My Blog including HOW TO articles and SHOW REVIEWS. Feel free to Tweet these Blogs or link to them.
BECOMING A CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHER - PART I - Etiquette
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Etiquette - Professionalism, Respect
Without a doubt, your success as a concert photographer depends on your photos. However, the technical perfection of your photos is meaningless if no one likes you around to discuss opportunities. No one will hire you if you’re a liability for their publication, or if they cant trust you backstage. Being friendly, and keeping it professional will keep the invites coming to shoot more shows. Being professional on a personal level will keep you backstage without complaints, and will get publishers to call you for photos instead of the hundreds of other photographers out there.
Being a trustworthy photographer may seem easy, but there is a few things you must take into consideration when dealing with potential clients. The music industry is full of famous people, and assistants to famous people, who get battered by emails and phone calls from fans and potential vendors of the business. Many times an email or phone call will not get your foot in the door. You are going to need to go one step further to get their attention. However you decide to do this, remember to do it with courtesy, respect, and professionalism. When you go backstage for the first time at a large concert, you will be in the home of musicians on the road. These men and women live on the road, in backstage shower houses, tour buses, and keep late hours. They sleep in the morning, play and party at night, and they work their tails off to give you the opportunity to take some pictures. Be thankful and respectful when you meet them. Fans are in front of the stage and at the nearest McDonald's all the time. When you meet them backstage, you are a client, and a professional photographer there to meet their photography needs. Keep it real, and they will return the favor. After you meet a few of your favorite musicians, the initial awestruck feeling will subside, and you will be able to speak freely about different things with them.
At the venue the majority of people you meet will be venue or tour employees. These people will be the most important part of your day shooting the event. Get to the venue early, and talk to someone who knows the rules and policies of the venue / tour. Make sure you know any time or song limits, staging areas, and your accessibility to the show. Stick to these rules regardless of what other photographers are doing. Chances are, after a few shows at the same venue, your accessibility to everything will grow as people start to recognize you at every show.
Check out this in-depth article concentrating on this topic before you go to your next show. This will help you considerably when shooting concerts.
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Website
twitter.com/bandphotography - Follow me on Twitter
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung Concert Photographer
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung Concert Photographer
http://www.AshNewell.com - Ash Newell, Personal Band Photographer for Whitesnake, Def Leopard, and others. Ash follows bands on tour.
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Zack Walther and the Cronkites at Brewster Street Ice house in Corpus Christi, TX on 08/25/2009
_________________________________
Etiquette - Professionalism, Respect
Without a doubt, your success as a concert photographer depends on your photos. However, the technical perfection of your photos is meaningless if no one likes you around to discuss opportunities. No one will hire you if you’re a liability for their publication, or if they cant trust you backstage. Being friendly, and keeping it professional will keep the invites coming to shoot more shows. Being professional on a personal level will keep you backstage without complaints, and will get publishers to call you for photos instead of the hundreds of other photographers out there.
Being a trustworthy photographer may seem easy, but there is a few things you must take into consideration when dealing with potential clients. The music industry is full of famous people, and assistants to famous people, who get battered by emails and phone calls from fans and potential vendors of the business. Many times an email or phone call will not get your foot in the door. You are going to need to go one step further to get their attention. However you decide to do this, remember to do it with courtesy, respect, and professionalism. When you go backstage for the first time at a large concert, you will be in the home of musicians on the road. These men and women live on the road, in backstage shower houses, tour buses, and keep late hours. They sleep in the morning, play and party at night, and they work their tails off to give you the opportunity to take some pictures. Be thankful and respectful when you meet them. Fans are in front of the stage and at the nearest McDonald's all the time. When you meet them backstage, you are a client, and a professional photographer there to meet their photography needs. Keep it real, and they will return the favor. After you meet a few of your favorite musicians, the initial awestruck feeling will subside, and you will be able to speak freely about different things with them.
