I was bemoaning with a media comrade the common misconception that being a music photographer is oh-so-glamorous. So let’s walk through a day of shooting, as there are several lessons to be learned in getting through a shoot.
I emailed the venue two days before the show (after not reaching them by phone) to let them know I was shooting promos of Devildriver at 6pm on show day, and asked them if I could come early to scope the place out and set up lights, so I could whip through the 15 minute photo shoot with the band. I also let them know I had never shot there before and to let me know if there were any special procedures or entrances I needed to utilize.
LESSON: If you are shooting in a venue or location and you need to set up, try to arrange early arrival. These bands are VERY busy, and you will be lucky to get 15 minutes of shooting time. And trust me, that ain’t much time when you are trying to wrangle 3-6 strangers into a pose where they all look good at once. Also, by asking the club about procedures, you are showing you respect their rules and don’t want to be a pain in the ass.
I emailed my media contact the day of the show to confirm shooting promos for Devildriver
at 6pm at the venue. Typically, you get no response on that short of notice as they are busy people. Fortunately, she had already provided me with the road manager’s name and number to contact to round up the band when I was ready.
LESSON: Always get the road manager’s contact info if possible. I don’t care who gave you permission to shoot, they control the band’s schedule. God himself could set up a shoot or photo pass, but if the road manager says “no,” then you are not shooting.
About 3-4 miles from the venue I called the road manager to make sure we were on schedule and make sure I could get in the venue as doors had not opened. Left message with road manager’s voice mail.
LESSON: Road managers rarely answer the phone, but hopefully screen calls.
Fortunately, I had the venue phone number. Called them and told them I was coming and confirmed I was booked for promo shoot. They asked what I looked like so they could watch out for me. I informed them I was a “fat middle-aged woman with a shitload of camera gear. I so do not look rock and roll, but then neither does Annie Leibovitz.”
LESSON: Have the venue number as well. Self-effacing jokes can be effective with staff.
I arrived at the venue one hour before scheduled shoot, and the stage door was wide open. I gathered up my gear, and as I was entering the side door, the road manager came out. It was apparent the staff had passed on my little joke as he sort of laughed and said, “you must be my photographer!” and shook my hand. He told me he was glad I was early, as the band now had an interview at the time I was supposed to shoot and wanted to bump up our photos to 5:45pm. “No problem!” I told him, and thanked him for help with promos.
LESSON: Be there early to also adapt to any scheduling changes. Thank road manager profusely, which, along with self effacing jokes, now has him firmly on your side.
I dragged my lights in and sure enough, there were no outlets within reach. But that was okay, because I brought my power pack like a good Girl Scout and that would save me. So I thought.
LESSON: Prepare for no electric. Make sure to have a Plan B.
Despite testing said power pack before leaving, for some reason I was getting no juice to my light. Nada. I played with it and realized I was going to have to come up with Plan B. I nonchalantly laughed along with the South Park episode the staff were all watching to hide the panic rising in me. Must. Act. Calm. I looked around and there on the post near me was an outlet. Cord reached it. I was saved.
Or so I thought.
Light was on, and remote trigger plugged in, but not working. I checked trigger in light, battery light flashing that it was on and functional. I checked master trigger on camera, no lights. Battery dead.
LESSON: Check every piece of equipment and battery you have before leaving. Then check them again. And guess what…then check them again. EVERYTHING. And have a Plan C.
Mind you, this ain’t no standard AA or AAA battery, but a funky 3V camera type battery approximately the size of a quarter. I mentally ran through the stores I had seen on the last couple of miles to the venue. There was a Kmart. I had a half hour before the shoot at 5:45. I had no damn idea if Kmart would have this special battery. I discreetly packed up the cameras, left the lighting and hauled ass to the van and right when I pulled out, saw a CVS. They have a photo department. I made a guess they should have this battery if anyone does.
Thank god they did.
In my relief, I told the bouffant-haired, middle-aged clerk they saved my life, and shared how I was doing this promo shoot shortly and needed this battery. She asked what the band name was. Devildriver.
She looked at me funny and assured me she would “pray for them.”
LESSON: Rock and roll doesn’t mix with the real world. Don’t share with the normals, unless you simply want to fuck with their heads. Which is pretty damn fun actually.
I got back to the venue, slipped back in, and changed batteries. Eureka, it worked. I had 15 minutes to decide the background and make sure I was ready. I was on sensory overload in this kick ass venue, The Machine Shop in Flint. I tested on two different backgrounds near outlets (lack of external power source narrowed things down mighty quick) and finally settled on the background you see below.
Dez came out and chatted with one of the staff for a bit and asked me if I was about ready. I said, “I’m ready…let’s do this!” So the band came out and I admit I had to ask who was who on a couple…I knew the names but couldn’t match everyone up.
