What is a media pass?

First of all, let’s define what a media pass is. These passes go by a variety of names–photo pass, media pass, press pass, press credential, photo badge, etc. To keep it simple, I’ll refer to it as a media pass. Whatever name it is referred to, a media pass is a badge or piece of paper that formally allows you to bring professional photography equipment inside of an event space and take photos from a photo pit or specially designated area. The special access granted by the media pass vary from event to event, so be sure to ask what you can and can’t do with a media pass.

How do I get a media pass?

Now that we’ve defined the media pass, let’s talk about how to get one for yourself. Typically, media passes are only granted to members of the media, such as newspaper or magazine photographers, or the official event (house) photographer. Media passes are rarely granted to those seeking to use the photos for personal use or to build their portfolio. If you’re seeking a media pass, you must be on assignment from a publication. Thanks to the prevalence of magazines, blogs and other media competing to provide event coverage for audiences, it can be easier than you think to get a photography assignment.

Contact the Event Organizer

If you are looking for a press pass to cover a specific event, such as a conference or a trade show, it is best to get in touch with the event organizer directly. The event website typically has a page where you can fill out a press or media application, and it is important that you submit this form well in advance of the event itself.

If there is no media application or there are no specific instructions on the associated website, seek out the contact information of the marketing or public relations (PR) professional who is managing the event. Intrepid Freelancer has a step-by-step guide for the typical process.

Go on Assignment

As a freelancer trying to attend an event speculatively before "shopping" the story or photos to a media outlet, it may still be possible to get a press pass. Freelancers who have a serious audience of their own will generally have more success here, as might be the case with popular photographers who shoot for Getty Images, for example, or journalists who have a strong history of writing for major publications on a consistent basis.

However, you will find it is generally easier to gain approval for a pass when you are attending an event on assignment with a media outlet. The outlet can provide you with documentation on their official letterhead to indicate you are working for them in this capacity, which is functionally equivalent to if you were an employee of theirs covering the event. They may help you with the process of getting a press pass or you may need to acquire one yourself.

Apply With the Local Authority

If you are less interested in attending specific events like expos, sporting events, concerts, and fashion shows, and you are more interested in getting behind taped off crime scenes and other areas with restricted access, you may want to inquire into getting official credentials and identification with your local authority.

Each jurisdiction handles press credentials differently and has different requirements. The New York City Police Department (NYPD), for example, ask that NYPD Press Card applicants must have at least one item published or broadcast within the last 24 months, and that the individual has personally covered at least six events on separate days in the past year.

Get an NPPA Photo ID

While the possession of such a card does not guarantee access or admission to events or crime scenes, a photo identification card from the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) does serve as a legitimized form of identification when trying to gain access to such situations. The NPPA asserts there is no such thing as a universal press pass, but having the NPPA photo ID will identify you as "a member in good standing who has agreed to uphold the NPPA Code of Ethics."

Make Your Own Press Pass

With the understanding that a homemade "press pass" doesn't actually hold any real credence, it may help in identifying you with security personnel and other access control professionals as a freelancer. This may help with some level of credibility, particularly at events where press passes are not being issued.

Take some time to design your own custom press pass on your computer or hire a professional designer to do it for you. Print it out on high quality card stock and slip it into a lanyard with a card holder. It may be helpful if your DIY press pass has a high quality photo of you on it, as well as some indication of your role and organization. Make sure that the word "PRESS" or "MEDIA" is clearly visible in block letters.

No Guarantees for Access

You may find yourself in a chicken-and-egg scenario when trying to get a press pass as a freelancer. The media application form for the event you're trying to attend may require that all freelancers be on assignment from an established media outlet. At the same time, you can't guarantee you'll have access when you first pitch the story to that media outlet. Keep this in mind and have a contingency plan in place just in case.

Step 1: Prepare yourself

Before you pitch your services to a media outlet, make sure you’re properly equipped in these two respects:

a) Create an online photography portfolio of your best work. Try to include photo samples of other similar events that you have covered before.

b) Equip yourself with professional concert photography gear. Generally speaking, it’s frowned upon for media credentialed photographers to use a cell phone or point-and-shoot camera. Don’t forget a press pass holder like the one below.

Step 2: Get an assignment from a media outlet

To find a media outlet to pitch your services to, answer this question: “what publications do I know of that might be interested in running a story or photo gallery?” Research media outlets and see what kind of event press coverage they tend to do. See how your style fits, or if you have a unique or artistic viewpoint to add.

Learn more about how to pitch your photography services and get a free email template to send to photo editors.

Step 3: Apply for the media pass

Once you have the permission of a media outlet to represent them at an event, one of two things will happen. Either the media outlet will apply for a media pass for you, or they will ask you to apply for the media pass on your own.

The person or organization in charge of issuing media passes will vary from event to event. Sometimes it is the public relations firm, the event organizer, corporate sponsor, artist manager, etc. Track down the event’s official website and look for their “Contact” page. Reach out to the Press or Media contact and find out the procedure for obtaining a photo pass. Keep your email short and to the point, and be sure to include the fact that you are on assignment.

Press pass contact email on the event website.

Media pass inquiry sample email

Hello!

My name is _____ and I am a photographer interested in applying for a photo pass for the ____ happening on _____.

I am on assignment with ____ and the photos would be published on their website. Upon request, I am happy to provide an editor’s note confirming my assignment.

Please let me know what the procedures for applying for a press pass would be.

Thank you for your consideration!

Media pass sample application form

More often than not, they will send you an application form to fill out.