At the venue the majority of people you meet will be venue or tour employees. These people will be the most important part of your day shooting the event. Get to the venue early, and talk to someone who knows the rules and policies of the venue / tour. Make sure you know any time or song limits, staging areas, and your accessibility to the show. Stick to these rules regardless of what other photographers are doing. Chances are, after a few shows at the same venue, your accessibility to everything will grow as people start to recognize you at every show.
Check out this in-depth article concentrating on this topic before you go to your next show. This will help you considerably when shooting concerts.
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Website
twitter.com/bandphotography - Follow me on Twitter
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung Concert Photographer
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung Concert Photographer
http://www.AshNewell.com - Ash Newell, Personal Band Photographer for Whitesnake, Def Leopard, and others. Ash follows bands on tour.
___________________________________
Zack Walther and the Cronkites at Brewster Street Ice house in Corpus Christi, TX on 08/25/2009
BECOMING A CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHER PART II - NEWBIE GEAR
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The most popular question in Concert Photography seems to be about Gear. While gear alone wont make you a great concert photographer, it is very important you get the right camera and lenses to outfit your business to be successful. If you haven't so already, I highly suggest the GEAR GUIDE ( ishootshows.com/gear-guide/ ) by Todd Owyoung. This guide has a list of the current best equipment for concert photography. For those of us that don’t have the means to purchase this equipment, lets start with proven gear, that will give you the best bang for you buck.
1) Camera:
Nikon has many cameras at a variety of levels of photographers. While the D3 and D700 will give the best pictures in the right photographers hands, there is other models to choose from that will save you some cash when getting started in Concert Photography. The D700 is probably all any concert photographer will need. This camera is upwards of $2000.00 which can be a very hefty investment for us beginners. Nikon's D90 is about $800 for just the body, and probably gives the best bang for the buck when it comes to the camera itself. This camera will do everything you need that any DX (cropped sensor) camera can do for concert photography. IF you need something more durable, skip the D300 and go for a D700, since the price difference is small between the two.
2) Lenses:
Saving you $1200 on a DX Nikon DSLR will give you a great jump start on buying lenses which should probably be your first priority anyway. Every lens that works on a D90 will work on a D700, D3, and probably any future bodies that Nikon will make for years to come. All of the lenses that Todd mentioned in his GEAR GUIDE post, are also great budget lenses , because when properly cared for, they will last longer than several camera bodies combined. For the beginner, it might be beneficial to make your investments with lenses first, and when you start bringing in the dough, upgrade to a Full Frame camera, or two of them! If you are on a real budget and need to purchase something now to get started, look into a fast prime lens like the Nikon 50mm F1.4, for about $500. Or even lower and still very useful, is the vast collection of primes that have an aperture of 1.8. These start out at $100 for a fast, sharp lens like the Nikon 50mm F 1.8. Remember when buying lenses to look at is as a long term investment. The Nikon all Nikon FX lenses (full Frame) will work on DX Cameras, but you will have to have FX lenses to work on FX cameras like the D700 or D3.
3)Computer:
A decent computer with decent software is a must for shooting digital photography. You can get by with Photoshop Elements, but a good RAW editor is needed to get the best from your camera investment. Capture NX2 is the best budget friendly software package designed to be specifically used for Nikon Cameras. A fast laptop or budget friendly desktop will be all you need to start editing the thousands of great pictures you will be taking at the show! After you get started, be sure to check out Noise Reduction software and some extra add ons to make the best of your editing experience. The software you can find is only limited to the amount of money you want to spend. For Canon or other camera manufacturers, Adobe Lightroom has the best user interface and tons of helpful features to get your RAW photo's looking their best!
4)Gear for the show: Be sure to take these items with you to the show:
Earplugs - For some reason the best shot seems to come from right in front of the loudspeaker!
Camera Strap- Comfortable and low key to keep your camera from being dropped in bubble gum and beer.
Camera Bag - Big enough to comfortably protect and keep all your gear you will need for the show.
Extra Memory Cards - Keep them between 4GB and 8GB. The lower the number the better in case a card goes bad full of pictures.. OUCH!
