photo/press pass question

[KariBelle]

I've experienced mixed information on this topic and I wondered what everyone's experience has been.

I know there are venues that require photo/press passes for photographers to be able to shoot at the venue, and my experience has been that one goes through the band 9 times out of 10 for this as it is a band's choice if they require it.

However, we recently had a venue that did not previously have a photo policy of any kind and we checked with them as a CYA for an event and they directed us to their social media sites (not their actual venue website). Their social media sites indicate that there may be passes required and that photographers should contact the venue 24 hrs prior to event to see if it is a pass only event (and it's a post that is almost over a week old). Looking through their website, there is no mention of a photo policy, and it is not a venue that hosts national acts -- they're all local artists. And I find it odd that they would only post it on their social media sites and not their website (I always go to websites first, not social media sites when checking for this type of information, and always call the venue)

Is there a "venue standard" that is followed for passes, is it up to the band or the venue (since I've found mixed information, I'm a little confused). Our contracts are with the bands, not the venues, and I would think if the band is paying for our services, it would be their call, correct? I always check venues to see if they have a photo policy for each event as a CYA, and up until now there has been no issue. With the exception of a couple, they've all told me that it is the band's decision if passes are required.

[Jim Bryant]

Most concert venues will only allow the first three songs of the first set to be photographed. We normally had to go through the show's promoter. Here in Washington State it's Live Nation. However, we have to show proof of working for a news organization.

Not sure what MI is like, but contact the show's promoter as they can normally steer you in the right direction.

Just make sure you don't give away the rights to your photographs in exchange for a pass.
You could end up loosing money if the band hits big time. No poster sales, t-shirt sales, advertising, press releases, editorial/magazine sales, including a possible Rollin Stone cover or inside photos to go along with the store. And somewhere down the line a CD cover. website and such.

[KariBelle]

Thank Jim.. here's the thing, the venues we've been at lately have all been local venues that host only local bands vs what you're talking about with venues using an actual show promoter. These are places like local theaters, local clubs that host live music nights, and places like that. (though I definitely will keep the information you mentioned since there are a few events we would love to shoot at that would require the passes!). There isn't a formal show promoter or anything like that since it's just local acts playing where they can play really. They're trying to break into the music scene starting as the small fish at the local joints.

And definitely - we never give away the rights to our photos. I've actually lost a client or two in the band scene because they wanted us to just hand over the rights and we wouldn't do that, and they were unhappy with the options we do offer.


I guess my whole confusion with this, is I know the actual concert venues have policies based off the acts that come through... but this particular venue is just a small local scene that never had such a policy, they posted it on the social media sites not their actual website where 99% of people are going to look... and we don't randomly go to shoot photos, we're there because our client paid us to be there. And even in the situation you have, going through the show promoter still isn't going through the venue--- that promoter probably goes back to the band or has a set number of people they can authorize or some similar scenario I'd imagine. The only way I even came across the information for it was because I like to make sure we're covered and not stepping on anyone's toes or violating venue policies (I would love to think my clients would be aware since they are there quite often, but I only have myself to blame if I assume). Otherwise, I would've never seen it, and my client would've been out of luck and pretty ticked when the session they paid for could've been a no-go. Just seems rather odd to me I guess.

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Most concert venues will only allow the first three songs of the first set to be photographed. We normally had to go through the show's promoter. Here in Washington State it's Live Nation. However, we have to show proof of working for a news organization.

Not sure what MI is like, but contact the show's promoter as they can normally steer you in the right direction.

Just make sure you don't give away the rights to your photographs in exchange for a pass.
You could end up loosing money if the band hits big time. No poster sales, t-shirt sales, advertising, press releases, editorial/magazine sales, including a possible Rollin Stone cover or inside photos to go along with the store. And somewhere down the line a CD cover. website and such.

[funcrunch]

Originally Posted by KariBelle

I guess my whole confusion with this, is I know the actual concert venues have policies based off the acts that come through... but this particular venue is just a small local scene that never had such a policy, they posted it on the social media sites not their actual website where 99% of people are going to look... and we don't randomly go to shoot photos, we're there because our client paid us to be there.

I shoot at venues like this frequently, as concert photography is my specialty. Especially if I'm not already familiar with the venue, I inform the band that I need to have my name on the door list and a photo pass if one is required. It's up to my clients to work that out with the venue. So far, I've never been denied access, although I have had delays at a couple of the larger clubs when I arrived very early (as I normally do) and they had to work out who had the door list and my photo pass.

