Paid to Rave - Night-life Photographer!

[jamesbjenkins]

They didn't allow any flash, I was just breaking the rules... regardless, I wasn't being paid, and didn't really care. Only reason I wasn't kicked out of the event for flash was because I didn't make it painstakingly obvious & annoying for everyone in the audience.

Look, if you want your images in situations like this to not look absolutely amateur, then you first need to network better and get legitimate access to the event. Get a bracket for your flash and a TTL cord like this one and bounce the flash or put a good diffuser on it. At a party scene, it's a heck of a lot more mobile than your other quality lighting options, unless you can get permission to put speedlights and remote triggers somewhere in the room, but that's probably not going to happen.

Unfortunately, your images at this point, and definitely your attitude are textbook amateur. However, since you're probably still a teenager I'm likely expecting far too much perspective from you.

Feel free to post back with relevant content, and not more excuse and rationalizations. Otherwise, best of luck...

 

[unpopular]

Maybe it's more 'i paid to rave' ... like everyone else.

 

[BeachDesign]

They didn't allow any flash, I was just breaking the rules... regardless, I wasn't being paid, and didn't really care. Only reason I wasn't kicked out of the event for flash was because I didn't make it painstakingly obvious & annoying for everyone in the audience.

Look, if you want your images in situations like this to not look absolutely amateur, then you first need to network better and get legitimate access to the event. Get a bracket for your flash and a TTL cord like this one and bounce the flash or put a good diffuser on it. At a party scene, it's a heck of a lot more mobile than your other quality lighting options, unless you can get permission to put speedlights and remote triggers somewhere in the room, but that's probably not going to happen.

Unfortunately, your images at this point, and definitely your attitude are textbook amateur. However, since you're probably still a teenager I'm likely expecting far too much perspective from you.

Feel free to post back with relevant content, and not more excuse and rationalizations. Otherwise, best of luck...

I'm sorry for my attitude, wasn't really focused on my professional appearance at the time. I've began to take my photography career from a more professional approach, and no longer shoot EDM events for free. I have three paid shows in the upcoming month.

I've updated the first post with my higher quality images, and will continue to share images of future paid events that I shoot.

I'd like to thank everyone for there constructive criticism, you've all helped me a great deal in my career.

 

[DiskoJoe]

They didn't allow any flash, I was just breaking the rules... regardless, I wasn't being paid, and didn't really care. Only reason I wasn't kicked out of the event for flash was because I didn't make it painstakingly obvious & annoying for everyone in the audience.

Look, if you want your images in situations like this to not look absolutely amateur, then you first need to network better and get legitimate access to the event. Get a bracket for your flash and a TTL cord like this one and bounce the flash or put a good diffuser on it. At a party scene, it's a heck of a lot more mobile than your other quality lighting options, unless you can get permission to put speedlights and remote triggers somewhere in the room, but that's probably not going to happen.

Unfortunately, your images at this point, and definitely your attitude are textbook amateur. However, since you're probably still a teenager I'm likely expecting far too much perspective from you.

Feel free to post back with relevant content, and not more excuse and rationalizations. Otherwise, best of luck...

I'm sorry for my attitude, wasn't really focused on my professional appearance at the time. I've began to take my photography career from a more professional approach, and no longer shoot EDM events for free. I have three paid shows in the upcoming month.

I've updated the first post with my higher quality images, and will continue to share images of future paid events that I shoot.

I'd like to thank everyone for there constructive criticism, you've all helped me a great deal in my career.

Cool story bro.

Here's how you do it....







Hit me back when Derrick Carter buys you a beer for your birthday

 

[o hey tyler]

They didn't allow any flash, I was just breaking the rules... regardless, I wasn't being paid, and didn't really care. Only reason I wasn't kicked out of the event for flash was because I didn't make it painstakingly obvious & annoying for everyone in the audience.

Look, if you want your images in situations like this to not look absolutely amateur, then you first need to network better and get legitimate access to the event. Get a bracket for your flash and a TTL cord like this one and bounce the flash or put a good diffuser on it. At a party scene, it's a heck of a lot more mobile than your other quality lighting options, unless you can get permission to put speedlights and remote triggers somewhere in the room, but that's probably not going to happen.

Unfortunately, your images at this point, and definitely your attitude are textbook amateur. However, since you're probably still a teenager I'm likely expecting far too much perspective from you.

