{"id":3823,"date":"2012-09-07T12:13:05","date_gmt":"2012-09-07T16:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adam-jackson.net\/blog\/?p=3823"},"modified":"2012-09-07T12:13:05","modified_gmt":"2012-09-07T16:13:05","slug":"an-apology-to-ultra-music-festival-and-their-press-photography-policiesi-get-it-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adamchandler.me\/blog\/2012\/09\/07\/an-apology-to-ultra-music-festival-and-their-press-photography-policiesi-get-it-now\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2605 An Apology to Ultra Music Festival and their Press Photography Policies\u2026I get it now."},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Getting<\/a>
Probably the nicest camera I saw at EZoo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Bonnaroo 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.<\/p>\n

Then I attended Electric Zoo in New York last weekend.<\/p>\n

It was a free for all of photographers. Here’s a breakdown of what the press photographer landscape was like at EZoo 2012:<\/p>\n