Cleaning Gear - You will get smoke, sweat, beer, and dirt all over your camera. have something with you to safely wipe down your expensive gear.
Batteries - You camera will probably die halfway through the headliners set. Don’t let this happen to you!
Flashes - If you want to go backstage and offer promotional shots, a good flash will help you look serious and get great pics ( ishootshows.com )
5) Credentials
Make sure you take your identification and anything necessary to get your photo pass if you must pick it up at the box office. Letters, or emails will help if they loose your information, and always have the phone number to your contact incase anything goes wrong. None of your gear does any good if you cant get into the venue to use it.
Watch my page to see the other 3 parts of this little Blog for Concert Photography I am trying out. I highly recommend you follow the links below to see mine, and some other BETTER concert photographers that take amazing photos. Please feel free to disagree and comment your thoughts!
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Website
twitter.com/bandphotography - Follow me on Twitter
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung Concert Photographer
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung Concert Photographer
http://www.AshNewell.com - Ash Newell, Personal Band Photographer for Whitesnake, Def Leopard, and others. Ash follows bands on tour.
_______________________________
Photo of Judas Priest taken in Corpus Christi, TX at Concrete Street
___________________________________
The most popular question in Concert Photography seems to be about Gear. While gear alone wont make you a great concert photographer, it is very important you get the right camera and lenses to outfit your business to be successful. If you haven't so already, I highly suggest the GEAR GUIDE ( ishootshows.com/gear-guide/ ) by Todd Owyoung. This guide has a list of the current best equipment for concert photography. For those of us that don’t have the means to purchase this equipment, lets start with proven gear, that will give you the best bang for you buck.
1) Camera:
Nikon has many cameras at a variety of levels of photographers. While the D3 and D700 will give the best pictures in the right photographers hands, there is other models to choose from that will save you some cash when getting started in Concert Photography. The D700 is probably all any concert photographer will need. This camera is upwards of $2000.00 which can be a very hefty investment for us beginners. Nikon's D90 is about $800 for just the body, and probably gives the best bang for the buck when it comes to the camera itself. This camera will do everything you need that any DX (cropped sensor) camera can do for concert photography. IF you need something more durable, skip the D300 and go for a D700, since the price difference is small between the two.
2) Lenses:
Saving you $1200 on a DX Nikon DSLR will give you a great jump start on buying lenses which should probably be your first priority anyway. Every lens that works on a D90 will work on a D700, D3, and probably any future bodies that Nikon will make for years to come. All of the lenses that Todd mentioned in his GEAR GUIDE post, are also great budget lenses , because when properly cared for, they will last longer than several camera bodies combined. For the beginner, it might be beneficial to make your investments with lenses first, and when you start bringing in the dough, upgrade to a Full Frame camera, or two of them! If you are on a real budget and need to purchase something now to get started, look into a fast prime lens like the Nikon 50mm F1.4, for about $500. Or even lower and still very useful, is the vast collection of primes that have an aperture of 1.8. These start out at $100 for a fast, sharp lens like the Nikon 50mm F 1.8. Remember when buying lenses to look at is as a long term investment. The Nikon all Nikon FX lenses (full Frame) will work on DX Cameras, but you will have to have FX lenses to work on FX cameras like the D700 or D3.
3)Computer:
A decent computer with decent software is a must for shooting digital photography. You can get by with Photoshop Elements, but a good RAW editor is needed to get the best from your camera investment. Capture NX2 is the best budget friendly software package designed to be specifically used for Nikon Cameras. A fast laptop or budget friendly desktop will be all you need to start editing the thousands of great pictures you will be taking at the show! After you get started, be sure to check out Noise Reduction software and some extra add ons to make the best of your editing experience. The software you can find is only limited to the amount of money you want to spend. For Canon or other camera manufacturers, Adobe Lightroom has the best user interface and tons of helpful features to get your RAW photo's looking their best!
4)Gear for the show: Be sure to take these items with you to the show:
Earplugs - For some reason the best shot seems to come from right in front of the loudspeaker!