How to Get a Press Pass for Concert Photography

If you’re interested in photographing a concert, you can typically ask both the event organizer or promoter as well as the band manager and record label of the artist. To find this information from the artist or band’s main website or Facebook page (see below screenshot example).

Step 4: Wait for a response

After you have successfully submitted your media pass request, the next step is to wait. Sometimes your approval email comes months before the event takes place. Other times, especially for concerts, you may not hear back until the day of the event. Be patient, and feel free to reach out to your press contact once or twice to check on the status (but don’t be annoying).

Pro Tip: Always ask for the name and phone number of an on-site contact. It’s not unusual that for one reason or another, your name won’t be on the press pass list when you arrive to check in. This happens to every photographer at one point or another. Be sure to ask in advance for the contact info of the tour manager or someone who will be there to help you out if this happens.

What if I don’t get a response?

It’s tough to say how long it will take to process a media pass request. In general, it’s ok to reach out with a followup a few days or even a week later. Ping them with a quick email such as, “Hi there, just checking in to see what the status is on my media pass request.” Remember to always use email for media passes. Never make a phone call unless it’s absolutely necessary.

What happens if they say “no”?

Some events welcome media coverage with open arms, whereas others allow close to none. A quick Google search on the event will show if media outlets have been approved before. This little bit of research can help properly manage your media pass expectations.

Step 5: Follow-up

If all goes well and your media pass is approved, follow-up after the event by emailing your press contact the final, published coverage. This makes their job easier and helps you build a relationship with them.

How soon should I apply for a media pass?

In my experience, it doesn’t hurt to ask as soon as you hear about the event. Reach out early to make sure you have the correct contact information. You’ll have more time to find and pitch media outlets who might be interested in sending you on assignment. If the event is several days away from the event, there is still a chance of applying for the media pass and being approved. It depends on the event rules. For the best possible outcome, always follow any media pass deadlines that are imposed.

How to NOT apply for a media pass

One way to be automatically rejected for a media pass is to apply without being on assignment. Never apply saying you want to shoot to add to your portfolio. I’ve had multiple PR agents tell me this is the most common way to get yourself automatically eliminated.

Over to you

Have you had experience applying for a media pass? If so, did you find the process easy or difficult? Let me know in the comments below!

The Freelancer Playbook For Scoring Press Passes

Being a freelance writer is all about choice. You get to choose when and how you work, as well as what assignments you want to pursue. You decide where to pitch and can shop around an idea until you find the right fit.

However, the unfiltered freedom of freelancing comes with trade-offs. Staff writers may have to answer to the same editors every day, but they have inherent credibility, which comes in handy when trying to gain access to events.

According to a Columbia Journalism Review survey of independent journalists and staff writers, one in five journalists has been denied press credentials, but some creatives are denied more frequently than others. 14 percent of staff writers said they were denied access at least once compared to 32 percent of freelancers. Freelancers may have to deal with more barriers when trying to report on important events, but, as we’ve outlined below, there are a few standard practices they should look to when trying to score press credentials.

Plan

If you want to attend a certain event, don’t wait until the last minute to request a press pass. There are a limited amount of passes given out to members of the media, and if you don’t make the list, you’ll have to pay your way in. In case you forget, or you find out about an event after registration has closed, you can still try to slip in the day of, if you’re lucky.

“There will be someone there to deal with walk-ins,” said Michael Fitzgerald, a freelance journalist and the chair of the Freelance Community for the Society for Professional Journalists. To increase your chances of getting in, he recommends coming prepared with a letter from your editor (if you have one) and a business card.

For those who apply a few weeks in advance and still get turned down, there may be a reason why. In a post on the blog Gamer Theory, founder and editor Jeff Rivera cautioned that it usually takes two to three weeks to get approval for major conventions like E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). But for the little guys who want to gain access, he argued a credible blog has to be live for at least six months to even be considered.

Brag

When you’re filling out an application for a press pass, you’re required to list who you’re representing. If you’re covering an event as a freelancer for your own blog, rather than for a traditional news source, you’ll have to prove you have clout.

“There is one parameter that speaks louder than where or who you write for, and that is how much traffic you get to your website,” said Bill Belew, social media expert and content marketer. “It has been my experience that venues will check the ranking [Alexa] of your site to gauge how popular you are. If you have a good enough ranking, they will invite the freelancer.”

According to Fitzgerald, freelancers are taken just as seriously as big name outlets as long as they have a serious audience and have statistics about unique visitors and pageviews to back up their claims. “The good news is that organizations of all sorts understand that there is a widely diverse media out there now,” he explained. “Someone on the Internet can have a bigger impact than someone who works at the local paper.”

Connect

If you’re a news reporter requesting press credentials for settings like government meetings and crime scenes, you will have to fill out an application with a specific offices (think city hall or police department). Be patient if your paperwork quest turns into a wild goose chase; we are talking about the government after all. And as the CJR survey points out, government organizations, specifically, have turned down freelancers at a much higher rate than staff journalists. For example, 20 percent of freelancers were denied at least once by Congress compared to only four percent of employees. By connecting on a personal level and not stirring up trouble, you’ll have a better chance of bypassing red and yellow tape.

Fitzgerald believes your first move should be to build relationships with the employees at the offices, which won’t happen overnight. Also, the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press suggests always following orders from police officers at any crime scene. If you’re covering a demonstration or an event where people may get arrested, the RCFP encourages journalists to bring $50 or $100 in cash in case they have to pay for a bail bond. Hopefully, it won’t come to that, but even after you snag a press pass, it never hurts to prepare.