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The illusive and much sought after golden ticket (aka “press pass”) will get you access to this (sometimes tiny) cordoned off space, dedicated to press photographers. It\u2019s here that a photographer can enjoy the room to move around during their allotted times. Most promoters\/venues across the world allow the photographers to be in here during the first three songs. Beyonc\u00e9 once allowed us in for just 60 seconds, but that\u2019s a story for another day! During your three songs you feel the rush of adrenaline and your fingers push and pull your exposure dials quicker than your camera\u2019s FPS. It\u2019s a fun place but can be quite daunting and stressful too. Here\u2019s some general rules for photographing in a photographer\u2019s pit. These etiquette tips are broad enough to be applied to all pits, regardless of size and music genre.<\/p>\n
No, No, No<\/strong><\/p>\n No tripods. Seriously. I can\u2019t believe I have to say this. It\u2019s obvious. Pits are small and we\u2019re only in there for a short time. Photographers need to run around, sometimes the musicians hop in too. Get mobile or get kicked out.<\/p>\n No monopods either. If you need a tripod or monopod for your exposure, then you need to go back and learn how to shoot properly.<\/p>\n No flashes. This is actually a big \u2018no no\u2019. The band doesn\u2019t want ten flashing photographers blinding them for three songs. So just don\u2019t do it. The only time I would break this rule is if I\u2019m hired by the band themselves and they\u2019re expecting me to flash. I\u2019d still only do it sparingly and only when I have the pit to myself.<\/p>\n Ninja Skills<\/strong><\/p>\n Nobody is there to see you, trust me. In small venues, it\u2019s polite to be discreet and allow the paying customers to enjoy the show without distraction. Crouch down in the aisles when you\u2019re moving around the venue if it\u2019s seated. Apologize to the fans when you\u2019ve no choice but to block their view and always tell them it\u2019s only for three songs and that you\u2019ll be gone very soon. If a band grants me stage access, out of respect to their fans (and them), I will always wear black. I\u2019m well aware that I\u2019m not the main attraction!<\/p>\n No Shadowing. No Camping<\/strong><\/p>\n The pit can be small, grab your shot and then move over to allow someone else in. Don\u2019t camp out in the same spot, hogging it for the entire show. On another note, don\u2019t just copy what another photographer is doing. I had a guy who used to follow every move I made in every pit, frame for frame, step by step. I could see him out of the corner of my eye waiting for me to move so he could swoop in and grab the same shot. Be original folks, look with your own eyes\u2026 or else expect a complete earful from the person you\u2019re shadowing.<\/p>\n Turn Off the Beeps<\/strong><\/p>\n You know that moment in a small venue, when the entire crowd goes silent? The singer is getting emotional, they pause before the next verse, you could hear a pin drop\u2026but you don\u2019t, you hear a camera beep. AAAAARRRRGGGHHH! There\u2019s nothing worse than hearing a camera beep every few seconds when the musician is in the middle of a really quiet song. Turn off the beeps, you\u2019re embarrassing yourself. If you don\u2019t know when the camera is in focus with your own eyes then go home and practice until you do. The same rule applies to the AF illumination assist beams. They may be helping you but they\u2019re ruining everyone else\u2019s shot. Switch to MF if you just can\u2019t deal with it.<\/p>\n No Pints in the Pit<\/strong><\/p>\n Apparently this rule is pretty standard in all countries as it breaks health and safety regulations. It also present a very real hazard to lots of expensive camera equipment. Save it for the fourth song guys!<\/p>\n Don<\/strong>\u2019t Be a Pit Snob<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot of blogs and posts popping up these days \u2018pit shaming\u2019 other photographers. OK, so shooting on an entry level SLR or something more compact might not scream \u2018professional music photographer\u2019 but that person has gotten a photo pass; you should respect it. Some of the most amazing photographers out there shoot on various different cameras. You can\u2019t see their end results when you\u2019re standing beside them so don\u2019t just assume they\u2019re amateurs and any less deserving of pit space. I\u2019ll always remind people that I shot my first International magazine cover on an entry level SLR and kit lens. It\u2019s not about the kit you have but how you use it.<\/p>\n Sometimes you will catch a sneaky PR intern or an \u201cI\u2019m with the band\u201d hanger-on in the pit. They\u2019ll likely be there with their iPhone, taking selfies and generally having a great time. If they\u2019re a nuisance or in the way, politely mention it to them, or say it to a security guard. Every time I\u2019ve done this they\u2019ve been apologetic and moved aside. There\u2019s never much of a need to be grumpy about these things.<\/p>\n Waving in the Air Like You Just Don<\/strong>\u2019t Care<\/strong><\/p>\n Arms down by your side please. Don’t stick your camera in the air in front of the singer so it ruins everyone else’s chance of a good shot. If you need to get closer then buy a longer lens. If you\u2019ve turned up to a massive pit with only a fish eye, that\u2019s your fault. Don\u2019t punish everyone else. I\u2019m pretty sure the singer is really sick of your camera blocking their view all night too!<\/p>\n Take a Load Off<\/strong><\/p>\n Drop the backpack. We don\u2019t need to be squeezing past you and your extra padding, it\u2019s tight enough in the pit. But for the love of all things musical DON\u2019T put it where others will trip over it. You’d think this is all pretty obvious but I always see rookie photographers with their giant backpacks in the pit\u2026 looking like they\u2019re on their way for their first day of school. Also on this point, don\u2019t leave your lenses on stage as they get in the way of everyone else having a clean wide shot. Although it would make for a fairly hilarious photograph when the singer kicks it off.<\/p>\n Black Eyed Pits<\/strong><\/p>\n Look before you step backwards. A quick glance over your shoulder will stop a domino effect of four shooting photographers falling to the floor and a massive lens repair bill. Photographers not showing consideration for other people\u2019s location is the biggest cause of pit shiners -I speak from very sore experiences! If you\u2019re lucky enough to have height on your side then consider allowing the shorter photographers to stand in front. It literally won\u2019t affect you in the slightest as you can shoot clearly over their heads. Short photographers, however, can\u2019t shoot through you!<\/p>\n Enjoy the Show<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re not in this for the money or the fame, that\u2019s for sure. The majority of us are in this business because we love live music. So it\u2019s really important that you enjoy the show. I\u2019m not talking about moshing away in the pit (you\u2019ll soon see where that gets you) but if it\u2019s a band that you really love then ask the promotor if you canstay and watch the show after your three songs. Most will allow you, but you may have to check your camera in the cloakroom. But, hey, at least you won\u2019t have to worry about it breaking in that mosh pit you\u2019re starting!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Here\u2019s some general rules for photographing in a Photographer\u2019s Pit. These etiquette tips are broad enough to be applied to all pits, regardless of size and music genre.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":165,"featured_media":18133,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[639,645,17770,17780,646],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","category-photography-645","category-photography","category-photography-tips","category-tech"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/default\/files\/uploads\/8-12-2015%2010-57-09%20AM_0.png\")
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