All Access: Your Backstage Pass to Concert Photography Paperback – February 7, 2012

I have only been shooting concerts for a short time, and dont remember how I came across this book. I think the book should be titled a "guide" as well, because it will likely be a career-long reference book for anyone who purchases it. Not just a read it and put it on the shelf to gather dust.What I think sets this book apart from any other photography books is that it dives in to things specific to shooting live music and concerts, that you would never find elsewhere. Photo pit etiquett, how to obtain credentials, equipment reviews, post photo production, and of course talks about your camera, settings, angles etc. The point is this is not just about shutterspeed and ISO which is often what you find in photography books. Its also written in a very relaxed, easy to read style of writing which you will appreciate.If you are interested in this small community of concert/live music photographers, this is a great addition to your quiver. Along side your D4, and your 70-200!Alan also has a fantastic training series on this same subject on Kelbytraining.com which is equally as good and well worth watching.

There are only a handful of books on this topic available on amazon, I read all of them and this one is head and shoulders above the rest.I think the most important feature is that Hess gives you a lot of info about who to contact and how to contact them to get access to shows, which is the biggest challenge for someone getting into this field. The other books either ignored this or were kind of like "contact people, get into shows", Hess gives you a template and an idea what to say so you look professional.other parts of the book that really stood out:-lots of technical camera info but very accessible even to someone like me who has limited experience, I learned more about just photography in general from this book than I have from other photography books, plus you get all the concert shooting related knowledge on top of that, great value.-lots of interviews and tips from other industry professionals, really giving you ideas about how other people work and different points of view, it gave the book different voices and allows you to gather a lot of info from different sources and different job families.I could go on and on, but all you need to know is that if you are interested in this type of work and are reading this review, you should just buy the book, you will not be sorry.

The book itself is great, and perfect for a beginner. For someone that has actually been doing concert shoots for a few years, it was just reaffirmation of stuff I learned the hard way, on my own. [...]is some of my work, and photos.terrymercer.com/concerts is the link to hundreds of Country Artists and thousands of images I've shot over the last 4 years. The one thing I didn't really get out of this book, which I was hoping to... is WHERE & HOW TO MAKE MORE MONEY. It's all above the photography, the venue relationships, dealing with the artists, and the common sense stuff. It really is a great book, but aimed more for those that don't already have venue relationship, haven't already been 'doing it' in the real world. It really could have saved me a whole lot of time had I read it before jumping into concert shoots. And he's 1000% correct, having SECURITY & the venue manager/owner on your side is key to making anything happen. And following the rules of the artist's manager/label is key to ever having the opportunity to shooting that artist again in the future.

Where was this book when I first started shooting concerts? It literally covers the entire spectrum of concert shooting from all the planning before the show (the right gear to use, securing photo passes), the intense shooting situation of a live concert (exposure, focusing, metering, dealing with changing lights), to processing and retouching the images after the shoot. This is a great book for beginners looking for a place to start, and for veterans who aren't afraid to learn something new. The photographic examples (with exposure settings for each photo) complement the material perfectly. Everything is written well and to the point, and very easy to understand, even the technical aspects. After reading the book I couldn't wait for my next live shoot. I am already starting to see improvements in my work after reading this book. Thanks for writing this for us Mr. Hess!!

Man, what an awesome Book. I did one concert as a freelancer & was instantly hooked. I got my first tips from Brad Moore at [...]/ or @bmoorevisuals on twitter who is part of Kelby Training who recommended this book. I got it on fri & started implementing ideas on monday. I love the way the book is laid out. Anything you want to know is in the Table of Contents & the page it directs you to gives great, easy to read & understand answers. Even if your not a Q&A person, this book is great as a front to back concert photography crash course or as a quick reference guide. Packed with instructions, ideas, & advise from Years of experience This really is the definitive Concert Photography book (even if your just sneaking your iphone in as a fan)

As an advanced amateur photographer looking to to have some fun with concert photography, I found this book to be spot on. I found it organized well, giving you a great overview of this type of photography from somebody who clearly knows what he is doing.I especially liked how there were chapters breaking out concerts from the local bar, up to a big arena. This was fantastic for somebody just maybe starting out. I'm clearly not going to be shooting at a big venue anytime soon, so it was great to have some focus on the local bar scene, and tips for that.I also really liked the other pro tips that were scattered throughout the book. It was great to have some other expert's perspective along the way, it only helped to emphasize that the author really knew what they were talking about, and the advice from the book was good advice.If you are looking to try your hand and shooting some concerts or similar events, don't hesitate to make this book your first stop.

Alan has covered every conceivable aspect of the concert photography business with this book, and let's be clear: this is a business. If you're looking for tips on how to get into shows free with your camera, look elsewhere.This is a comprehensive guide to shooting live music as a professional. I couldn't find a single sentence in this guide that conflicted with my own experience as a concert photographer over the past ten years.I would have liked to have seen more detail in the Lightroom processing chapter but if you follow Alan's blog, he occasionally posts about his Lightroom techniques there.Well done, Mr. Hess!

I was asked by an event promoter to photograph a heavy metal festival at a small venue. Never having done concert photography before I needed some guidance. This book was excellent preparation. It turned out that all the advice it gave for the kind of event I was photographing was completely correct. I also got some insight into working as a photographer at larger events. The writing style is easy to read, and it is clear that the author is highly experienced and keen to pass on his wisdom. The additional contributions by other professionals in the field is also interesting and useful. I recommend this book for anyone, like me, taking a first step in rock concert photography.

I purchased this book as I have been trying to develop my concert photography, and wanted a bit of theory to guide my practice. This book certainly gave me a lot of useful information, and deals with topics such as composition which is usually omitted from the internet guides on concert photography I have read, which rarely go beyond camera settings. It is a very balanced book, touching on many aspects of the subject, but I would have liked a bit more on the technical/photography side of things, and less on topics like shooting in big venues which most people will not be doing unless they are already well on the way to being established. I would really have liked a section featuring top concert shots, with some critique explaining what makes them great shots.However, even the bits which don't apply to me were relatively interesting to read, so it's still worth four stars, but doesn't quite make it to a five.

A good overall view of concert photography. Will be extremely helpful for someone looking to start out. For those who are already working, may provide some ideas, for a different approach, but may see less value in the book that those breaking in.

I have taken live music photography for several years, but this book has inspired me so much, I was very tempted to contact the author I was so impressed with his photography he has that added angle to his work that really captured my attention, I didn't want to put this book down, a must for anyone working in this field of photography or wanting to, he will inspire you !