I have come to terms with the fact that attendees of concerts are not allowed to bring any device that could potentially get a half-way decent photo of any performer. It’s something I am aware of now so I deal with it. My way of dealing? I scratched off the video icon on my camera, use the smallest non-zoom (prime) lens I have and lie to security check-points that it’s not a detachable lens camera. It is but when you only have one lens with you, technically it’s not detachable. I take crappy photos of these concerts with what I do bring in and respect the guys who are toting SLRs and tripods because they have worked their way up to the designation of “Press”. No need to complain about this anymore. FYI though to concert organizers. You can’t bar “recording devices” anymore. Everyone has a smartphone that takes video. Just give up. Seriously. Give up.
Anyway, every year I ask Ultra Music Festival if they’ll let me bring an SLR. I ask nicely and don’t ask for “media” access or any sort of special treatment. All I wanted to do was buy a ticket like a normal person but be able to use an SLR. I’ll sign anything saying I won’t sell the photos. I just wanted to take great photos for my own personal use. I’ve never been allowed to do that. I’ve also found out that festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo are also strict on who gets the coveted media badges. They also have very strict rules in place to photographers such as no flash photography except for the first 5 minutes, you’re allowed to photograph the first 3 songs and then you can’t take any more photos and you can’t stay in one spot for too long. It’s up to organizers what these rules are but the rules are meant to help the performers and make the show better for people who actually pay to be there. A lot of photographers hate this rule and I never really understood why it was so important.
Then I attended Electric Zoo in New York last weekend.
It was a free for all of photographers. Here’s a breakdown of what the press photographer landscape was like at EZoo 2012:
- Point and Shoots in 1 out of 5 people shooting it
- Auto Built-In Flash being used
- Guys standing at one spot for 10-15 minutes while 3-4 photographers stood behind them waiting to get on the step stool
- Guys using my head and other attendee’s heads as mono pods “Hey, can I put my lens on your head for a minute?”
- Press photographer putting their camera away after 5 minutes, changing their shirt and adorning a flag and dancing around in the press photo area like maniacs like, “my job is done..I’ll just stay right here and dance in the photo pit”
- Photographers pushing attendees out of the way to get the shot. My friend was asked, “can you stop dancing and waving your arms?”
- Photographers constantly being on stage sometimes 3 guys at once on the stage with the performer using flash, taking photos and staying there for so long that it was very distracting
I have NEVER seen such an insanely unprofessional group of photographers. Now, it’s not as if there weren’t talented and very kind photographers at this festival. There were. Nearly half of the guys were great and you could tell they were there to work and were gone as soon as they got the shot and on to the next stage. Then, there was a group of guys who looked like interns who got a free pass to take photos with their point & shoot cameras and treat attendees like garbage. “Press” isn’t the same as “VIP”. You didn’t pay more so you can act like an asshole. You were invited to cover this event not making it your VIP experience.
It’s clear that one or all of these things happened:
- Electric Zoo sent out blanket invites to top press and local blogs to cover the event like, “Hi Gothamist. Want to come and cover our event? Send whoever.”
- Electric Zoo approved photographers without checking credentials first so they could get as much coverage as possible
- These photographers are very good at hacking their way into being press and I applaud these guys.
After 5 minutes of a guy using my head as a tripod for his 400mm lens, I turned around and told him, “If you don’t have the shot yet, you’re probably not going to get it.” He called me an ass and walked away. I paid $350 for a ticket and you asked me to stop dancing so you can prop your camera on my head and then you remain there for a very long time. I think my reaction was harsh but fair.
I’m not a professional photographer and I would LOVE to cover an event like Electric Zoo with a proper lens from the crowd at least but it would be awesome to be in the press area. Imagine the cool photos I’d get but I haven’t paid my dues. I don’t deserve to be there. A lot of people don’t deserve to be there and groups like Ultra Music Festival are clearly doing a great job fielding these idiots who think they’re entitled to photograph an event in the press booth just because they saved up for an SLR.
I still believe these festivals should allow normal paying folk to bring SLRs up to a certain zoom level…let’s say 50MM or less should be completely fine and they can’t access any press areas. That should be fine and I’d like to see that happen. However, it’s clear that EZoo let everyone in the press pit and allowed them to annoy the hell out of attendees. To the guy with the French flag shooting on auto burst right beside my face with your flash on for half an hour and then dancing around in your cheap flip-flops…you aren’t a photographer but it’s not your fault. It’s the fault of Electric Zoo for allowing you through the media gate with that camera dressed like you’re about to rave your butt off and not actually take photos worth publishing.
So, I’m sorry Ultra Music Festival. You clearly know what your’e doing when it comes to SLRs and press passes. I’m sorry for acting all entitled about it and EZoo…get your act together. Handle press properly next time. Everything else about the event was great.
