[lithos]

IIRC you could buy a press pass or any form of phony ID you wanted in New York's Times Square area before it was Disney-fied, er, cleaned up...

Chris

Of course, the real reason they flog you these isn't just because they're looking to make a quick buck off the sale.

No, they're looking to make a bigger buck off your personal details. Because when you buy one, they, naturally, asked for all the pertinent details...name, address, and passport number.

[Pentax_XTC]

Khao San Road, Banglamphu, Bangkok. That's where I got mine. Three hundred baht. Don't, for the love of god, give your real passport number, though.



Press passes are green, centre of board. Not my photo.

I just went to the IPA website and they have a screen shot of your post (name excluded). The article details these fake IPA passes and that anyone attempting to use them is being arrested by international police.

Moral of the story, be legit or face the consequences.

[pressphotog]

Here is an update on IPA. They have just published a new online magazine called IMPress. What they did was take the IPA members that have done the work and exhibit a high skill level and invited them to join their staff at the magazine.

So if you visit the new magazine you can actually see all the articles these staff members are publishing. They also have a great Photo Showcase that has their photography staff members who have qualified for staff membership there.

You can see that their members are in fact gaining important access and the benefits afforded members of the media. If you visit their Member Support blog, you will find many helpful articles that they have published to help their members improve their skills and some that actually get you off your butt to get out and do the work and meet new or potential clients.

I have found membership at IPA very helpful to me and has allowed me to gain access to trade shows and other events that I have written about on their sites. You can see some nice videos their president Len Rapoport just put up that shows they are well respected in the photographic community and seem to have a great reputation in the business.

Anyone that is looking to actually do the work and not simply to gain media access for the benefits should check them out. They are the only legitimate operation I could find on the internet that actually does publish members works in a great format, actually does get them the media access to help them build their experience, rep and portfolio and one that doesn't have any negative comments I could find on the net. After being out their for 20 years, I think that says it all.

Their member registration page is on their main site at: Member Registration

Check them out and look at their testimonials pages on their blog, you can see that major companies have thanked them for their coverage and in their member testimonials page, there are stories from their members. Seeing is believing and all you need to do is look at their three sites to understand what they do. Heck for $4 per week, this is the best deal I have found on the net.

You can check some of my work there as well...My Photo Showcase on IMPress is at: Photo Showcase ?*Dominique Schreckling | IMPress

You can also go to their authors page and see all of my articles too I have put up links to them as well in my Photo Showcase. Without IPA I would never have gotten the access you see to all these events in my country.

[Unruely]

I agree with many of the posts here. Each event will require it's own "Media Pass". I did some photography at a large base jumping event last month "Bridge Day" here in WV. The application had to be approved by the committee in charge of the event and was issued by them. No other passes were allowed thru the security area without one of these. I know of other photographer friends of mine obtaining passes for each event. Now a membership in the IPA may make obtaining an event pass less difficult, but I have no experience with that?

[mel]

I have an NPPA (National Press Photographers Association) membership and you can get an ID blah blah but when I've had press entry to events (PDN PPE, CES) it's been because the press cred has been issued by the organizer. And to obtain that cred I have to provide proof that I deserve one. Meaning I have to provide them with links to my work with my byline and/or a mast head listing me as editorial staff. AND the work had to be relevant to the industry for which the event was being held.

So bottom line, I think it depends on what you are trying to do with said press pass.

[Gashog]

I've considered sporting a fake pass but never had the balls to do it.
What I finally did was, ask the local news paper. Whatda ya know! They hand them out pretty readily if they've used your stuff before.

I've only done HS sports and the people who matter know who I am. But having that pass can keep other people off your back (people who have no business asking you your business).

So just ask the news paper.

[joe.penn]

Does anyone know how to obtain a general press pass?

As others have probably mentioned (I have not read the replies) there is no "General Press Pass". What you are probably looking for is a MEDIA CREDENTIALS IDENTIFICATION CARD. These cards have the media outlet's information (legitimate outlet and not "billy bobs jack of all trades" blog) on the card along with (in most cases) your photo with your name and also contact information on the card that is used if event organizers need to contact someone at the media outlet to verify you are who you say you are. In short, the media credentials card helps in obtaining an event press pass...





--

[pete_pf]

I asked someone during TIFF this year why his photographer friends don't get a press pass. He said you have to be working for a reputable media organization for a certain amount of years before you can apply for one. I believe it was 3 years.