Went out to shoot a show Friday night. This was a band that I had photographed last year. Nice people named Neon Indian. Alan, the main guy, is a keyboard player who stands stage center with his keyboards right up to the front of the stage.
Before the show, most of the photographers that walked into the pit did what every band I have talked to about this hates. They walked in, plopped their camera bags on the stage, and proceeded to unpack all their stuff. THE STAGE BELONGS TO THE BAND- PHOTOGRAPHERS SHOULD TREAT IT THAT WAY. During the first three songs, there was a feeding frenzy to get to the middle area to photograph the singer. Two guys in particular spent most of their time holding their cameras over their heads and leaning way forward, sticking their cameras right in the singers face (and also standing right in front of me to do it). Alan, the singer would have been totally within his rights to slap their cameras away, but he is too nice a guy. During that time they also completely ignored the audience behind them screaming at them to get down so that they could see. I guess taking crappy pictures is more important than anything else these days!