Verification on Instagram has been an elusive badge to secure. While verification has started out as a coveted badge for celebrities, brand accounts and newsworthy individuals, it's often felt out of reach for many photographers.

Still, with photographers as their own personal brands and also acting as photojournalists and otherwise specific sources of content in this age, verification makes sense for us as creative professionals.

After years of applying every so often, I was recently verified. Here's the approach that worked for me and the key differences that helped me get verified.

The Important Difference in Approach:

We'll do a step by step walkthrough for how to apply to be verified, but before we get into that, I'll cut to the chase. The main difference that helped me get verified was providing external sources where I was credited as a professional photographer by editorial outlets.

That's it. Nothing else about my application has really changed. Not my work or clients or professional status. It's simply the materials that I submitted that were slightly different.

However, previously when I applied, I focused on content that was more about highlighting me as an individual. Interviews, prominent features or mentions from brands, and so forth. This may still help, but I think the photo credits as a published photographer ultimately are most important.

So, before the actual process of applying, take a the time to compile up to five links that would support this approach. I looked for prominent photo credits at the top of an article by known publications.

Step 1: Settings and privacy

Go to the the menu in the upper right from your Instagram profile page. Go to the “Settings and privacy” at the top of the menu. Do not click “Meta Verified” — this is Meta's paid verification service that is a premium fee for verification.

Go down to the “For professionals” section and click on “Account type and tools.”

Step 2: Choose “Request verification”

In the account type and tools menu, click on “Request verification” This is take you to a form where you can provide information for verification and provide supporting material for your case of notability.

Step 3: Confirm authenticity

After entering your full name, you'll be asked to upload a government document to confirm your identity.

I uploaded a drivers license — you can take a photo from the app or upload an existing image. You can also upload a passport, identity card, tax filing or a recent utility bill.

Step 4: Confirm notability

You'll be asked to identify a category for your notability.

I chose the category of “Digital creator/blogger/influencer” as a photographer. It's possible that other categories could be appropriate, but I feel digital creator is pretty accurate for photographers and this is what worked for me.

I did not specify an audience when I requested verification, but this is an optional field.

Step 5: Add links supporting notability

I added five links to support my request of verification. Three fields exist by default, and you can choose to add up to two additional links. Adding links is an optional step, but I feel this is an important area to provide proof of notability for photographers.

I chose to link to five “news” articles. More details on this.

Two of the links were editorial articles that featured my image as the lead photo with credit to me in the following publications, while three were features or pieces including me as a photographer.

• Rolling Stone editorial placement
• Vogue editorial placement
• Live Nation feature
• My Nikon Ambassador page for Nikon USA
• Whalebone Magazine editorial

I did not link any social posts (ie, posts on Instagram from a verified account like the Tonight Show or a celebrity with a tag/mention in the caption).

I approach was to use a couple of the larger editorial publications that I could think of where my work has been published. I feel using entirely editorial publications would be fine if it clearly shows your work and a photo credit.

The intent is to prove notability, so with that intent, the more notable the publications, the more this may support your own individual case.

Verification Timeline

I requested verification in the morning, maybe around 9am. I was noticed a priority message under my notifications in Instagram around 9pm that evening that I'd been verified. So, the turnaround time was relatively fast in this case, which was a nice surprise.

End Notes

Overall, the one thing that I've changed has been including editorial placements instead of just features on me (interviews, profiles, etc). It's hard to say for certain, but photo credits in editorial publications seem to hold the most value here. In the past, I'd included associations with prominent brands in the form of features or interviews, but it's the inclusion of editorial features with a clear photo credit to me that made the biggest difference in being verified.

In addition, my feeling is that Meta is broadening the scope of who can be verified. It is possible that they're loosening the standards for who is verified. I'm certainly far from very notable in the grand scheme of things. I don't have that many followers. But I'm a working photographer and my images are in wide circulation, especially in my work as the staff photographer for the Tonight Show.

If they verified me, why not you?

If you're not approved for verification, you can re-apply to be verified very 30 days. This was my approach, I hope something similar can work for you.

The post How to Get Instagram Verified as a Photographer appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Cold emailing can be an efficient method for reaching new clients as a music photographer. It may be possible to reach dozens or hundreds of potential new clients. What cold emails lack in effectiveness, they make up for in relative ease and reach.

In this article, we'll cover a common mistake many photographers (and in particular music photographers) make when trying to pitch their services.

Effective cold emails should do a few things well. Ideally, your cold emails should:

• Clearly understand the reader/audience and their potential needs
• They should very clearly state your value
• You should establish credibility
• There should be a clear ask that prompts a response

One common problem with music photographers emailing clients occurs with this last point.

