Hi, Nice shots of Jackie Greene, I was shooting there as well. Also, your work on your website is very cool as well. I was just wondering something though, for someone of your skill and talent, why would you write and provide all of the excellent images you take from concerts, and "give them to a profit driven content aggregtor like the examiner.com? You understand that they allow you to keep your copyright, but that you also bascially forfeit that copyright by granting them free liscence forever to use your images and content in any manner they see fit, without your being given proper payemnt, and they can use, sell, manipulate and disseminate your artwork as they please "across the unvirse" (their words not mine). Just struck me as odd as you're obviously someone with great talent, that likely doesn't need to give away your ownership to a site that simply pays out pennies (if that) and prfits greatly from all of your hard work, simply for what I imagine you see as opportunity for access to shows/venues?

Please take this with the respect it's written in. I am envious of your training, and while I love my art and what I do, do not live full time in this space.and so maybe I'm missing why this is something a profrssional is willing to compromise on...

-MS

MS, Thanks. Great show - wasn't it!? Thank you for visiting the site as well. And now on to the better part of the conversation....

I appreciate your concern. I really do. I've read that and I've read what the venues make you sign and I've read what some of the artists make you sign. By the time you actually get into the show, your images have little freedom anyway. You upload images less than 500 pixels in length....you can bearly get a good print from that...

I'm sure they are making good profit off of all of the people who contribute for them, but if you flip it - they give the contributors freedom to post about what they want and when they want, backed by a legit 'media outlet'. It does give me access to shows, but I also make sure to connect with a handful of people at the shows. I think the good outweighs the bad here - in music photography at least.

I look at it as a way to share my work and passion with people that would otherwise not visit my photography, even in it is backed by "corporate evil." I mean, until the Boston Globe hires me....and even then, I'm sure someone has a strong opinion against them. If I have nothing else booked, why not get out there to a show? It's my favorite thing to shoot (don't tell the brides)...especially during the slow winter months.

Thanks again for taking the time to write.