I got confirmed today to photograph Paul Rogers at the NIA in Birmingham on Thursday.

It’s going to be a weird one, because it’s the first time I’ll have been in the pit at the NIA since winter 2006 when I photographed Snow Patrol; my first ever time gig photographing. People often ask about how to get photo passes to gigs, and how to get started – everyones story is different, but here’s mine.

It was during my first year at university, and despite that being 5 years ago I still remember it pretty clearly. I had applied to be a “Tour Reporter” for Snow Patrol after they advertised looking for people on their email newsletter. In return for a photopass and 2 guest tickets to a show, they wanted someone to photograph the gig and write a review. I submitted my application, and a few weeks later while I was shopping for student food in the Birmingham New Street Tesco I got a phone call from Tom, their website editor, asking if I was still up for it.

I couldn’t believe my luck, I’d always seen photographers at the front of the various gigs I’d been to and wondered how they got there. I only applied to the Snow Patrol newsletter on a whim, thinking there was no chance I would get it. Getting the chance to be in front of the barrier that, up until that point, I’d always been stuck behind, and photograph the gig using something other than my rubbish cameraphone made it one of the most enjoyable gigs I’d been to up to that point. Once I had sent the photographs into the Snow Patrol site and got a reply back from the editor telling me he thought the photos were great, I was hooked.

My photographs were featured on the Snow Patrol website for months, including on the front page. Despite being hooked and wanting to photograph more gigs, it wasn’t until near the end of my second year of university, Summer 2008, when I next photographed a gig. My university friends and I were going to Pritchattsbury (a student music festival held in the grounds of one of the University accommodation halls). I decided to take my camera, complete with my new 70-200 lens, and see whether I would be allowed to photograph the gig. I’m glad for my uni friends putting up with me and the embarrassment of me turning up with a massive camera, because in all fairness, I must have looked pretty stupid! The security were fine with me photographing the gig though, and even allowed me in front of the barrier, which all helped me gain experience.

Despite enjoying it again, it was another year before I photographed another gig. It was my third year of university, and after enjoying Pritchattsbury the previous year, I decided to go back (even though my uni friends weren’t going this time…I think I scared them away from it). This time, however, security had been tightened due to better bands, and security wouldn’t let me in with my camera. Luckily, I did know of one of a gig one of my best uni mates had been telling me about, Joan of Arc, performing in Birmingham on the same night. I decided not to be put off by being turned away by security once already, and went to go meet my friend there. I cut a deal with the door staff; they allowed me in for half price when I offered them use of any of the photos. I met up with my mate (who had no idea I was going as he thought I was at the other gig – cue likelihood of further embarrassment of me turning up with a massive camera again), photographed the gig, then went home.

The Joan of Arc gig turned out to be a pretty pivotal point in my experiences of photographing gigs. They were the best photographs I’d taken to date, so I submitted them to various agencies. A newly formed agency based in Sweden was looking to expand to the UK, and picked me up – which led to almost all the gigs I’ve had since!

The blagging and embarrassment of my friends didn’t stop there though. Just a few months later I was back with my camera trying to convince security to let me photograph Feeder at my University leaving ball – they said yes. It’s amazing what some blagging work can lead to.

Snow Patrol, Birmingham NIA Winter 2006 – my first ever gig photography

Natty – Pritchattsbury 2008

The Displacements – Pritchattsbury 2008

Joan of Arc – Rainbow Garden Birmingham 2009

Feeder – Birmingham University Gradball 16-06-09