Photographer accreditation at fairs: exhibitor pass or press

The organiser decides who gets onto the grounds

A fair ground is not public space. The organiser holds the house rights and decides who may enter, with which pass, at what time and what is allowed there. That includes photographers and videographers working for an exhibitor.

For your photo and video crew there are essentially three routes:

• Exhibitor pass: you as the exhibitor order it for people working on your stand (booth). A contracted service provider such as your photographer usually falls into this group.
• Service provider or build-up pass: some organisers distinguish between stand staff and external service providers, or issue separate passes for the build-up and dismantling days.
• Press accreditation: intended for journalists reporting on the fair, not for photographers commissioned by an exhibitor.

Which route applies at your fair is set out in the organiser's exhibitor manual or exhibitor portal. The rules differ from one fair to the next, so this guide is practical guidance, not legal advice.

The exhibitor pass: the normal case

For a commissioned trade fair photographer, the exhibitor pass is the usual route. It is ordered through the organiser's online portal, is usually personalised and often arrives as a digital ticket. How many passes come with your stand package usually depends on the stand size, and additional passes can often be ordered.

In practice it works like this:

1. Ask for names: your photographer gives you the names and email addresses of everyone in the crew, often two or three people for photo and video.
2. Order the passes: you enter the crew in the exhibitor portal. Personalised passes cannot be transferred, so the names must be right.
3. Pass them on: the digital ticket goes straight to the crew or via you.
4. On the show day: the crew carries the pass plus an ID card or passport in case of checks at the entrance.

Count the film crew in from the start when you plan passes for your stand staff. Otherwise the passes in your stand package are allocated before anyone thinks of the photographer.

Why a press pass is usually the wrong route

Press accreditation sounds like the natural pass for someone with a camera. It is meant for editorial reporting, though. The organiser's press office grants it to journalists who can prove their work, for example with a press card or an assignment from a publication.

A photographer producing marketing material for an exhibitor is not working editorially. Coming in on press accreditation anyway risks trouble with the organiser and, in the worst case, losing the pass on the show day. A visitor ticket is similar: it is meant for visiting, not for commissioned work.

Press still matters to you, namely when you want journalists to come to your stand. How to prepare appointments and material for editors is covered in our guide to press and influencers on the stand.

Build-up days, equipment and filming beyond your stand

The calmest shots are often taken on the build-up day or early in the morning before opening. Access rules for these times are frequently different from the show days: separate build-up passes, other entrances, sometimes high-visibility vests or safety shoes in the hall. Clarify this if you plan to shoot before opening. More in our guide to using the build-up day.

Equipment needs planning too:

• Arrival: vehicle access to the grounds is usually restricted during opening hours. A film crew therefore normally comes through the entrance with backpacks and rolling cases, not by van to the hall door.
• Tripods and lights: aisles and escape routes must stay clear. Tripods, lights and cables belong on the stand, not in the aisle.
• Drones: flights on the grounds need separate permission from the organiser.
• Filming beyond your stand: the pass grants access, not automatically the right to film on the organiser's stages, in the press centre or on other stands.

Timeline: what to do when

If you are flying in from China, the Gulf, Pakistan or the US, your team often arrives only shortly before the show. Order the passes from home anyway; the portal works online. A local photographer needs no visa letter and no hotel booking, just a pass with the right name. The basics on permission and house rules are in our guide to photo permission at trade fairs.

What goes wrong and how to avoid it

• Misspelt names: with personalised passes this can cost time at the entrance. Copy the names from the photographer's email rather than retyping them.
• Wrong day: some passes are only valid on certain days. Check that the pass covers the shoot day.
• Ticket stuck: the pass sits in the inbox of your show manager, who is on a plane. Send tickets directly to the crew.
• No contact on the stand: the crew arrives, but nobody knows they are coming. A name and a phone number in the briefing are enough.

At Pixer we sort out passes and the meeting point with you right after booking. For shows in Essen, our office is 30 seconds from the entrance of Messe Essen. One more reminder: every organiser sets its own access rules, and the exhibitor manual is the binding source.

The short version

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