Avoid the Trap of Vague Wording

It's best to be as clear as possible in a cold email. All too often, I hear from music photographers who are asking bands or management if they “need a photographer” or they are generally stating how they'd “love to photograph the show.”

Even the wording “I'd love to work with you” may a little too ambiguous for our purposes here.

When asking if a band “needs a photographer,” it can easily be confused with offering to shoot for free (which is a common occurrence) or asking for access in exchange for photos. Generally wanting to “shoot the show” or “shoot with you” is similarly vague. What comes across at most is a request for access.

None of these requests are what you want to communicate if you're actually inquiring about being paid as a professional. And if you're cold emailing prospective clients to be paid as a music photographer, this is exactly what you want to do.

At best, vague language is only inefficient — and there are situations that are perfectly suited to diction open to interpretation. But at worst, when using vague language you fail to communicate clearly and you won't get the result you want.

Using Specific Business Language

If you want to clear, use business language that is specific as possible if the goal is avoiding any possible confusion. Here are a couple phrases that can help avoid confusion:

“Hire a photographer”

The use of the business specific action of hiring is very clear. You're not volunteering, you're not asking for a photo pass, you're not hoping to trade photos for access, you're not giving away your work. Aside from some willful misunderstanding, asking if they're looking to hire a professional is about as clear as it gets.

“Happy to discuss rates”

This is a great follow up to the above use of “hire,” which may be used well in a follow up. You're reinforcing that you're offering a service, and if they have need of it, you can get into the details. The use of “rates” here isn't jumping the gun with more info than is needed, but floats the discussion of pricing as part of the natural flow of conversation.

End Notes

There's no single magic cold email template that will work 100% of the time. Using cold emails is a numbers game — it's about creating opportunities and forging new connections. Cold emails might have a very low success rate, maybe 10% for a positive response, and an even much smaller percentage for actually booking a job.

Given all the challenges of generating business, using clear language can be a huge asset to the best results when cold emailing as a music photographer.

The post Writing Better Cold Emails for Music Photographers appeared first on ishootshows.com.

The last several years have seen record inflation and increases in the cost of living overall around the world. From the cost of milk and eggs to camera gear, just about everything except maybe big screen TVs has gone up in price.

It's as important as ever to emphasize the importance of making sure your fees and rates as a photographer increase along with inflation and the cost of living. Evaluating and raises in your rates should be done every single year.

This year we launched the Photography Rates sheet. If you're lost on what to charge for music or sports photography, we have dedicated spreadsheets for these specialities that can give insight into what real market rates are for specific jobs.

US INFLATION RATES

In the last 3 years, we've seen historic rates of inflation worldwide. Normally, inflation rates hover around 2% Over the last 3 years, we've seen inflation rates average 5.93% for a cumulative 18.88% increase.

Beyond inflation itself, the consumer price index for goods across the board have averaged higher. While we're seeing a decline in the trend of the CPI, the fact remains that prices are higher than ever, not lower.

KEEPING THE SAME RATE YEAR OVER YEAR REDUCES YOUR VALUE

In recent years, the cost of various essentials, including gas, food, and utilities, has consistently risen. Consequently, it's reasonable for you to consider adjusting your rates for the services you provide to your clients.

In essence, failing to raise your rates in line with inflation means a decrease in your purchasing power. As the prices of necessities such as gas, milk, and the materials you use for your work continue to climb, it's essential to keep pace with the rising cost of living. Anything less quite literally means less value for your work as a creative.

YOUR CLIENTS ARE RAISING THEIR RATES

Just as consumer goods are increase, so are services. You can bet that the prices charged by your clients — whether they're musicians, agencies, art buyers, managers, etc — are increasing to keep their own profit margins up.

This year, publishers and streaming services have reached a settlement to increase streaming royalty rates to 15.35%. This is after already winning an increase from 10.5% to 15.1% for the 2018-2022 period. While this increase is not due solely to inflation, it's not independent from the fact that value has to track with the times.

It's not personal — it's just business. Your best clients should understand. And those who don't — they are not budgeting accordingly in a way that truly respects the value of photographers in relation to global economics.

INCREASING YOUR VALUE YEAR OVER YEAR

Beyond cost of living adjustments, another important reason to increase your rates every year is for your own professional growth. As creatives, we are not static — we are constantly learning, adapting and bettering ourselves in small but important ways.

Wherever you are in your career, you are gaining experience in your craft. This comes in the form of faster workflows, better technique, and more. All of these small but important and incremental changes add value to your customers.

And that value to your customers can and should be expressed as increased rates.

