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Sounds greatΜύ ... but don't think that it's easy or as glamorous as it sounds.

There's long hours, horrible people, a lack of sleep, a lot of competition and a shed-load of money to be spent before you get a foot through the stage door.

Initially

1. Do you like music? All types of music?
Do you have very thick skin, broad shoulders and a very strong back?

If you've answered yes to nearly all of the above, chances are that you might just be able to get a foot in the door of rock photography.

Where to start

First off, you'll need some decent and reliable equipment; usually an SLR camera - film or digital, it's your choice, but most magazines and agencies want the pictures now! So digital is the usual choice for most pros nowadays.

A couple of lenses. Choice of these is down to your own style, but a mix of 'wide' and 'long' is a good start.

A powerful flashgun is also a must, but a lot of venues and artistes won't let you use flash - check before you use it!

And you'll need enough film/memory cards and batteries for all eventualities.

Actually, the above list is a good start for virtually any type of photography or photo-journalism career.

Getting your first gig

You've got the equipment, read Kerrang, NME and Smash Hits and know the type of picture you want to capture - but how do you get into the concert?

The larger venues and bigger artistes will often only allow in a select few for photo or video opportunities - either people they know and trust or those from an accredited media organisation or publication.

So how do you get in? You can try the local newspapers or websites to see if they need someone to take photos of the concert, if they do, this should give you the accreditation you need to get in (and don't think you can blag it either - most venues do check!). But for big artistes, chances are that someone from the paper/website will already be doing the photos.

But don't give up hope!

Whilst you might not get into the larger gigs, smaller venues are often very welcoming of any publicity and will often help the aspiring photographer get pictures of up and coming bands.

Remember the likes of Kasabian, The Zutons and The Paddingtons all had to start somewhere. Keep an eye on the gig lists for your smaller local venues and the music press too - that way you'll know who's on the way up and on tour.

You've made it!

You can get into local gigs for free. You see your pictures on websites, in the paper or in magazines. You've met most of the bands who've played your patch ... so what's the downside?

Long hours - you'll spend a lot of time just hanging about waiting for bands to appear.
It can get lonely - unlike reviewers who usually get to take a friend along, most photographers work alone.
Jobs-worths - there are so many security guards, managers, assistants hanger-on etc... all who think they are there to make your life hell ...Μύ and given a chance they will!

Two bites of the cherry

You're at the concert. You've taken the photos ... why not write the review?

And don't worry about writing style, a lot of rock journalism doesn't always make sense and it's often full of dreadful clichΓ©s too - just check out Robbo's reviews in the loudER section of this site!

But despite everything

All the long hours. Getting very cold and wet at times. A bad back. Being treated like dirt and having your best work trashed ... it's really fantastic!

You'll get to see and meet loads of fantastic people, drop names and even (perhaps) get invited to the odd celeb party or two.

^{* This is subjective - but if you know a little about cameras and photography, you'll know if your camera fits the bill.** It'll work in all weathers, and won't suddenly run out of battery power after two pictures!}