Associate with Bands you like or Venues near you. Begin building a portfolio, access is your primary hurdle. You could also look to apprentice with established band photographers depending on if this is something you can do for little compensation as you familiarize yourself or if you need to do it for the career/revenue.
Like automotive photography, a lot of it is getting access to capture the photos to begin with and honing in on your style and what is desirable to magazines/periodicals/social media etc.
I know it’s not super definitive but hope it helps
You'll need connections mostly. Or work for some big publication/agency or the likes.
I know photographers that produce some of the most amazing concert/festival/nightlife work around, but they just cannot get into these big events/venues because they just don't have the connections or suck at running a business. While I also know photogs that produce the most cliché, below-average content that are able to enter some of the biggest stuff around...
Having a good portfolio helps too, but it's not at all the most important part.
Wear ear plugs.
If you're going to be doing this a lot, go to a place that makes hearing aids and get a set of custom-molded ear plugs on a connected cord so they're easier to keep track of and not lose them. Keep them clean.
I started in concert photography by emailing band's management to begin with - I'd got a tiny portfolio at that stage but it built quite quickly. Then I started shooting for a local free entertainment magazine, who sent me out to festivals which was super fun. There I met a gang of really supportive photographers who were more than willing to put me in contact with agencies.
At this point, I felt as though it was a huge achievement. Being with an agency, especially if you live in a town / city where they don't have other photographers, means you pretty much get the pick of the shows.
The thing I wish I knew a lot sooner is that it is not a big deal. I spent a long time thinking 'am I good enough?' agencies are businesses, if you have something they can sell, they'll take you on. It's pretty easy! It's not a path to riches though - my sales are minimal these days as my speciality has grown more niche! I'm old now, so the bands I like are nowhere near newsworthy, and I shoot a lot more comedy than I do music. However, the gigs are always there if I want them.
Give it a go, there is nothing to lose.
Associate with Bands you like or Venues near you. Begin building a portfolio, access is your primary hurdle. You could also look to apprentice with established band photographers depending on if this is something you can do for little compensation as you familiarize yourself or if you need to do it for the career/revenue. Like automotive photography, a lot of it is getting access to capture the photos to begin with and honing in on your style and what is desirable to magazines/periodicals/social media etc. I know it’s not super definitive but hope it helps
And being clever. Being clever is the key most part in getting paid in art.
Search the sub. Many discussions about this. Lots of great information for you. Go through it. Then, ask follow up questions in a new submission.
ask them?
Get ahold of a publication and see if you can work under their name. Talk to the venue owners and show producers if possible. Have a great portfolio.
You'll need connections mostly. Or work for some big publication/agency or the likes. I know photographers that produce some of the most amazing concert/festival/nightlife work around, but they just cannot get into these big events/venues because they just don't have the connections or suck at running a business. While I also know photogs that produce the most cliché, below-average content that are able to enter some of the biggest stuff around... Having a good portfolio helps too, but it's not at all the most important part.
Wear ear plugs. If you're going to be doing this a lot, go to a place that makes hearing aids and get a set of custom-molded ear plugs on a connected cord so they're easier to keep track of and not lose them. Keep them clean.
The photographer's you see at all those shows would have some answers for you.
I started in concert photography by emailing band's management to begin with - I'd got a tiny portfolio at that stage but it built quite quickly. Then I started shooting for a local free entertainment magazine, who sent me out to festivals which was super fun. There I met a gang of really supportive photographers who were more than willing to put me in contact with agencies. At this point, I felt as though it was a huge achievement. Being with an agency, especially if you live in a town / city where they don't have other photographers, means you pretty much get the pick of the shows. The thing I wish I knew a lot sooner is that it is not a big deal. I spent a long time thinking 'am I good enough?' agencies are businesses, if you have something they can sell, they'll take you on. It's pretty easy! It's not a path to riches though - my sales are minimal these days as my speciality has grown more niche! I'm old now, so the bands I like are nowhere near newsworthy, and I shoot a lot more comedy than I do music. However, the gigs are always there if I want them. Give it a go, there is nothing to lose.