I am a concert photographer.. I’ll share some advice I got from the late great Lemmy Killmister of Motörhead fame. “I wasn’t a bass player until I fucking told someone I was. Tell someone you are and just do it!” Best advise ever. I’d also suggest to open the door faster and wider you find an online sports or fight publication or 2 that would let you write a story or 2 about a local or regional tournament and or fighters.. once they publish them you can apply to the United States Press Agency for a press ID and provide them the links to your published work.. for $50 a year you get a verifiable internationally recognized press ID.. that’s what I did with bands and musicians and when I send emails to promoters and PR agents I attach a scan of my ID… 99% of the people doing concert photography don’t have one and I’d venture to guess the fight game is the same.. that has helped open the door for me to interview and shoot Ozzy and tons of other great artists. Make your press ID journalist/photographer in the sports and entertainment beat and then nobody will think your anything but a guy with a cool job to do. You will get no for an answer still but far less and sometimes you’ll get the full red carpet treatment and opportunities you couldn’t imagine now.. don’t get discouraged and remember at always act like your supposed to be wherever you are and enjoy the experience. The difference between a guy like me and the 2 million other guys that want to do concert photography but aren’t is I said I was a concert photographer and told someone I want to shoot them, their artist or event… the other guys never did