Electric Picnic

BlastedGlute

I'm looking through one of my mates photos from the picnic last year. Seems like a fairly awesome place to get some photographs. plenty of things to see and it looks like an arts festival in some ways! Has anyone photographed at this in a sort of offical capacity before? Is there a way to volunteer or anything? Looks cool like

kfish2oo2

They're usually very strict with DSLRs and won't allow you into the festival with one unless you have a press pass. Technically all photography is banned, but you can usually get away with a compact P&S or maybe a bridge if you're lucky. Anything good enough to produce sale-able photos will be taken off you.

As for obtaining a press pass - I would love to find out how to get one. I think you'd have to be working for a magazine or newspaper. Anyone have any more info on this?

mehfesto

Yeah, you'd need some connections to get a pass for this. Not being connected to a paper, magazine or venue would make it next to impossible.

I'm sure there are ways around it, but I just don't know what they are!

mikka631

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

Anything good enough to produce sale-able photos will be taken off you.

"When you can pry it from my cold, dead, hands".........:mad::mad::mad:

mehfesto

mikka631 wrote: »

"When you can pry it from my cold, dead hands".........:mad::mad::mad:

That or they'll just kick you out of the festival. Either or, really.

It says no photography on the ticket, and because it's not a public space, they have the right to do so as far as I'm aware.

dinneenp

I had a compact with me and it was no problem (3 years ago I think). Some shots here.

I'd say you'd be okay with a dslr, just hid it if you see some security that look 'unfriendly'.

kfish2oo2

dinneenp wrote: »

I had a compact with me and it was no problem (3 years ago I think). Some shots here.

I'd say you'd be okay with a dslr, just hid it if you see some security that look 'unfriendly'.

You could probably sneak one into the campsite, but don't even bother trying to get it into the main festival area. The security guys will boot you out and fast. When I was there 2 years ago I saw several press photographers getting stopped by security to check their credentials and the bouncers in the tents will hunt down anyone with a compact who's being too flash happy. After all, its private property and they can enforce the rule as leniently or strictly as they like, and it will inevitably vary from security guard to security guard.

PCPhoto

I've worked at EP and Oxegen in the past .... didn't bother applying this year.

no offence intended to any of you but ...press passes are supposed to be for working press photographers only, they are not for people who have a DSLR and wanna get pics like the pro's....would any of you be earning money from the pictures ?

in saying that in recent years there have been more and more amateurs who have gotten access.... I have no problem with them being there (as long as they understand how to take photos) .... you'd be surprised how many point the camera in program mode with shutter speeds of 1/30sec or 1/60sec - apertures of f4.5 because thats the limit of their lenses and then wondering why they didn't get sharp images or why everything is blurry.

there is always a way of gaining access to concerts - but unless you are earning money from it - why try to arrange a pass ? ..... if you just want to shoot them for the fun or experience, you are not deserving of a press pass, if you have a buyer for the images and you will cover your costs at least then you should apply, I have stopped doing gigs in recent times because there is little or no money to be made from it - I may go back to it later in the year or maybe next year.

kfish2oo2

PCPhoto - do you have a blog or flickr? I'd love to see your work.

As for what you've said - I agree with you. I would only want to get a press pass if I was employed to do so or had a buyer pre-arranged. Being there as an amateur would be a fantastic experience, but at the end of the day people need to make money out of it and at the level I'm at, I would only be getting in the way. Still, its nice thought - to be going to a great festival, see great bands and get to take great pictures of them.

Just out of curiosity - you say there's no money to be made from that kind of photography. Why so? Is it because of over saturation? Or do magazines/newspapers etc just not care enough about gig photos to pay decent money for them? On a more aspirational note, what kind of contacts would you need to have to be employed to do festival photography?

thebaz

at the recent Glastonbury festival, i found the amount of press snappers, staggering - all shooting the same thing from the same place - so i see the need for restrictions - due to saturation , of many music photographers ,the media have got used to picking up images for next to nothing - not sure , how anyone could make a living shooting just music - nice in theory , but not in practice

at glastonbury most of the photgraphers seamed more interested in snapping Wayne Rooney having a beer, than the music - i'm back to my punk roots

PCPhoto

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

PCPhoto - do you have a blog or flickr? I'd love to see your work.

