Greetings and Questions

[rowjimmy]

Well hey all you parrotheads. I am a longtime fan of jimmy, and a wedding photographer. i was curious does anyone know how to get in touch and find the availability of photo passes? having attend shows from the crowd end, i have been wondering how my wife and i get our leap into concert shooting. jimmy if your out there how does a starving wedding photographer and struggling business owner break out the rut? i cant imagine i can just sneak into the ol mini mart and take pictures from the pit without being arrested lol so who does one write to or pray to to get that opportunity.

also how does one contact the local parrothead clubs in nj and pa to offer photographic services on a volunteer basis for the odd fundraisers? i want to help the community by creating images that move us as much as the songs do..whos got the story or chance for us?
i look forward to learning and growing as an artist and human...whos got my proverbial latitude change?

fins up

[Elrod]

Welcome aboard!

Not sure about the photo passes for concerts but you can find a list of local Parrothead Clubs at http://www.phip.com.

[carolinagirl]

Question Number one: write to them and ask.
Question Number two: write to them and ask.

I wrote for backstage press passes for concerts when I worked for my college newspaper when I was 20, and I was a shy 20-year-old!

After a Kenny Loggins concert in Charlotte, N.C., my co-worker/buddy and I went to the edge of the stage and asked a security guard if we as reporters for a college newspaper could "interview" Mr. Loggins. The guard came back and said Mr. Loggins said yes. We went backstage and he gave us unlimited amount of time with him. Too bad we hadn't prepared any questions because we didn't think it could happen! We were pretty starstruck! We did ask things like, why did you split up with Jim Messina and actually remembered to write down his answers. He did tell us to prepare more next time and write for permission. Thanks, Kenny! But once we realized it could happen, we prepared questions and wrote concert promoters ahead of time and asked and it happened.

Just do it, and make it happen! Altho with Jimmy and other big name artists, you'd probably have to provide a portfolio. I would start small and take as many photos as you can of lesser known performers. They would appreciate the exposure if you do a good job.

I met my husband five years after college and found out he did the same thing I did in college only he at 20 years old got to photograph and interview Alice Cooper.

[NorthernConch]

I would suggest sending your request to:

Margaritaville
424 Fleming St # A
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 296-9089

it a good place to start

[carolinagirl]

Good for Elrod and Northern Conch for giving you some practical answers and places to start asking.

Another piece of advice: Don't say in your letter requesting permission that you've never done anything like this before and you need their help or that you're a starving wedding photographer. Be very professional and act like you know what you're doing and are very experienced. If you've taken wedding photos, you ARE pretty experienced and you're used to meeting some very high expectations. Good luck!

[rowjimmy]

Good for Elrod and Northern Conch for giving you some practical answers and places to start asking.

Thanks folks

Another piece of advice: Don't say in your letter requesting permission that you've never done anything like this before and you need their help or that you're a starving wedding photographer. Be very professional and act like you know what you're doing and are very experienced. If you've taken wedding photos, you ARE pretty experienced and you're used to meeting some very high expectations. Good luck!

Wow Carolina did you just channel my wife lol. she says i make us sound bad off, and i guess it kind of sounds that way. God knows that aint the truth. I guess its true, weddings are high expectation events, no more no less than live performances(as a musician too i know all too well how this is). Thanks for the encouragement.

[rowjimmy]

turns out i didn't realize just how far up the food chain we are lol. just got my booking for the jersey coast red cross red tie charity ball. we will be shooting this event featuring farley boyle whos on runway moms as an honoree. wow what a great gig! Think im going to put together a press kit for that package i'm going to be mailing. any local njphc's we can volunteer our time for you too. looking to make a difference

[phjrsaunt]

Welcome aboard!

[buffettbride]

Best of luck with your endeavors. Sounds like it never hurts to ask!

[rowjimmy]

Welcome aboard!

Gracias!

is good to find a place where i can be me lol

[phjrsaunt]

Welcome aboard!

Gracias!

is good to find a place where i can be me lol

I know the feeling. this is the part where my husband would say "you're with your own kind now."

[buffettbride]

Welcome aboard!

Gracias!

is good to find a place where i can be me lol

I know the feeling. this is the part where my husband would say "you're with your own kind now."

Victoria says, "I've found my people."

[BigR-KyParrothead]

i have gotten photo passes for jimmy before


contact the venue and make all requests through them

they will send the request to jb's management and you should get a pass no problem

usually gets you into the show and you are (or were) allowed to photo the first 3-4 songs of the show from the pit...after that, it's off to the lawn you go


the only probelm...you have to stay reasonably coherent and look somewhat professional when you pick up the pass at will-call. not easy for me to do at a show

[rowjimmy]

you guys and girls rock!

