Getting In: How to Build Your Access as a Live Music Photographer

Once you're in the pit, the clock starts. This workshop covers how to work efficiently in a live performance setting, from positioning and reading the stage to moving through the pit to capture every band member, all within the three-song window most pits allow.

Moderated by Amelia Davis, who managed Jim Marshall's archive for 13 years and inherited his estate, this panel traces the history of music photography from the golden era of rock to today, exploring how the business has shifted and what it takes to sustain a career documenting music culture. A candid look at the realities of building a sustainable career in music photography: when to charge, when not to, how to protect your work, and how to stay in the rooms that matter.

After two decades shooting for places like Brooklyn Vegan and Bowery Presents and spending two years as photo editor at Impose magazine, Edwina Hay has a complete view of how access actually works in live music photography. This session covers the practical path from showing up without a pass to becoming a house photographer, including how to align with outlets, what publicists are looking for, and how to work the grind of a multi-venue festival.