I have a flickr, but I think I have maybe 1 or two folders (nothing great on it - not sure if theres any actual work photos on it)

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity - you say there's no money to be made from that kind of photography. Why so? Is it because of over saturation? Or do magazines/newspapers etc just not care enough about gig photos to pay decent money for them? On a more aspirational note, what kind of contacts would you need to have to be employed to do festival photography?

There's little or no money to be made because of restrictions and oversaturation - management companies and event organisers have in the recent past made photographers sign waivers so that the images they take could not be distributed - other than for the publication they have got accreditation for..... basically on the waivers you have to sign it says the images are to be used on X date of Y publication ONLY any further use will be deemed as a breach of this contract blah blah blah.

lets say 5yrs ago, I could make €400-€750 from going to a gig (maybe more)..... now the most I can make is around €70ish (if I'm lucky) and while you say €70 isn't bad its not worth it.

for a gig at the o2 - you are told to turn up at 7-7.30, sometimes earlier, but in order to get parking nearby you usually need to get there even earlier, you hang around just inside the doorway waiting for your press sticker (which they give after you sign the waiver notice) - the act will go on stage usually sometime between 8.30-9pm,

you are brought in (escorted in to the pit in front of the crowd) and told how many songs you are allowed to photograph for (usually first 3 songs - no flash allowed...beyonce at the o2, we were allowed first 30seconds of the first song ONLY) after this time you are all escorted back out and told you cannot send images from on the premises you have to leave the building ( This is where getting there early for close parking comes in handy)

you goto car, upload images, caption and crop, send to the paper/magazine you are working for and check to see if they print it the next day....and you go home, its very rarely allowed that you can go back in, it does happen on occasion - but camera gear is not allowed back in with you.

one of the most important things for shooting for the papers .... VERY LITTLE POST PROCESSING IS ALLOWED - so the image taken is the image printed in the paper, slight minor adjustments are allowed like cropping....for images like the Boyzone one - that was never sent to the papers, I was asked to stay and photo the entire show one night by Louis Walsh so I hung around....and even went to after party with the lads.






Any ideas on who this band are ???? (this pic was taken in 2007 I think or 2005 ....cant remember and dont want to find the original folder - not sure which hard drive its on)

PCPhoto

couple of more pics.

The band in the last post is .......

Kings of Leon

thebaz

PC - great shot of Amy - R.I.P.

BlastedGlute

Thanks for all the info PC Photo, And I totally agree, I would have no interest in trying to be a music photographer(even though im a fairly dedicated guitarist for the last 12-13 years) :P . I was interested in electric picnic only for the attractions if you will. It looks like an arts festival in places. My mother was part of the arts council for some time and I kind of grew up helping out with street festivals all over ireland.

I loved the recent festival in Galway, it was short but the work was astounding and it had a killer steampunk theme to boot. So I guess I was wondering more about photographing the events surrounding the festival and not so much the musicians on the stage.

Doinker

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

You could probably sneak one into the campsite, but don't even bother trying to get it into the main festival area. The security guys will boot you out and fast. When I was there 2 years ago I saw several press photographers getting stopped by security to check their credentials and the bouncers in the tents will hunt down anyone with a compact who's being too flash happy. After all, its private property and they can enforce the rule as leniently or strictly as they like, and it will inevitably vary from security guard to security guard.

