[Created By The Harmonic Series © 2012]

WARPEDThe Ultimate Guide To:

The Photography Segment

THIS ISN’T QUITE LIKE ANY OTHER SHOOTING EXPERIENCE. It’s a long day, but done right, you’ll come out of it with tons of promising photos and a few new friends. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be ready for an amazing day, guaranteed.

1. Your ticket. You aren’t getting in without it. 2. Your photo pass. Your equipment isn’t getting in without it. The press/VIP pass tent opens around 10:30 next to the Feed Our Children Now tent and you’ll need to pick it up there!3. $$$ Definitely bring $2 for the schedule at the entrance, as well as money for food and merch!4. Extra memory cards, ID, and zip lock bags for electronics and a plastic bag for your camera in case of rain!5. Sunscreen! The pit tends to be in direct sunlight. It’s easier to shoot rad photos if you don’t flinch every time your quickly developing sunburn gets bumped. 6. Water bottles and extra caps. You’re gonna be next to a bunch of kids pinned against the barricade. Offering people your extra water bottle is an awesome way to make cool friends. 7. A camera bag with your camera/lenses. You would not be the first to get your expensive lenses and cameras broken or stolen at Warped. Exercise some caution to make the day as stress-free as possible!8. Snacks! Seeing as you have a job to do, your refueling times will have to be a little more planned than everyone else’s. Bring along a factory packaged snack to munch on in case you can’t make it to a snack stand between sets.

9. Appropriate clothing. You will be running around, and you will be getting sweaty. Wear comfortable shoes and loose, light colored clothes so that you can focus your full attention on the band, not your achy feet and sweaty back!10. A fully charged phone, so that you can subscribe to Twitter updates from the bands you plan to shoot, in case of any last minute scheduling changes (which do happen!).11. A pen and notepad! You’re bound to make some new contacts and be faced with changing set times. In the event of a dying phone, do it the old fashioned way and write the things you need to remember on some paper (not on your hand! You’re sweaty, remember?).12. An extra shirt, just in case you fall in mud or the blood on the dance floor, or just for a less sweaty drive home.13. Sunglasses! It is way easier to take pictures when you aren’t squinting because of a poorly placed stage directly in front of a blaring sun. 14. Business cards, if you have them. The best part of making new contacts is getting work from them later on. In case they weren’t smart like you and didn’t bring a notepad to write your information, you can look extra professional by handing them a card preprinted.

First time shooting Warped

Tour? We’d be nervous too, if we didn’t have this

guide.

Things to Bring:

[Created By The Harmonic Series © 2012]

How many times have you shot Warped Tour?

JR: My first year shooting Warped was in 2009, so this will be my 4th year shooting the tour. That's kinda crazy!TF: This will be my 2nd full run on the tour. I did it for 2 weeks in ‘09 and shot freelance in ‘08.MA: 2 years so far. This year will be my third time.CK: I shot for Warped Tour since 2011, I photograph for Earn It Yourself and this year, covered the tour for my online magazine, Local Wolves. It's been an absolute mind blowing experience, I recommend everyone to attend to Warped Tour at least once in their life.NB: This is my second year covering Warped Tour.

What is one tip you’d give anyone attending the tour?TF: As a photographer, be prepared to run around and do not forget to eat and drink!CK: I know it's cool to wear low ankle socks but

those can cause major blisters duringthe day, so purchase some mid-rise to avoid them, because if not then you can't walk, especially if the stage you want to go to is on the other side! Also, have two bucks in hand, as you go in - purchase the schedule to avoid the massive crowd looking at the set times, when you have free time, go back and double check the inflatable set list, to double check because sometimes band's sets switch to twenty minutes later or earlier.

What is one tip you’d give a first time Warped photographer?MA: Pack up on those memory cards and keep your camera in an actual camera bag! I’ve noticed over the years that some photographers on Warped will just swing their camera over their shoulder. I recommend keeping it in your bag between shooting sets because the heat can really mess with the insides of your camera (had

some past experience with that). You don't want to get it rained on either!JR: In addition to bringing a water bottle (because it's necessary for EVERYONE to stay hydrated) I'd say it's a good idea to plan out your entire day the second you find out set times in the morning. Make a list with the bands/set times in the order the artist will be performing throughout the day. It's VERY helpful to do this early because you'll likely be running from one stage to the next and having a plan cuts down stress and you can plan out breaks, interviews if you will be doing those, etc.

What kind of lens would you recommend bringing/using?JR: You can honestly use anything from a kit lens to a 50mm f/1.4 if you have one. Because it's outdoors, a fast lens isn't AS necessary, but it doesn't hurt to have something with an aperture wider than f/2.8. I'll be shooting with a 35mm f/1.4 and I'll probably rent a 24-70 f/2.8 lens because it covers a good range.TF: I run with a canon body, 17-40 lens, 50mm and a 85mm lens.MA: I usually just bring all three of my lenses, 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8 and fisheye 15mm f/2.8. Bring that nifty fifty if you have one! That lens is the best to get killer shots. I use that lens the most for Warped.CK: This is a tough question, so many lenses for whichever effect you are trying to go for whether it's really up close, wide angle or a fish eye. Last year, I shot with a prime which had it's good and bad. The good was the aperture was fast and quick, definitely needed for Warped Tour - with lightning situations. This year, I shot with zoom/ telephoto lenses which I highly recommend, either if you personally own one yourself or renting one. It's a great investment for these type of outdoor festivals. NB: For the past two years, I've been using a

24-70mm at Warped. I find that it's the perfect lens for that kind of setting because I'm able to shoot wide shots and close ups without having

to worry about changing my lens throughout the day.

When can people expect to see you?NB: I was at all of the California dates this year except for San Francisco and Ventura.Warped is always the one thing I look forward to around this time of year. Overall it's been really great getting to meet a ton of other photographers who share the same interest as me and seeing friends that I don't really see very often! Can't wait to do it all over again next year.JR: I'll be at the Uniondale, NY date on July 21st! Perhaps Hartford the next day, but definitely Uniondale! If you'll be there and you know what I look like, please come say hey!!MA: I will for sure be shooting the West Palm Beach, FL (7/28) date but I’m trying my hardest to hit Orlando too! I hope I get to meet some new people! Don't be afraid to say hi!CK: I recently attended Warped Tour in California with the cities of Irvine and Pomona which has passed. I'd love to meet all of you, if I could bring each and every one of you to the pit, I would. The experience of being so close to where the music happens, nothing gets better than that. It makes what I love to do even more interesting as each Warped Tour goes by.

You're on the whole tour with Mayday Parade, what's the best part of being a tour photographer?TF: Getting to know the band. Seeing how they live every day and documenting it. This is my 4th tour with them and I know them more than a lot of my friends at home.

What have you learned from doing the tour before?TF: Network. Don’t forget to do your job as well.

(Why you are there.)

FROM THE EXPERTSDon’t take our word for it. Check out the interview below featuring photographers Tom Falcone, Jenna Ross, Maysa Askar, Nicole Busch, and Cathrine Khom.

Thanks for reading!Hopefully, these tips will get you

through the day. Happy Warped!And remember, if you like what you see,

share it with your Warped-going friends!

Special Thanks To:One of our photographers, Avery Fiftal, for

the photo featured in this segment, and to

Tom, Jenna, Maysa, Nicole, and Cathrine

for sharing their photographer wisdom!

CONTENT BY:THE HARMONIC SERIESharmonic-series.com