That’s the number one question I’ve been asked since starting my concert photography a few months ago, so I thought I would do a quick blog post to answer it.

I’ll start off by giving credit where credit is due.  My buddy Alan Hess has been an integral part in helping me figure all this stuff out.  He teaches a half-day pre-conference class (alongside Scott Diussa) at Photoshop World, as well as a one hour class during the conference.  So if you really want to learn this stuff, check out one of his classes.  He’s been doing this much longer than I have and is a fount of knowledge!

The first thing you need is a strong portfolio to support your request for a pass.  The Man isn’t going to hand over a coveted pass to someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, so that’s first and foremost.

In my case, I’ve had the good fortune to be around and learn from the best of the best photographers early on. Learning from them helped me quickly build a decent body of work to start requesting passes with at least some hope of being granted access.  I still routinely get turned down (more on that in the next part), which is something you’ve gotta get used to and move on.

If you’re new to the game, I would suggest starting out with smaller shows where access is easier.  You won’t get hassled as much, there probably won’t be a 3-song limit, and you can hone your skills without much pressure.

The second thing that helps with getting access is having an assignment from some sort of publication.  I’m not currently shooting for anyone, so most of the rejection emails I receive contain the words, “Sorry, but we’re unable to issue a photo pass without an assignment.”  The passes I have been fortunate enough to get are (I’m guessing) from artists who could use some decent live photos of themselves.  Or maybe they just have really nice managers.  Which brings me to the next point…

Who do I contact to request a pass?  There are a few ways to go about this.  Every artist is going to be different, so you’ll have to try a combination of these to find out what works best in each case.

Try the artist’s manager and/or publicist. These are the people who a) Have control over the passes, and b) Care about having good photos to help promote the artist.  Finding these people may take a little creative Google skill, or they may be listed right on the artist’s website if you dig deep enough.

The venue may also be able to issue you a pass, but this hasn’t been the case in most of my attempts.  Again, depending on the artist, the venue may or may not have control over passes.  This is also a less likely route because most venues already have a house photographer who shoots all their shows.

If the concert is being sponsored by someone, like a radio station perhaps, you might contact them and ask for a pass.

The bottom line is this - Ask yourself, “Who would benefit from having photos from this show?”  Answer that question as many ways as possible, make a list, and contact everyone on it.  Hopefully one of their responses will be, “We love your work and would be honored to issue a photo pass for you!” :)

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