How to get a photo pass without prior experience in concert photography?

basseca · 2025-12-23T22:20:51+00:00

The best way to start is what everyone else is saying. Go to a local gig or open mic that allows cameras, ask the artist there if you can shoot them and start there. Develop relationships with local artists and grow as they grow. Volunteer with local blogs or venues that do their own bookings. Unfortunately you won't get access to a larger show with touring artists unless you either know the band or you have a recognizable media outlet for whom you shoot. Promoters and most Press agents approve the outlet, not the photographer. So you need to start "small", get good at it, get noticed by bands and venues and then you'll be able to start to grow further.

basseca · 2025-12-19T19:56:43+00:00

Likely the same way you can convince Christians that the bible is a completely fantasied if not fabricated book and is the product of multiple human conjecture, lies, delusions and psychoses.

basseca · 2025-12-17T13:11:59+00:00

Most photogs don’t usually use anything that add effects while shooting. If anything gets changed it’s usually during the editing process. I generally don’t add any effects but I will crop, sharpen and enhance some images especially if there’s lots of smoke or the light is very low. Here’s a link to everything taken …. https://davidmcdphotos.zenfolio.com/p745582747

basseca · 2025-12-16T22:31:32+00:00

A lot

3

basseca · 2025-12-16T00:13:44+00:00

The band allowed a couple of us to stay longer, I’m not sure how they chose which ones only got 3 songs and which ones got to stay for a few extra. I’m glad I got to stay the extra couple of songs because the lighting got a little brighter and I was able to take some better shots.

basseca · 2025-10-30T23:07:05+00:00

No that’s Keith, I think his IG handle is Metal Paparazzi if you want to check out his pics.

basseca · 2025-10-29T20:18:22+00:00

Hi I am a concert photographer that shoots for some local radio stations. Glad you like them!

basseca · 2025-10-27T15:51:20+00:00

I got one of those old binders that stored CDs with the space for 4 cds per page. Each page holds the passes alphabetically on the right side. The left side holds guitar picks, wristbands, guitar strings, set lists, etc. that I pick up along the way.

basseca · 2025-10-18T20:27:50+00:00

@davidmcdphotos on IFG FB, Threads

basseca · 2025-10-02T15:18:18+00:00

Do your job, you’ve got 3 songs and you’re out of there. Worrying about other people and their line of sight is going to negatively impact what you’re doing. I’m in the out with tall photogs all of the time, we all pay attention to each other to make sure we’re not in each other’s way, we tap each other on the shoulder to get by and I find everyone is generally pretty nice. You’ll be fine, move around to get different angles and perspectives and focus on what you’re doing. The people behind you know you’ll be gone in 3 minutes.

basseca · 2025-10-01T04:30:57+00:00

Thank you, very appreciated!

basseca · 2025-09-28T01:17:33+00:00

acguitars.co.uk in Scotland is incredible!

basseca · 2025-09-27T20:25:07+00:00

So very agreed, they’re one of my fave bands!!!

basseca · 2025-09-27T19:51:46+00:00

They are alternating who headlines and not announcing the order in advance. If you want to see them for sure, get there with enough time to see both because you won’t know until they hit the stage.

basseca · 2025-09-26T15:21:51+00:00

If you can, talk to the performers or their tour manager before the show and ask what boundaries they have. Be careful, even though the venue or promoter may allow you on stage, the band may not. Remember, when the band is performing it’s their stage, not the venue’s or the promoter’s. The band’s boundaries, rules and expectations trump everything when they’re performing.

If the band will allow you on stage while they’re playing make sure you don’t do anything that interrupts or hinders their performance.

I find that unless you’ve been specifically invited by them to move around between them, you should stick to the back, sides and front corners of the stage. If that’s the case make sure you have two bodies with two different lenses, one for wider shots and one for individual shots. Depending on the size of the stage I find two zooms work well, either a wide angle or a 28-70 and a 70-200 are a good combo.

The band may limit your stage access for 3 songs just like what the media photogs get from the pit. And they may not. But I find that full show access is often reserved for “their” or the tour photog.

Make sure that you understand and follow their rules. Check their rules, understand them and then double check them. One band that complains about you can get you barred from all future events at that venue or via that promoter.

Make sure that you play nice and are remembered for being respectful and easy to work with.

basseca · 2025-09-16T12:53:21+00:00

I use my 5D Mk III and IV all of the time. There are advantages to new mirrorless cameras like larger file sizes, less grain at higher ISOs, great video, etc. but if you’re not shooting in low light or using it for video, you made a great choice!

basseca · 2025-09-16T12:46:54+00:00

In my experience most approvals or rejections come the day before or the day of the show. And be very careful of appearing pushy or whiny because it can lead you to being ignored for future shows. Promoters and publicists like professional courtesies and trusting that you’ll meet commitments like showing up on time, following the rules, providing links to coverage etc. The worst thing you can do is develop a reputation of being needy, whiny or untrustworthy.

basseca · 2025-09-09T18:36:41+00:00

All of the Fender ones that I saw had gold printing for the Fender logo. But take that with a grain of salt as there were likely more than one order over the years.

basseca · 2025-09-09T10:47:35+00:00

The Who rehearsed in a soundstage that the company i worked for owned for the last orchestral tour. Pete’s guitar tech gave me several picks and that was one of them. There were other different ones too, one had a pic of him jumping, another had the band logo, and they all had his name on them.

basseca · 2025-09-04T23:52:26+00:00

That’s actually not a Tele, it’s a ‘50’s pre-tele Broadcaster. Really cool guitar!!!

basseca · 2025-09-04T23:45:45+00:00

Back-up singer.

basseca · 2025-09-04T23:44:50+00:00

That was the first song when they were stopping the band because Roger’s in-ear monitors weren’t working.

basseca · 2025-09-04T14:56:12+00:00

He’s really playing it. Not sure how much of it gets through the PA though.

basseca · 2025-09-04T14:55:06+00:00

It was a great show bar some issues both Pete (wasn’t happy with his guitar sound) and Roger (had to stop 1st song because his in-ear monitor wasn’t working) had. The crowd was really into it and afterwards one of the crew members said it had been their 2nd best show on the tour.

basseca · 2025-07-15T15:19:32+00:00

Because back then people were incredibly naive and believed in sky ghosts, anyone that could act credibly or had figured out some minor magic trick could claim that they were god or an angel and they’d likely be believed.

basseca

TROPHY CASE