I'v been to all the EP's and would always be snap happy - I'v never been asked to stop or never seen any bouncers giving anyone with a compact grief. Don't think they care too much about people with compacts.

melekalikimaka

EP is dying a death, I used to do a lot of work with the promotors and got into photoing for them for a few years but i made more doing other work for them than photography, undercutting is rampant :-(

kfish2oo2

Doinker wrote: »

I'v been to all the EP's and would always be snap happy - I'v never been asked to stop or never seen any bouncers giving anyone with a compact grief. Don't think they care too much about people with compacts.

I was referring to DSLR's in that post - maybe I should have made it clearer. Compacts will not be an issue at all, but a DSLR or even a larger bridge will most definitely attract the attention of security. I did witness 3 people getting a talking to from security at Explosions in the Sky and at Chris Cuninghams set about their compacts flash, but at those two gigs in particular the ambiance is a big part of the show, so maybe they were rare exceptions.

pearljamfan

micro 4 thirds, 20mm prime. FTW!

i suppose you could get in with a band and do their video/promo etc and get paid that way, a friend of mine did the villagers stuff there last year.

ant_moore123

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

the bouncers in the tents will hunt down anyone with a compact who's being too flash happy. .

I have been 3 times and always had my compact with me taking loads of pics, I have never seen bouncers stop anyone taking photos(with a compact) at Electric Picnic or any other music gig for that matter

neilthefunkeone

I brought my 350d with kit lens and a 18-200mm lens as well in a small lowe-pro slingshot bag last year.. opened the bag every time i had to go into the area.. so 10-15 times over the weekend.. Was asked once was i a photographer.. Just kinda laughed and said i'm rubbish but its my only camera..(which is true!!)

Was handy as i could get 2 cans hidden in the bag aswell!!!! :D

dinneenp

great first shot of AC DC.
and robbie- he's looking right into the lens.

PCPhoto

Bono would have been looking straight at me... if he opened his eyes, Adam Clayton is looking straight at me too - I think ....Shakira was eyeballing me too, could have swore she winked just after that but I missed the photo (only kidding)

...as for AC/DC or Robbie (pretty sure they are looking slightly away - robbie just above me and AC/DC just to my right - I could be wrong)

homerun_homer

I've brought both DSLR and compact to EP's past and never had trouble. I've been at the barrier of gigs taking photos and seen others do it without issue. I'm not encouraging it from everyone at the front of gigs but if you really are interested in taking a few pics then you should be ok.

I got into photography from taking pictures at gigs but it's pretty much just a hobby I really like. I'm not in a good location to try and get more out of it than just being a hobby.

Some of my shots;

Klaxons 2009 - A friend ran a magazine and asked for them to be used.


The Horrors 2010


Foals 2010



As for Compact results;

LCD Soundsystem 2010

Sleepy

I purpose bought my OM-2n for Electric Picnic last year and had no problems with security whatsoever. It had the main advantage that as a camera I'd only paid €70 for it and some fast glass, any damage to it or the lenses wouldn't be the end of the world (versus damage to my 450d or it's lenses.

A few bands spotted me with a relatively distinctive camera (by comparison to most of the compacts there) and happily stared right into my lens. Embarrassingly, however, I have yet to develop the rolls I shot there so have no idea if I got anything worthwhile.

11811

While not the E.P, i was at Castlepalooza at the weekend,(bit late to be telling you about it now I guess)

They were quite welcoming of photographers and as it was a fairly small festival I didn't feel worried carting around my camera and got some cool shots. Here are a few http://www.flickr.com/photos/fritzbeastman/sets/72157627340375630/

Maybe investigate some of the smaller festivals that are on? Might be easier to get in and shoot.

sheesh

11811 wrote: »

While not the E.P, i was at Castlepalooza at the weekend,(bit late to be telling you about it now I guess)

They were quite welcoming of photographers and as it was a fairly small festival I didn't feel worried carting around my camera and got some cool shots. Here are a few http://www.flickr.com/photos/fritzbeastman/sets/72157627340375630/

Maybe investigate some of the smaller festivals that are on? Might be easier to get in and shoot.

some great shots there !!