[rowjimmy]

i have gotten photo passes for jimmy before


contact the venue and make all requests through them

they will send the request to jb's management and you should get a pass no problem

usually gets you into the show and you are (or were) allowed to photo the first 3-4 songs of the show from the pit...after that, it's off to the lawn you go


the only probelm...you have to stay reasonably coherent and look somewhat professional when you pick up the pass at will-call. not easy for me to do at a show

just off the phone with the venue and they acted as if i had 4 heads. saying the dont do photo passes, so i called margaritaville at the number listed and was given cindy's voicemail. hope this starts the ball rolling

[pair8head]

Can't help you but in the 70's I attended a Stones concert in Virginia. I was an avid photographer then and had my cameras and lenses trapped all over my chest. Was walking around the venue taking pics. I was standing next to a gate back stage and the feller there asked me if I was the photographer from Rolling Stone magazine. I replied sarcasticly "yeah, right" Next thing I knew he was opening the gate and waving me in. I couldn't believe it but I walked in. I wandered around back stage for 15 min or so taking pics of anything that moved.
After a bit I realized someone was gonna notice I had no credentials showing so I went back to my seat. The guys that were with me at the show didn't believe me until I had the film developed.

Can't recommend you try the same thing though.

[rowjimmy]

Can't help you but in the 70's I attended a Stones concert in Virginia. I was an avid photographer then and had my cameras and lenses trapped all over my chest. Was walking around the venue taking pics. I was standing next to a gate back stage and the feller there asked me if I was the photographer from Rolling Stone magazine. I replied sarcasticly "yeah, right" Next thing I knew he was opening the gate and waving me in. I couldn't believe it but I walked in. I wandered around back stage for 15 min or so taking pics of anything that moved.
After a bit I realized someone was gonna notice I had no credentials showing so I went back to my seat. The guys that were with me at the show didn't believe me until I had the film developed.

Can't recommend you try the same thing though.

LOL
man back in the 90's tried that at the Dead shows and Phish shows. never made it, but did walk into port st lucie tradition field with the 70-200 on the canon long before the game..team was warming up and doing infield drills, and noone ever stopped us. hmmmmmm

[A1A-Keet]

Question Number one: write to them and ask.
Question Number two: write to them and ask.

I wrote for backstage press passes for concerts when I worked for my college newspaper when I was 20, and I was a shy 20-year-old!

After a Kenny Loggins concert in Charlotte, N.C., my co-worker/buddy and I went to the edge of the stage and asked a security guard if we as reporters for a college newspaper could "interview" Mr. Loggins. The guard came back and said Mr. Loggins said yes. We went backstage and he gave us unlimited amount of time with him. Too bad we hadn't prepared any questions because we didn't think it could happen! We were pretty starstruck! We did ask things like, why did you split up with Jim Messina and actually remembered to write down his answers. He did tell us to prepare more next time and write for permission. Thanks, Kenny! But once we realized it could happen, we prepared questions and wrote concert promoters ahead of time and asked and it happened.

Just do it, and make it happen! Altho with Jimmy and other big name artists, you'd probably have to provide a portfolio. I would start small and take as many photos as you can of lesser known performers. They would appreciate the exposure if you do a good job.

I met my husband five years after college and found out he did the same thing I did in college only he at 20 years old got to photograph and interview Alice Cooper.

THE ALICE COOPER?!?!!?! I think I just fell out of my chair! I'm also an aspiring photographer in the making and have always wanted to interview him!

[rowjimmy]

and the plot thickens or is it thins? was called back this morning by margaritaville in key west at the number given further up in the thread, and they gave me a number in LA for what they say is the management company. wow how do i pull this one off? I thought about offering to do a photojournal of the shows for jimmy and printing and binding a book and sending it to him as a gift for all the years of joy...am i nuts or is this the kind of plan i need

now the wife is gettin ideas too lol. a finao album w bomber jacket leather for the cover with fins up embossed on the front w a pic of jimmy in a triangle cutout on the edge of front cover...mmmm they are such pretty albums...now to just get those passes....

[rowjimmy]

so i called La and wow what people lol. The lady acted as if i had three heads to want to request passes without working for a paper. and god forbid i actually wanted to make a gift for jimmy lol...wow so how does one get a package to jimmy or his people.. i am putting together a still piture video slide show of band images to send along with a press packet...try this route...