GIVING YOURSELF A RAISE

With conventional 9-5 jobs, you should expect not only cost of living adjustments, but also pay increases that reflect your experience and abilities as tied to promotions, title changes and professional growth.

As photographers, we have only ourselves to advocate for ourselves in most instances. No one else will be fighting to give you a raise. You must be the one to demand it for yourself.

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU RAISE YOUR RATES?

A 2-3% raise year over year is generally accepted as appropriate for cost of living increases for many corporate employers. Again, this is in a typical 9-5 office world that many photographers don't occupy.

Personally, going into 2024, I would recommend at least a 3.2% increase. Why 3.2%? If you're based in the United States, this is the rate the US Social Security Administration is raising benefits from 2023 going into 2024.

Almost every year since its inception, social security payments have been adjusted to ensure that the purchasing power of these benefits tracks with inflation. Note, this is simply keeping the same purchasing power — it does not account for your professional growth or advancement.

So at the minimum, I'd still recommend at least a 3.2% increase to your rates as you head into 2024. This is assuming you raised your rates last year.

END NOTES

Now that we've covered why you should raise your rates every year, jump into the 4 best times to raise your rates as a photographer (spoiler alert: it's right now). And as a refresher, for more reading, check out the common things to charge for as a photographer. You might be surprised at some costs and fees you can pass on to your clients if you aren't already.

The post Photographers: Raise Your Rates Right Now appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Pricing photography can feel like a daunting task, even for experienced professionals. For beginners, the feeling of not knowing where to start in pricing photography is natural and completely understandable.

After all, many photographers get into a love and passion for the creative aspect of making images. Putting a value on our work doesn't necessarily come easily, because the creative act comes first.

In this post, we'll look at some of the factors in how to consider pricing your work, resources to use for pricing, and more.

Factors to consider when pricing photography

Pricing photography should consider many factors. These include:

• Usage
• Client
• Licensing Rights
• Deliverables
• Rarity
• Effort
• Expenses
• Time
• Expertise

Now let's break down these factors. This won't be an exhaustive examination, but the goal of this article is to get you thinking about how to price photography and why.

It's ultimately most important to understand what goes into pricing. Even viewing specific ranges or prices for jobs, as shown in the Music Photography Rates Sheet, may not give the full picture. The rate should ultimately depend on the details. So let's dig in.

Usage

Usage is one of the most important factors. Usage in photography is how a client will use images when those images are licensed. The use of an image for an album cover is dramatically different than use for social media or editorial coverage.

More broadly, use can fall into a few main categories:

• Editorial use
• Marketing/Promotional use
• Commercial use

Marketing and promotional use is technical commercial, but here the main distinction is that for commercial use, the image itself is being sold either directly or as part of a product.

Editorial use is generally the least expensive in terms of licensing cost, while commercial is the most expensive.

Client

The client is hugely important in licensing photography. Who is using a photo can be just as important as what they're using it for. In music photography for example, a local band using an image for an album cover is much different than an established national band or a pop star.

Another way to consider the client is their reach or the impact the images will have. The client can be tied to use and usage in a sense. While the specific use may be the same, the actual “work” the images does is different in scope. So when considering clients, this weight of the images is critical in considering their value.

Licensing

The licensing rights that you assign to a client are integral to usage, but for this purpose, let's break it down in terms of exclusivity and ownership as it pertains to the images.

The main types of licensing agreements include:

• Non-exclusive
• Exclusive
• Full buyout
• Work For Hire

When photography is made, all rights reside with the photographer/creator as a matter of law as defined by the Berne Convention. You as the photographer hold the rights to the images until you assign them away under a licensing agreement.

Licenses can also be defined as unlimited use or limited specific uses (which should be outlined and agreed on by all parties).

It's most common to have limited use and this is often in the best interest for photographers, to maintain the highest control of their images and to limit use.

Deliverables

What the photographer delivers should be a large factor in pricing. Is the price for one image, or one hundred? Is it for JPGs or RAW files? Are you delivering photographer selects from your edit, or are you showing the client everything as proofs?

Generally speaking, the more you deliver, the more you should charge.

Generally, you should to control your photography unless the client pays for the right to dictate the final product. For this reason, most photographers prefer to only deliver final processed images — not RAW files. The reason is that giving a client RAW files means they may have the final say on the edit and processing, which in turn means the final product may not represent the photographer's style accurately.

Rarity

Rarity of images can also be a factor in pricing. If there was a historic moment or scene that was only photographed by a single photographer, those images have more value in one sense than if there were 10 or 100 other photographers who made similar images. This is most often the case with editorial images for moments there aren't planned or cannot be recreated.