Camera Strap- Comfortable and low key to keep your camera from being dropped in bubble gum and beer.
Camera Bag - Big enough to comfortably protect and keep all your gear you will need for the show.
Extra Memory Cards - Keep them between 4GB and 8GB. The lower the number the better in case a card goes bad full of pictures.. OUCH!
Cleaning Gear - You will get smoke, sweat, beer, and dirt all over your camera. have something with you to safely wipe down your expensive gear.
Batteries - You camera will probably die halfway through the headliners set. Don’t let this happen to you!
Flashes - If you want to go backstage and offer promotional shots, a good flash will help you look serious and get great pics ( ishootshows.com )
5) Credentials
Make sure you take your identification and anything necessary to get your photo pass if you must pick it up at the box office. Letters, or emails will help if they loose your information, and always have the phone number to your contact incase anything goes wrong. None of your gear does any good if you cant get into the venue to use it.
Watch my page to see the other 3 parts of this little Blog for Concert Photography I am trying out. I highly recommend you follow the links below to see mine, and some other BETTER concert photographers that take amazing photos. Please feel free to disagree and comment your thoughts!
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Website
twitter.com/bandphotography - Follow me on Twitter
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung Concert Photographer
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung Concert Photographer
http://www.AshNewell.com - Ash Newell, Personal Band Photographer for Whitesnake, Def Leopard, and others. Ash follows bands on tour.
_______________________________
Photo of Judas Priest taken in Corpus Christi, TX at Concrete Street
BECOMING A CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHER - PART III - Making the Shot
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Ok, you got your gear, your at the venue, and your ready to shoot.. What now? Using you camera correctly is something that takes patience and lots of practice. But for the beginners, the basic camera features and terminology will help you grow into a photo selling photographer. Get out your camera manual, learn what all the buttons, wheels, and menus do.
1)Shutter Speed: i.e. 1\250, 1/4000: This controls how long your shutter stays open. To stop action and bring down brightness, you want a faster shutter. For low light and to capture motion, you want a slower shutter. Every show is different, but anything faster that 1\250 will probably be needed to get good sharp pictures.
Aperture: i.e. F1.8, F22 - This controls the Iris of the lens. A smaller number has a bigger aperture, so you can let in more light to have a faster shutter. The larger the aperture, the more you have to concentrate of getting proper focus. A 1.8 aperture will blur the background considerably, and you will need to make sure you focus on the proper part of the person you are photographing. At this aperture, if you focus on his guitar, his face may be out of focus.
2) ISO: This refers to the sensitivity of your camera. A lower ISO will give you less noise and a cleaner image, but will force you to use slower shutter speeds. If its real dark, you will need to kick up your ISO to get the shutter speed you need to stop the action and minimize movement blur.
3)Camera Menu: Manual Mode, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority - Manual means you set the shutter and aperture manually and the camera does not compensate automatically for changes in light. This is recommended for Concert Photography, but is difficult to get good where you can take fast pictures. Shutter Priority is easier because you can set the camera at your preferred shutter speed, like 1/400, and start snapping away. The camera will automatically adjust the aperture to compensate for changes in light. For beginners, use this until you are comfortable shooting in full manual where you can have complete artistic Control. Higher end cameras have dual wheels on the camera to control Shutter and Aperture independent of each other, making manual mode much easier and faster.
4)Quality: JPEG/TIFF/RAW | NEF Shooting in RAW (NEF for NIKON) is highly recommended for Concert Photographers. JPEG photos are processed by the camera from data directly off the sensor. You choose the cameras settings, and the camera takes the RAW data off the sensor, applies your settings, and then removes any unseen date, and creates a JPEG. The RAW or NEF file, is taken directly off the sensor and most data is kept from the photography. This gives you the flexibility to bring back lost data from the original shot. Different from popular belief, shooting in RAW does not take the place of making a proper shot, it just gives you a little more flexibility in your editing process. If you were a perfect photographer, then shooting in JPEG would be quick and easy with little to no editing. This however, is usually not the case for beginner photographers. Most professional photographers shoot in RAW for the flexibility. If you didnt need RAW, then you might as well shoot film for your concerts.
