I was asked to help someone with my experiences via note, so I put it in my journal, and now im putting it here..

This is MY idea of how to go about things, and might not be the only way, or the right way. However, since the beginning of 2008, I have worked with over 80 bands. I only just started doing this in Dec/07

Where to start?

First you have to realize that you don't start big.. You shouldn't expect the 'Dixie Chicks' or 'Hansen' to be your first gig, so hit up some local bands..

It really helps to have a good appreciation for music. I am pretty well rounded, and I will shoot and listen to almost anything, but if you hate a certain genre, stay away from it, you might not have any fun.. At least to start out.

My first real paying gig was a for local band Roswell and would be the second time I shot them. The first was at an outdoor concert at a small town fair.



those images, I emailed of to their drummer, who hired me to shoot them in concert.




Where do I find these bands?


Use facebook and myspace to your advantage. Every self respecting decent band has a myspace page. Find upcoming shows in local bars, community centers, pool halls, whatever. Finding the bands is usually the easy part. After you find them, you need to find a contact person for the band or venue.

The people that will usually be able to get you into shows are:

Members of the band
Show Promoter
Owner of the club

In that order. Band members usually have a guest list, promoters ALWAYS need images to promote more shows. Club owners are the least likely to get you in, so you generally dont want to rely on them.

Chances are you will be turned away if you start asking for payment right away, so offer it for free.

When I wanted to get into this seriously, I used Facebook to find a benefit show in town, and contacted the promoter via facebook messages (easy)

I ended up shooting four bands at the benefit show (900+ pictures, i was excited)





What equiptment do I need?


BUY A LOW APERTURE LENS! A 50mm F1.8 is probably the cheapest and best lens you can have, ranging from $20-$150. You will need it.

If you are serious about it, a flash and diffuser are good idea too. Many clubs dont have photo-friendly lighting. (some bands might not want you to use flash, so ask)

I always carry around a monopod with me, just incase I need it. Generally, about 90% of the time i dont, but sometimes it comes in handy.

One show, nobody turned up. The place was dead, but the bands still played anyways, allowing me more access than normal to get pictures. What I did was attach my flash to the monopod using a flash sync cord (nikon sc29) and used the length of the monopod to get creative with my lighting, as seen below. (in image one, note the cross on his forehead)



it was almost like a little studio session during the concert. Again, make sure the band doesnt mind, because musicians might kick at a flash just because they can (not a lot of people are jerks like that)

I once got my flash punched by a guy in the crowd once, caught it before it hit the floor thankfully.


What else should I know?


Supply your new contacts with some great images. You will really need to know your capabilities in the concert setting, you dont just want to get blurry everything, so do a little practice while they are setting up for instance..



Once you have some sample shots from a few free shows, find out if there is any local music magazines, or if your local paper will run your images (be prepared to write an article about the concert if its for the town paper, and they agree).. Basically, you want to find as many people who want your images.



When you have a good reputation, start charging a few bucks for yourself to come out to the show, and write up a price-list for bands to license your images off you.

The key to getting bigger and better concerts, is about 2% luck, 18% who you know, and 80% skill..

The skill I showed during my first shooting of Roswell allowed me to get in with them again.. The skill I showed at the first benefit concert has allowed me to get in to a few other PAID gigs for the same guy.



The real money in concerts, is meeting the people in the band, and being hired to shoot their portraits, promotions, album covers.. so make a lot of friends, and impress them!





I took this opportunity to showcase my own work since I was writing about my own personal goings on, but here are some concert images that inspire me!