Effort

The effort and production involved in a shoot should be a factor in pricing photography. Effort can be related to time and equipment required, but it can also be related to art direction, the level of production required, planning and so forth.

Time

A photoshoot that takes an hour can be priced differently than a multi-day shoot. If you travel for a photo job, the travel days should be considered in how you bill as an opportunity cost.

If you're a music photographer bidding on a tour, your rate has to account for travel days as well, not just show days. With extended jobs like touring, the rate also has to account for not being able to take other jobs in that time as well.

Expenses

All hard costs should be a factor in pricing photography. This includes specialized equipment, studio time/rental, and hard costs such as transportation.

Experience

While experience doesn't always have a bearing on the value of photography, one should factor in experience if you're able to do a job efficiently. If it takes an experienced photographer an hour to create the work a client needs that would take another photographer four hours, that experience should be reflected in the value of the work. At the very least, the work is not valued on the time it took, but in the work it does for the client, which is the same regardless of the time and effort.

Further Reading

If you're newer to pricing photography, here are a few more articles for your further reading:

The post How to Price Photography for Beginners appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Earlier this year, Vogue published an interview with Lloyd Wakefield, tour photographer for Harry Styles Love On Tour. This has been one of the most massive arena tours in recent memory, with Harry Styles at the pinnacle of his career and stardom. Wakefield's images for this tour are among the most viewed and shared in the history of music photography.

_{An important note: This article is not a critique of any specific photographer or artist. We love Harry in this House. Furthermore, Harry Styles’s previous tour photographers include acclaimed photographers Helene Pambrum and Anthony Pham. Harry has a record of supporting diverse talent, not only for his choice of photographer but more largely in his touring crew. The aforementioned interview was a catalyst discussion within the music photography community and I feel we must acknowledge it as a touchpoint.}

In the interview, Wakefield mentions, “I’d never actually shot a live show before Harry. He was the first concert that I’ve ever shot.”

This article sparked tremendous discussion in the music photography community at the time of its publication, and this single quote was at the heart of it.

Acknowledging Gender Inequity*

For many music photographers, it highlighted the reality that circumstance, character and opportunity matter more than experience or honing one's skills with years in the game. 

For many women in music photography, it spoke to so much more. Specifically, the fact the institutional bias and sexism of our industry that continually challenge their experience and opportunities.

A man having an opportunity doesn’t take away from his story or his talent. But it does mean that he didn’t have to fight the sexism, misogyny and double standards women experience to get it.

Acknowledging the challenges of women is not an admission that men in this industry are not talented, hard working or deserving of success. Just as the success of others doesn't take away from our own accomplishments.

As a man, it feels important to understand that regardless of my own personal challenges, hard work and opportunities, there are subtle, persistent factors that work against women in this industry that I have had the privilege of never experiencing.

The Insidiousness of Institutional Sexism

Music photography is hard. The simple truth is that there are not the opportunities available to match the talent, the dreams and the passions of us who pour our lives into this pursuit. We don't question this reality.

But neither should we shy away from the specific and very real challenges faced by women that plainly men never fear or experience.

I've heard first hand stories from women music photographers about being rejected from opportunities specifically because of their gender, appearance or how band members or their significant others would feel “uncomfortable” with a woman as part of the crew.

I've been asked for a referral for a touring photographer when the client is specifically requesting a man to fill the role, due to “tour dynamics.” Even at the very least offensive, these insidious requests come under the guise of simplifying logistics, such as tight budgets for crew accommodations and the assumption that crew will share rooms or even beds.

While decisions like these may not be rooted in sexism or specific prejudice, what it represents is a systematic bias in the music industry where men are all too often considered as the default of convenience. The result of a patriarchy dictating the status quo is that women are denied space or forced to justify their qualifications based on their gender alone. 

To refute these gender specific biases — unconscious or not, malicious or not — feels like refuting fundamental facts of reality, like a round earth or the force of gravity.

Micro Aggressions, Harassment and Assault

Beyond barriers for equal opportunity, women working in music photography are met with further negative experiences that few men share to the same widespread degree. These range from gender-based micro aggressions and verbal harassment to physical violence and sexual assault.

My friends and colleagues tell me about being introduced to venue security by the tour manager as the tour photographer with full and unrestricted access, only to be immediately questioned or hassled once the TM leaves.

From press photographers, I hear of women having their credentials scrutinized, while male colleagues walk past them to enter photo pits without questioning. From others working on productions or on set, hearing of women photographers being paid half the rate of a man for doing the the same job.

All too often, we hear about women photographers being accused of being a girlfriend, a fangirl or a groupie by staff, fans or even fellow photographers — accusations men rarely face in the photo pit while simply trying to do their job. All while other men in the same space stand by in silence.