5) Autofocus - Read your owners manual and practice with the different types of auto focus that your camera utilizes.. This is very important, as most cameras have a setting where the camera tracks movement and continually refocuses based on you and your objects movement. This may hinder you sometimes when composing a shot, so make sure you know the different focus features of your camera, and how to change them at a moments notice.
Please check out these sites to help you get more and more from your Concert Photography!
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Gallery
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung, Concert Photographer PRO
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung, Concert Phtoographer PRO
http://www.ashnewell.com - On tour personal Concert Photographer for Taylor Swift, Hinder, Def Leppard, and others..
__________________________________
__________________________________
Ok, you got your gear, your at the venue, and your ready to shoot.. What now? Using you camera correctly is something that takes patience and lots of practice. But for the beginners, the basic camera features and terminology will help you grow into a photo selling photographer. Get out your camera manual, learn what all the buttons, wheels, and menus do.
1)Shutter Speed: i.e. 1\250, 1/4000: This controls how long your shutter stays open. To stop action and bring down brightness, you want a faster shutter. For low light and to capture motion, you want a slower shutter. Every show is different, but anything faster that 1\250 will probably be needed to get good sharp pictures.
Aperture: i.e. F1.8, F22 - This controls the Iris of the lens. A smaller number has a bigger aperture, so you can let in more light to have a faster shutter. The larger the aperture, the more you have to concentrate of getting proper focus. A 1.8 aperture will blur the background considerably, and you will need to make sure you focus on the proper part of the person you are photographing. At this aperture, if you focus on his guitar, his face may be out of focus.
2) ISO: This refers to the sensitivity of your camera. A lower ISO will give you less noise and a cleaner image, but will force you to use slower shutter speeds. If its real dark, you will need to kick up your ISO to get the shutter speed you need to stop the action and minimize movement blur.
3)Camera Menu: Manual Mode, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority - Manual means you set the shutter and aperture manually and the camera does not compensate automatically for changes in light. This is recommended for Concert Photography, but is difficult to get good where you can take fast pictures. Shutter Priority is easier because you can set the camera at your preferred shutter speed, like 1/400, and start snapping away. The camera will automatically adjust the aperture to compensate for changes in light. For beginners, use this until you are comfortable shooting in full manual where you can have complete artistic Control. Higher end cameras have dual wheels on the camera to control Shutter and Aperture independent of each other, making manual mode much easier and faster.
4)Quality: JPEG/TIFF/RAW | NEF Shooting in RAW (NEF for NIKON) is highly recommended for Concert Photographers. JPEG photos are processed by the camera from data directly off the sensor. You choose the cameras settings, and the camera takes the RAW data off the sensor, applies your settings, and then removes any unseen date, and creates a JPEG. The RAW or NEF file, is taken directly off the sensor and most data is kept from the photography. This gives you the flexibility to bring back lost data from the original shot. Different from popular belief, shooting in RAW does not take the place of making a proper shot, it just gives you a little more flexibility in your editing process. If you were a perfect photographer, then shooting in JPEG would be quick and easy with little to no editing. This however, is usually not the case for beginner photographers. Most professional photographers shoot in RAW for the flexibility. If you didnt need RAW, then you might as well shoot film for your concerts.
5) Autofocus - Read your owners manual and practice with the different types of auto focus that your camera utilizes.. This is very important, as most cameras have a setting where the camera tracks movement and continually refocuses based on you and your objects movement. This may hinder you sometimes when composing a shot, so make sure you know the different focus features of your camera, and how to change them at a moments notice.
Please check out these sites to help you get more and more from your Concert Photography!
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Gallery
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung, Concert Photographer PRO
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung, Concert Phtoographer PRO
http://www.ashnewell.com - On tour personal Concert Photographer for Taylor Swift, Hinder, Def Leppard, and others..
