shows by covering Warped Tour. I didn’t get my start shooting Warped, but covering it did prepare me for how to handle shooting an all day music festival in the scorching heat without water. It’s an experience unlike any other and sort of a right of passage for music photographers, especially for those in the punk/alternative field. I’ve decided that not doing a tutorial guide on how to shoot warped tour would be irresponsible, so here are some of my tips (I know Todd Owyoung has a great article on the same thing and I purposely haven’t read to avoid any plagiarism).
Gear (Technical and Professional):
You can shoot warped tour with almost any body and any glass. You’re shooting outside and your equipment doesn’t need to be top notch. Afraid of using your kit lens because of its aperture limitations? Bust it out! You’re shooting in daylight!
Remember to bring extra cards, and batteries. It’s an all day event. Sometimes we all need a reminder to bring extra cards and batteries.
Warped tour is an all day event. Make sure you have sunscreen, comfortable sneakers and appropriate clothing. And please wear deodorant, your pits will smell at the end of the day when you’re shooting verticals 😉
Check out smaller bands:
The reason for this is simple – the little bands are the ones that are going to get big next year. Imagine having photos of Katy Perry from that one summer she spent sweating it out with the best punk had to offer on Warped Tour. I wish I did!
Last, but not least, be creative.
If you shoot vigorously like I do, then you can shoot 10+ bands at Warped. Do something different. Yeah that jump shot is great, but the only way to separate warped photos from you and every other person shooting Warped is to be creative and different.
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, 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.
We don’t instantly become good at photography. There’s no magic wand that you waive to enhance your skills. It’s a growing process and we continue to learn everyday to enhance our craft. I did a podcast with James Shotwell where we talked about the first show I ever shot and I admittedly said how awful I truly was. I still back this, but I want to go in a little further on why I was so bad, and what I wish I could have changed.
My gear was too good for my knowledge. I wish I didn’t shoot that show in program (auto). Shooting at f8 at 1/60 makes no sense when outdoors. I regret not knowing the basic fundamentals of photography before going out and shooting. If so, my shots would have been exposed properly, and maybe I wouldn’t hate myself for ruining photos of my favorite band, Against Me!.
The only photos I looked at prior were a few that were in alt press. My favorite image back then was one Jesse DeFlorio took of Geoff Rickly at Warped Tour at Nassau Coloseum, which was my first warped tour I ever attended. Geoff broke his nose on the third song and started gushing blood down his face, resulting in one of the most dynamic warped tour photos I’ve ever seen. I thought everything had to be cropped tight and to the frame. I didn’t vary in anyway. I feel like I barely shot any wide shots; however still I feel like I understood the rule of thirds naturally.
I should have turned around. there was an entire sea of people screaming their heads off to these bands. Bands aren’t the only subject at concerts. Why didn’t I capture them, especially since the venue I shot it at is gone, and it overlooked the beautiful manhatten skyline?
I should have shot raw. I didn’t know any better. Maybe I could have fixed some of these awful mistakes I made, if I shot RAW. Maybe…. Raw isn’t a magic wand to make your photos instantly better, but it certainly can help fix your mistakes.
Something subtle, my watermark. My text based watermark makes me cringe. It’s almost as bad as Comic Sans. Almost.
Lastly, I take photography very seriously. In fact, I take it way too seriously. I’m shooting four shows this week, and I really need to reflect that I’m doing a job that many people would love to do. I’m going to do something I haven’t done in the photo pit tonight since my first show, smile and appreciate my access of being up close to document world class artists performing, as my job.
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, 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 and welcome to the beginning another week of music industry insight and discussion here on the official blog of Haulix. We were so overwhelmed by the response to our initial column on concert photography that we decided to bump up the release of part two to this afternoon. We hope to continue this series every week or two for the foreseeable future, but we need your help to make it happen. If you have a question about music photography, or perhaps want to learn more about the industry in general, please email james@haulix.com and we will use your letters to craft the future of this site. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Hey readers, Nick Karp here! Welcome back to my segment about Concert Photography here on the Haulix blog. I’m glad to see that the last article was received well by you, the readers, as well as the concert photography community at large. I feel as if last article were only the tip of the photography iceberg, however, and have spent the past two weeks outlining a series of posts geared towards providing you with everything you need to begin a career in music photography. This week’s topic: Photo pit etiquette.
