A quick post with some rant about behavior you should avoid when shooting concerts or festivals:
- holding your camera high, in front of the lenses of the other photographers;
- lack of respect for other photographers when there’s a shortlist to shoot the headliner at a festival.
While I was shooting a smaller festival in Belgium, there was this one photographer in the pit sneaking in front of all other photographers and then holding his camera high in the sky. While there’s 10 other photographers trying to get a good shot behind him, this one photographer suddenly puts his camera in front of the lenses of the other photographers, not just once, but the whole f’ing time. Then the other photographers get pictures like this:
Very frustrating that one bloke can ruin your shot. Moreover, he probably has shitty pictures as well because he doesn’t know what he’s shooting. So if you are a concert photographer or want to be one, don’t do this!
Also: if the photo pit is crowded (or you all have to stand in a narrow passage) don’t put hats or caps or glasses on your head. The photographer behind you will surely see it in his or her pictures.
Here’s some extra stupid behavior as a photographer. Don’t do this when I’m shooting the same show 😉
The other thing: always be respectful towards other photographers and the magazines they work for. I recently was at a big festival and to shoot the headliner, there was a short list. One photographer who wasn’t on the list, was very angry and upset and said to the organisation that it was not fair that he wasn’t on the list and Shoot Me Again (so me) was and that he deserved it way more. As we had to sign a contract for the headliner, I asked for the contract just after this, hearing all of this. When the girl of the organization asked me what magazine I work for, it was a very awkward situation, I’ll tell you that.
1. It is the management of the band that limits the number of photographers. So don’t blame other photographers (we don’t decide on who is allowed to shoot and who isn’t) or the organization (as they try to do their best to keep everyone happy).
2. Don’t say that you you deserve it more than another photographer (or magazine). If you all got approved, you all have the right to be there. In the end, nobody owes you anything.
3. You don’t know the situation of another magazine or photographer. So don’t make assumptions.
4. Don’t blame people who have nothing to do with the decision. If they are allowed to shoot a festival, all photographers like to shoot all bands. They just want their photos, just like you. If a band decides otherwise, it’s not the photographer’s fault.
While I also hate it if I can’t shoot a big band (like the Scorpions this year and The Prodigy last year), I don’t blame other magazines or photographers. You just have to accept that you can’t shoot that band. Sometimes you get into ridiculous situations, but that’s the game I guess…
Done ranting 🙂