__________________________________
BECOMING A CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHER - PART IV - THE COVETED "PHOTO PASS"
___________________________________
Photo of Eli Young Band
Who, What, Where - Tips on Getting your photo pass
Most photographers start out shooting open shows at bars and venues with no camera restrictions. This can make for a great portfolio, and your audience will see photos of bands that would never otherwise be seen, opening you up to a great viewing market. Find a good, up and coming band in your area and follow them religiously. Taking photos of them whenever you can, and doing promotional shots for them if possible. Not only will bar shooting give you outstanding practice using your camera, but will also get you used to the Concert. Bars are usually very dark, very crowded, and getting a good shot can be very difficult. If you can master the technical part of photography in a bar, then you will be that much more ready for larger venues with better lighting. Shooting in bars will also build your confidence and your portfolio when it comes time to get that Photo Pass. If you have the time, follow a band in each genre of music, and reach your wings out to the different types of viewers. Most people don't stray to far from their favorite genre of music, so you must find a way to reach all of them to get the attention you deserve.
If you have gotten this down, then the photo pass will likely fall in your lap. If it hasn't, no worries. Its time for you to go out and look for a photo pass. Emailing, mailing, or hand delivering you portfolio to various venues, bands, magazines, and websites will get people looking. One of the more popular ways is to find the admin office for your local camera hating venues. Walk in, be courteous and professional, and show them your work. Consider doing shows for free to get your foot in the door. Money usually doesn't come up front, you will need to work for it. When you get the photo pass, show up on time, deliver good results, and you will get invited back. This will let you add some references and get some good pictures for your portfolio to take to a real publisher to start selling photos.
Getting published in a magazine or website might take some time, but it is bound to eventually happen with some hard work and lots of shows.
Remember, you are competing with other photographers that are probably better than you and better known by the industry. Be courteous and remember that other photographers are your friends, and usually more than happy to help you get started. Consider making friends at the venues you shoot at, and talking with other photographers after a show. It most cases, they will love to see and hear where your from and if you want to trade contact information with them. If you scratch their back, they will scratch yours. If they don't, no worries, there are some who will. These heavy hitters can pave the way for you and make your journey much more fun and fruitful.
Last but not least, think of a cool way to get your pictures out there to prospective publishers, and do it consistently to get results. Think about getting postcards made, youtube, DVD's, walk into their offices. They get requests from photogs everywhere. Do something different to catch their eye!
___________________________________
Photo of Eli Young Band
Who, What, Where - Tips on Getting your photo pass
Most photographers start out shooting open shows at bars and venues with no camera restrictions. This can make for a great portfolio, and your audience will see photos of bands that would never otherwise be seen, opening you up to a great viewing market. Find a good, up and coming band in your area and follow them religiously. Taking photos of them whenever you can, and doing promotional shots for them if possible. Not only will bar shooting give you outstanding practice using your camera, but will also get you used to the Concert. Bars are usually very dark, very crowded, and getting a good shot can be very difficult. If you can master the technical part of photography in a bar, then you will be that much more ready for larger venues with better lighting. Shooting in bars will also build your confidence and your portfolio when it comes time to get that Photo Pass. If you have the time, follow a band in each genre of music, and reach your wings out to the different types of viewers. Most people don't stray to far from their favorite genre of music, so you must find a way to reach all of them to get the attention you deserve.
If you have gotten this down, then the photo pass will likely fall in your lap. If it hasn't, no worries. Its time for you to go out and look for a photo pass. Emailing, mailing, or hand delivering you portfolio to various venues, bands, magazines, and websites will get people looking. One of the more popular ways is to find the admin office for your local camera hating venues. Walk in, be courteous and professional, and show them your work. Consider doing shows for free to get your foot in the door. Money usually doesn't come up front, you will need to work for it. When you get the photo pass, show up on time, deliver good results, and you will get invited back. This will let you add some references and get some good pictures for your portfolio to take to a real publisher to start selling photos.
Getting published in a magazine or website might take some time, but it is bound to eventually happen with some hard work and lots of shows.