So you’ve been approved to photograph a concert. Congrats! It’s the night of the show, you’ve picked up your credentials from the box office and you have been given the privilege to enter the photo pit. I want to emphasize the word privilege. Photographing a band from the photo pit is a privilege. You do not have a right to be in that pit, but rather the permission of someone directly connected to those on stage. Permission can and will be revoked as a result of misuse.
Normal people with stereotypical office jobs have a cubicle or an actual office as their workplace. Concert photographers are not normal. A concert photographer’s office is a photo pit, and we have to share it with everyone else approved to shoot. Sometimes the number of photographers in the pit can be as low as one or two, and sometimes, like at a major festival, the number of photographers can number around 70. I’ve shot with both and the latter is not fun.
There is a standard for concert photography that also serves as the one and only written rule in most pits: “three songs, no flash.” This phrase describes the time allotted to photographers (first three songs of the set) and restrictions place on the gear they are allowed to use (no flash photography). I’m going to say 97% of the time I shoot shows I do not use flash. There are instances when I have and will, but we’ll discuss that during another article.
Even though there are no set rules when shooting in the photo pit, besides the above stated, there are many unwritten rules that photographers need to obey to ensure professionalism and proper etiquette:
Back packs: Put your back pack down under the barricade. I understand you need to keep an eye on your gear, and that’s great, but do so without it on your back. The photo pit is a very small place and I’m no longer afraid to mention this. We need to make as much room as possible, and having your bulky bag near the barricade and not in the way helps tremendously.
iPhones: An iPhone is not professional equipment and you look like an idiot shooting a band with one. Get your Instagram photo after the first three songs.
iPads: Read iPhones and multiply the rage you will cause to stir in fellow photographers by 100.
Point and Shoot: As mentioned before the photo pit is a professional environment. Please do not shoot with nonprofessional equipment; otherwise known as, a point and shoot camera. I’ll take any DSLR camera over a point and shoot. If you don’t have proper equipment, don’t shoot from the pit.
Reaching: This is the most abused unwritten rule here. I understand going for the hail mary and reaching every once in a while, but don’t do it the entire set and don’t do it from in front of the pit. 95% of your reaching shots are unusable, and your camera is getting in the way of other photographers. If you’re going to reach, reach when you’re in the back of the photo pit, that way you’re not in any of the photographer’s way. You’re also disturbing the band and the crowd. Who really wants to see a band with a camera in their face for three songs of the set? It’s disrespectful.
Camping: Much like Call of Duty, staying in one spot in the photo pit is annoying. When you grab the shot you want from that angle, move around, there are plenty of more angles to get. Don’t stay there for the entire set. Let another photographer grab that angle, and you should grab more angles.
Auto Focus Assist Light: Turn it off. You’re ruining everyone’s shots around you by having a beam of light from your camera hit the artist, and it’s a distraction to the performer. The light has its uses, but the photo pit is not one of them. Please be considerate.
Flash: You’re not allowed to shoot with flash. Plain and simple. Your mounted flash is getting in everyone’s way. I’ve noticed that most people that have a mounted flash also reach, so that’s just an extension of the camera to furthermore get in other people’s shots and distract the audience and performer. Put the flash in your bag, and if you must, attach it after your tenure in the photo pit.
Ego: Keep your ego in check. I don’t care how long you’ve known “so-and-so”, and I don’t care how you should have had an “All Access” pass to the show. Seriously, dude, I don’t care and neither does anyone else in the photo pit.
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. He was assisted in the creation of this article by Elise Shively.
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.
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.