LESSON: Always know the singer’s name, but really try to know all the band member’s names. It not only helps with directing them, but shows you took the time to get to know them a bit.
We zipped through a few shots, and luckily Devildriver was pretty well versed at this. This short shooting time makes it very hard to nail the key element to any photo shoot — getting the subject to relax and give you some kind of personality and emotion in the shot. It isn’t enough to know how to set up your lights and use your camera, you gotta be a people person too, which I firmly believe does not come naturally to most photo types. I really have to work at it.
I only did one background and one basic set up…I’m looking for ONE
good shot where all the band looks good. There was no time to fuss
around.
Dez did a few hand gestures, including a very naughty one that showed off his name tattooed on his hand. YES! I checked the viewfinder a few times to make sure exposure and composition were on track, but shot away during my time for as many options as possible. I called it a wrap and thanked the band profusely, and they did the same.
LESSON: Always be gracious and courteous and thank them for helping you out.
Road manager asked me if I wanted to shoot live show. I said, “Of course!” Gave me photo pass. Confirmed with him three song/no flash rule in effect. Bummed when he said it was. Sometimes smaller venues will fudge on this (stupid) standard, but if it’s in effect, trust me…it’s in effect. Do NOT violate it. But it never hurts to ask if you can shoot more or with flash.
Now I had two hours to kill waiting for the FIRST band to start. This is where things aren’t so glamorous. All the waiting. And fortunately, this venue had a chained off area for photogs, but most smaller venues don’t. If they don’t, you have to get there early, get a good spot, and not move the rest of the show. I have actually stopped eating and drinking several hours before a show if I know I will have to protect a spot by the stage, because I can’t even leave for a potty break.
Hey, yeah, that’s glamorous.
Anyway, now here is where I ran into another snafu. In general, if you have a photo pass from the headlining act, people usually shoot the opening bands as well. In actuality, you are really supposed to have a pass for EVERY band you shoot. Generally, no one fusses over this, but you never know. Also, as I said before, when the three song limit is in effect, it’s in effect. For reals. You do NOT leave the shooting pit area, then continue shooting from the sidelines with your pro gear. You MUST play by the rules, even though every fan with a point and shoot is allowed to fire away. Photographers with pro gear have different rules. It sucks, but that is how it is.
So I was shooting the third and final opening band, when a security guy tapped me on the shoulder and asked me who my photo pass was for. And not in a very nice way. At this point, I knew I was in hot water. I told him I got it from Devildriver’s road manager. “That’s not Devildriver,” he told me. I tried to apologize and make nice, but another photographer he pulled out — the guy who was shooting extra from the sidelines — started arguing with him.
Every music photographer I know is cringing right now.
Security guy proceeded to tell both me and the other photographer he
didn’t want to see us in the shooting area again, and that we were DONE.
FUCK.
LESSON: Never. EVER. Argue with security. NEVER. Because they can overrule anyone’s pass and you can bet your ass they will if you piss them off. Do not get in a pissing contest with them, because guess what, you are gonna lose. I guarantee you their proverbial dick is bigger than yours. I later found out this other guy had pissed off security by continuing to shoot past the three song limit, hence the fallout with a now angry head of security.
I consulted my new media friend, James Chesna from ABC, and he advised what I knew already. Despite my photo pass for Devildriver, if I pushed it, I would likely never shoot this venue again. So I went out the door, and guess who was outside…my security friend. I took this opportunity to apologize properly and he was very cool about it. I explained how I had never run into a problem shooting openers with a headliner pass and he explained how he can’t take a chance on pissing off bands, which I told him I completely understood and apologized again. And assured him that if I ever shot there again he could always tell me if I was doing something wrong and I would do whatever he said. He told me I had just gotten in the crossfire for the photog he was actually pissed off at, and only told me not to go back because the other guy was there.
I didn’t dare ask to shoot Devildriver, but, get this: not only did he tell me I could go back and shoot them, but personally escorted me back to the shooting pit, and told all the security staff I was approved to shoot the first three songs per the standard.
Whew.
LESSON: Security staff are usually friendly as long as you are polite and respectful. You MUST make friends with them! They can be as gentle and cuddly as a big slobbery St. Bernard, but if you piss them off, they will go CUJO on your ass. And if you do piss them off, other photogs may become collateral damage. So just…don’t. It ain’t worth it.
So yeah, that was my not so smooth night. But when all was said and done, I discovered a great new venue, met the Devildriver guys, met some new media friends, met Mr. Security and schmoozed him, and most important of all, I got the goddamn promos I came for:
Given all those problems, that CVS clerk shoulda been praying for ME.