[KariBelle]

Thanks Julie.
So this venue though, it's like a House of Blues type place (restaurant and live music in one scenario), but they don't have cover charges or sell tickets or anything like that.... so this particular venue doesn't have a door list or anything that they check when they have their live music nights. I guess that's one of the main things that keeps throwing me is it's not your typical venue where the "normal" things would be required. They've been open for a little over a year and they've never had a policy regarding photos or the photographers taking the photos. This is what they posted (maybe this will help):
"Attention Photographer's: This is notice that some show's may require a Photo Pass (35 mm and SLR Digital) 24 hours prior to performance. This depends on the band playing and their contract. Please contact Club 24 hrs before show to see if this affects you. Thank you very much..."

Another little tidbit, most of the bands are not "contracted" as they imply above (we've spoken to the club management before for other bands). So that further confused me... but again, our contracts are with the bands, so I'm not sure why the venue would need to determine if we need a pass when we're already going through the band-- which their post seems to indicate passes would be needed based on the band. I would think if it was a pass event, the band would know and make sure that the photographer they hired was either aware that they would need to obtain a pass or they would obtain the pass for the photographer. Up until being directed to their post on their new photography policy, anyone who wanted to take photos could--- pro or otherwise. When we have seen other photographers there for other bands or when we're there for one our clients, no one goes up on stage or is in the band's face or anything that would seem to indicate an issue with people photographing bands. Even the "fans" are not obnoxious about picture taking.

Originally Posted by funcrunch

I shoot at venues like this frequently, as concert photography is my specialty. Especially if I'm not already familiar with the venue, I inform the band that I need to have my name on the door list and a photo pass if one is required. It's up to my clients to work that out with the venue. So far, I've never been denied access, although I have had delays at a couple of the larger clubs when I arrived very early (as I normally do) and they had to work out who had the door list and my photo pass.

[zona5101]

?? then just ask. call the venue 24 hrs ahead and get the ok. So they are small and don't have a procedure, policy, doorman, press pass...just call. talk to the manager. The venue is private property so they have the final say on letting you in to shoot on their property.
whats the drama in calling ahead????

[KariBelle]

no drama, just confused.... and had i not called to cover our backsides as a courtesy, i would've never known. our clients won't be the only ones affected by this change on their part and if they don't have it on their website where most people will look, if an out of town act comes in, their photographer (assuming they have one) would not know of this policy if they just looked at their website. was just curious what other people's experiences have been with venues like this because this change and the way they're going about it and how the information was provided just seems quite odd to me. especially having dealt with the venue for the past year or so. we were just there last week (and not that they owed it to use or anything like that), and they didn't say anything about a change in the policy. not to mention, calling 24 hrs ahead really doesn't work for this venue. the person they refer you to is only there on every other thursday and every friday/saturday (which happen to be the nights they have the shows when they have them, making it very difficult to get a hold of someone 24hrs prior like they're stating). we know that because we are there often for some of our clients.... other people wouldn't necessarily know this if they haven't been there or dealt with the venue before. just seems to me that you would make the information more readily available and have the person or people available if you're going to say call 24 hrs ahead. but they make it sound like you have to call because the band will decide if it should be a pass show --- but if the band hired us, i would think we would already know if it was a pass event and thus not really need to call if the pass is provided by the band.
my inquiry is more of a "has this happened to you, what has your experience been," as opposed to a "i don't think we should have to do that." i have no problem calling a venue-- and we do always call as a CYA for ourselves to make sure we're aware of the venue and the policies there... and understanding things change, we call every time just to make sure things are the same and get the changes if something has changed that we need to do differently.

Originally Posted by zona5101

?? then just ask. call the venue 24 hrs ahead and get the ok. So they are small and don't have a procedure, policy, doorman, press pass...just call. talk to the manager. The venue is private property so they have the final say on letting you in to shoot on their property.
whats the drama in calling ahead????

[zona5101]

you make my head hurt.

[funcrunch]

I would simply write into your contracts with future clients that it is their responsibility to ensure you have access to the venue and a photo pass if one is required. That way you don't have to worry about catching the venue guy on the one Thursday he's there or whatever; it's up to the band. I don't think they should find this unreasonable as they already have to deal with the venue in advance on other issues (sound check, load-in, etc.) so they just need to add this to their checklist.