Feel free to post back with relevant content, and not more excuse and rationalizations. Otherwise, best of luck...

I'm sorry for my attitude, wasn't really focused on my professional appearance at the time. I've began to take my photography career from a more professional approach, and no longer shoot EDM events for free. I have three paid shows in the upcoming month.

I've updated the first post with my higher quality images, and will continue to share images of future paid events that I shoot.

I'd like to thank everyone for there constructive criticism, you've all helped me a great deal in my career.

Honestly, and I don't mean to be rude... But you've got a long way to go before you start taking paid gigs.

The updated photos are a few steps ahead of what you originally posted. Not anything that a club would get a good cost:benefit ratio on. I would keep working and not accept money in the interim... Personally.

 

[Steve5D]

These are all of a style that I, personally, don't care much for. I've never been a fan of dragging shutters. I get that people like it. I just don't happen to be one of those people.

I used to do a lot of concert photography. I used to hang out with rock stars backstage and drink their beer and eat their food. I used to say that I "got paid to party with rock stars" when, in fact, I was working my ass off.

If and when you decide to do this for income, you'll need to lose the whole "paid to rave" mindset. That's not what you'll be paid for. You'll be paid to photograph an event and provide solid, acceptable images. It's really pretty simple: If you're partying; if you're "raving", you're not doing your job.

Period.

 

[DiskoJoe]

These are all of a style that I, personally, don't care much for. I've never been a fan of dragging shutters. I get that people like it. I just don't happen to be one of those people.

I used to do a lot of concert photography. I used to hang out with rock stars backstage and drink their beer and eat their food. I used to say that I "got paid to party with rock stars" when, in fact, I was working my ass off.

If and when you decide to do this for income, you'll need to lose the whole "paid to rave" mindset. That's not what you'll be paid for. You'll be paid to photograph an event and provide solid, acceptable images. It's really pretty simple: If you're partying; if you're "raving", you're not doing your job.

Period.

Solid advice. I know lots of photogs that work the Houston scene. Not a one makes their living off events alone.

 

[MOREGONE]

Welcome to forums

I shoot a lot of club and night scene, not too many actual raves but a few, but I myself rave. You're on a good path for sure. It is hard genre to shoot. You're working in complete dark sometimes. You have mixed lighting to work with (lazers, strobe etc). The subjects, well, look at the Asian kid and you can see how hard it can be to work with the ravers sometimes in their state of mind.

Just got signed up to cover The Crystal Method this weekend, pretty excited about that!

You're biggest mistake was posting in the Pro section. Everyone is correct you shouldn't have, but the Pro section is where all the wolfs are. You've been warned lol

 

[shortpants]

Since when does a rave not allow flash? I'm not really involved in the scene much anymore but I will occasionally go to a small show at a bar. I used to shoot sometimes for fun. Most of the photographers hand hold flash or use it on camera with diffuser. Get closer to your subjects. There's always the obligatory crowd shots but try get as many individuals as you can. And obviously the dj.

 

[tevo]

Raver and photographer here. I've never been to a show ever that didn't allow flash. Were you shooting without a press pass?

 

[unpopular]

this is the thread that never ends, it goes on and on my friends!

 

[DiskoJoe]

this is the thread that never ends, it goes on and on my friends!

Its only on page two.

 

[cbarnard7]

People still rave?

 

[MOREGONE]

People still rave?

Are you for real?

Kinda..

Raving isn't the same. When you drive down the free and see billboards for a show, IMO it is no longer a Rave IMO. Rave implied underground. Now with massives like EDC, it is soo main steam. I am not knocking it.
But the 'scene' is a 100x bigger than ever.

Here are a couple for Adrian Lux show I covered recently






and the rest of the gallery

These are taken for the local newspapers online site. Crazy fun night. Had a bachelorette party going on and the bride to be was wanting to be my personal model for the night lol. Her boob was flying around out of her dress all night, hilarious!

 

[cbarnard7]

People still rave?

Raving isn't the same. When you drive down the free and see billboards for a show, IMO it is no longer a Rave IMO. Rave implied underground. Now with massives like EDC, it is soo main steam. I am not knocking it.
But the 'scene' is a 100x bigger than ever.
QUOTE]

/\ exactly my point! They are no longer "shows" but giant festivals like Ultra and Electric Zoo! Great shots, though! Really takes in the scene. :thumbup: