Hi I’m 19 and I’m in college!
I really want to get started on doing concert photography , but I don’t necessarily know the norms and the etiquette of the concert photography business.

Starting off with what I know so far!
I know that you can get photo/ media passes for events by emailing the band’s PR agent.

I also know that getting with an local radio station or publication is great since they could also get you into shows.

My questions:

What musical publications or radio stations are best to apply for in the Maryland area?

Is an agency or publication necessary when starting out or is it just beneficial?

Who else could you email or dm for photo/media passes other than a PR agent?

When emailing publications or PR agents do they look for strong photos or well-known artists in a portfolio?

How are portfolios supposed to look like? And how does one make one ?