Remember, you are competing with other photographers that are probably better than you and better known by the industry. Be courteous and remember that other photographers are your friends, and usually more than happy to help you get started. Consider making friends at the venues you shoot at, and talking with other photographers after a show. It most cases, they will love to see and hear where your from and if you want to trade contact information with them. If you scratch their back, they will scratch yours. If they don't, no worries, there are some who will. These heavy hitters can pave the way for you and make your journey much more fun and fruitful.
Last but not least, think of a cool way to get your pictures out there to prospective publishers, and do it consistently to get results. Think about getting postcards made, youtube, DVD's, walk into their offices. They get requests from photogs everywhere. Do something different to catch their eye!
BECOMING A CONCERT PHOTOTGRAPHER - PART V - ADVERTISING YOURSELF AND YOUR PHOTOS.
___________________________________
Advertise yourself - Using the internet to document your career
After investing your time and money into getting pictures and moving your career forward, it would make no sense in an internet age to not show your work online. Social networking sights have a lot of benefits, but you must add something else for people to see. Just having your own website in general can make people take you seriously. Depending on what you want to spend, you can open a site for fractions less than your gear investment, and perhaps even for free! Do your research on websites, hosting, and design, and go with it. Sites like Smugmug ( http://www.taylormahaffey.com )let you design your own site with your own host name for pennies a day, and will make people realize that your serious about what you do. As the years go on and you grow as a photographer, let your website grow and change things up. Get a better host, or even hire a website expert to do it for you. Browse photography sites on the internet and get some ideas. Just remember to make it your own and dont steal ideas from people. Remember, other photographers are your freinds!
Social Network sites are a great way to get your pictures out there for free. Among them the heavy hitters like Flickr, Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter will allow more people to see your info, and let you add pictures and links to your website. The more your link to your site on these pages, the higher your personal website will rank on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Just remember to take the pros advice and try to answer emails, requests, and questions from all your fans. Trust me they appreciate it! When they become famous Concert Photographers, they will return the favor.
Check out these other PRO BAND PHOTOGRAPHERS. Reading their site is the best learning you can do. They have tutorials, lots of great pics, and these guys are known to answer questions from everyone:
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Gallery
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung, Concert Photographer PRO
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung, Concert Phtoographer PRO
http://www.ashnewell.com - On tour personal Concert Photographer for Taylor Swift, Hinder, Def Leppard, and others..
___________________________________
Advertise yourself - Using the internet to document your career
After investing your time and money into getting pictures and moving your career forward, it would make no sense in an internet age to not show your work online. Social networking sights have a lot of benefits, but you must add something else for people to see. Just having your own website in general can make people take you seriously. Depending on what you want to spend, you can open a site for fractions less than your gear investment, and perhaps even for free! Do your research on websites, hosting, and design, and go with it. Sites like Smugmug ( http://www.taylormahaffey.com )let you design your own site with your own host name for pennies a day, and will make people realize that your serious about what you do. As the years go on and you grow as a photographer, let your website grow and change things up. Get a better host, or even hire a website expert to do it for you. Browse photography sites on the internet and get some ideas. Just remember to make it your own and dont steal ideas from people. Remember, other photographers are your freinds!
Social Network sites are a great way to get your pictures out there for free. Among them the heavy hitters like Flickr, Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter will allow more people to see your info, and let you add pictures and links to your website. The more your link to your site on these pages, the higher your personal website will rank on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Just remember to take the pros advice and try to answer emails, requests, and questions from all your fans. Trust me they appreciate it! When they become famous Concert Photographers, they will return the favor.
Check out these other PRO BAND PHOTOGRAPHERS. Reading their site is the best learning you can do. They have tutorials, lots of great pics, and these guys are known to answer questions from everyone:
http://www.taylormahaffey.com - My Gallery
ishootshows.com - Todd Owyoung, Concert Photographer PRO
onelouderphoto.com - Chris Owyoung, Concert Phtoographer PRO
http://www.ashnewell.com - On tour personal Concert Photographer for Taylor Swift, Hinder, Def Leppard, and others..
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