Colleagues have been physically assaulted, being violently shoved against the stage by security as they pass for no reason, while the same security personnel leaves men working without harassment.

Most harrowingly, women are at dramatically higher levels of risk for sexual harassment and sexual assault in the music industry when compared to men. From crowded live events and working in close quarters of touring to navigating power dynamics often controlled by men, music photography is not free from sexual violence perpetrated by men.

These are events no one should go through in any context, let alone our peers in music photography, but their instances are far too familiar among so many women in our space. What we see is that even when women succeed in the world of touring and live music, with access, opportunities and work, the same spaces that are safest for men have no such guarantee for women.

Tour Photography and Gender Bias

In the world of music photography, touring is held up as the pinnacle of the profession in many ways. Working closely with an artist or band, with unfettered access and a romanticized life on the road have their clear appeal. Because of this coveted position and the rarity of it — there’s so often only one tour photographer or even a single creator doing both photo and video on a tour — it’s all that more elusive for so many.

While women represent a huge proportion of music photographers, what do we see in touring? Particularly at the highest levels?

Consider the iHeartRadio Music Awards, which is one of the few if not the only honors for tour photography. For the 2023 category of “Favorite Tour Photographer,” out of eleven total spots, three women were nominated: Yasi, Ashley Osborn and Elizabeth Miranda.

To be clear, this evidence is not a slight against any photographer nominated. But it does raise a simple question: Is this what our music photography community looks like? Is this what our talent looks like?

Since the addition of the tour photographer category in 2019, we have seen similar or worse levels of representation, with white men dominating the nominations. In 2020, we saw no women nominated in this category. 

Acknowledging Our Challenges to Overcome Them

Why does this matter? The iHeartRadio nominations show us how the biggest artists hire. These are tours that have the budget for touring women-only crew rooms. Without the need to share beds or the entire crew to sleep in a van together.

These are the most successful artists who should be in the best position to skip past the inequity of this industry to hire diversely and to seek out the best talent. And yet even here, we see a sampling of photographers that doesn’t match the breakdown of talent in the music photography community. 

Why is that?

The reality is that the upper levels of tour photography skew heavily towards men because they are a reflection of a system that positions men as a default. Of what is easy, what is convenience. Of who has time and time been referred to as a “good hang.” This fact is why we must acknowledge our challenges as a whole. 

In numerous aspects of photography, we see women dramatically under represented, despite reporting that globally women make up 75% of photography students. Shifting our industry and community must start at the lowest levels, so that we can see this change at the highest, most visible levels.

The Fallacy of the Good Hang

In touring, there's the common understanding that being a “good hang” or someone who can “vibe” with the band or artist is essential to joining a tour. When it comes to tour photography, we implicitly understand that this aspect is as important if not more important than the quality of one’s work.

This vague signaling of personality fit is essentially one of comfort and trust. An understandable and reasonable expectation for artists and crews, where the boundaries of personal space and intimacy can be nearly non-existent. But when the norms of what is comfortable and who is trusted are shaped predominantly by men, the connotation of what constitutes a “good hang” cannot be taken at face value.

What this simple truth belies is the systemic gender bias, sexism and misogyny present in our society, where men cannot universally welcome women without qualification or as equals. That at worst, in a patriarchy, a woman must choose between being “one of the guys” or being their true authentic selves.

When we point out inequality, no one is asking for women to be considered based solely on their gender. This is not equity. We are striving for the day when gender is simply not a limiting factor to the opportunities women have. 

Smashing the Patriarchy in Music Photography

So, you're a man reading this. Ask yourself: Who are you referring for jobs when you have the position and opportunity? Who do you choose to associate with, lift up and champion? What do they stand for, and who are they supporting?

If you've witnessed sexism and misogyny in the photo pit, or backstage or on a tour bus, are you speaking up? Are you advocating for pay transparency with your peers?

We must do better. This change starts with our community. And it starts with you.

* A few notes: 

First, women are not the only group that faces inequity in music photography, but they are the largest single group facing discrimination. Women of color, trans women, queer and non-binary or gender non-conforming people face even more inequality. While this article focuses on the experience of women and the inequality they experience, we are fighting for all groups that face forms of underrepresentation, discrimination and unequal access to opportunities despite the ability, talent and drive to succeed.

Second, this post is directed primarily at men. Simply put, men are in positions of power at every level of the music industry and as a result, the burden is on men to change a horribly flawed system.

The post Institutional Gender Bias, Sexism and Misogyny in Music Photography appeared first on ishootshows.com.