If you like to go to concerts and sporting events, here is how you can get free tickets! AND you will be able to practice your sporting event and concert photography.
Photo tip - Do you like to go to big sporting events,
concerts and so on? Would you like back stage passes? Here is how you can get free tickets to big events practice your event photography and even become a professional photographer some day!
While entertaining, attending these events can get pretty expensive, especially if you get good seats and getting close enough to get good photos is almost impossible! In fact many events won't even allow you to bring a camera!
Getting backstage passes and getting to meet the stars? Impossible.
Here is how YOU can get in, backstage, and meet the performers FOR FREE!
It doesn't always work, but it will work more often than you might think!
One thing ALL of the promoters of these types of events want is publicity. Even better is FREE publicity.
Here is what you do...
As soon as you hear about the event, contact magazines and newspapers that are a long ways away! To save time it would be worth your while to make a list of them in advance. Then it will be handy and you can contact all of them every time some new event comes to town.
Here's the thing - all of these newspapers and magazines have an entertainment section and they not only WANT photos and stories about these types of event...they really NEED them. But few if any of them will have a reporter in your area! (And believe it when I say that with the economy being what it is, they are NOT going to send one!)
It just isn't worth the expense.
Here is where you come in...Offer to cover the event. Tell them you will send them photos and a story in exchange for a press pass!
In the industry, this is called being a "stringer." News outlets work with them all the time. Just as important, the event promoter works with them too!
This is particularly effective if the event is going to be coming to the news outlet's area. The promoter will see it as FREE advance publicity and the news outlet will see it as a multi-part story.
On your side, you get free admission to the event and get to meet the stars…
On the side of the news outlet, they have nothing to lose... a press pass doesn't cost them anything. If the photos are good, the story can be edited or even rewritten if necessary. AND they have coverage of an event they would not otherwise have had!
If you do a bad job, if it is all garbage, they just toss the story and they haven't lost anything.
Clearly, I recommend you do the best job you can or you won't be able to get any future passes. Don't do this just to scam some free passes. Really try to do a good job!
But at the very least, you get to watch the concert for free.
Don't ask for payment. They don't know you and won't want to make an offer. BTW - you don't have to be Ansel Adams... just competent. Just cover the event, don't try for "art!"
Do this a few times - get copies of the published articles - and start a portfolio of your work. It won't be long before they actually WILL start paying you. Plus when you can send out samples, it will be easier to get the initial press passes from other various outlets.
If you are into concerts and sporting events, this photo tip could save you a ton of money, give you concert photography and sports event photography practice and could lead to a professional photography career! For more information, check out the resources box!
