05 Oct 2009, Posted by Kay in t Veen in Basics, 5 Comments
Getting access at sport events
Getting access at sport events is one of the most important things for a beginning sports photographer. Without a portfolio, your nowhere. shooting your kid on the sidelines of the soccer or hockey field are not going to do it. You need pro shots of pro athletes. although that’s my believe. Since the power, passion and emotion of high skilled athletes is so bigger than students or normal kids that this can give you that little bit extra to a stunning photo.
1. Start close
What i did is just shoot some sports in the neighborhood where you can visit the field for free, and where you can get access to the sidelines or other good spots. For me that is a big hockey stadium just next to my home, since field hockey isn’t that big in our country i can easily get even on the field and shoot great sport shots. With players from the Olympic finalists on the field i am sure there is enough skill on the field. A great way to start out!
2. Get your photos out there
Start a Flickr stream, picasa web album or any other social way to publish your photos. Be social help others, comment on your favorite photos and get interactive with other shooters in your favorite sport. This way you get a small name and views to your pictures. Often you receive awesome comments which help you a lot with you next shoot. Don’t be afraid people stealing your photos, they are almost worthless for now anyway. and the people using your photos probably will display your name (if they are kind enough). What i allays do is try to locate the athletes or clubs of the sport i shot. This gave me some great links towards my site, and provided me with some extra exposure i needed.
3. Just send tons of kind e-mails
Next thing to do is send e-mails to people who can give you access. Don’t start with your city best football club, or other big clubs to just climb up that ladder in baby steps. Just go to the sports where you can get in almost free, these are sports not in the to 5 popular in your country. They have more visitors, and more exposure. Show the people your portfolio by dropping some links in your email. don’t push just ask kindly and polite. If not ask why or just keep it in mind for a next time. But for now people where impressed by my work and if they where allowed to use my shots for their own fans and websites they let me in almost 9 times out of 10.
To be continued…
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5 Comments
October 6, 2009 8:17 am
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October 14, 2009 6:22 pm
Steve
Although I agree with some of your suggestions, I do disagree that you need to shoot pro events to gain access and paying jobs. With nothing more than youth and high school sports images in my portfolio, I’ve been able to shoot pro sporting events for a number of media agencies. While the logistics of shooting a pro event is so much more involved, and the speed of the action so much faster, compelling imagery is what gets you the job, no matter what level the athlete.
One other thing to keep in mind is that shooting a professional or college-level sporting event is never what people imagine it to be. It requires a lot of hard work and a much bigger time commitment than shooting youth or high school sports. Dealing with traffic, parking, arriving at least 2 hours early, staying an hour after the event is over, and having to edit, caption, and transmit images under deadline can be stressful. When I shoot a Major League Baseball game I can count on at least an 8-10 hour day which includes drive time.
I don’t want to discourage anyone from pursuing a goal but everyone should have the facts before hand. There’s just a pervasive attitude that covering a pro sporting event is the holy grail when in fact it’s a tough, competitive, and time consuming task . . . but I still love it.
October 14, 2009 6:39 pm
Kay in t Veen @kayintveen
Hi Steve, this is some message! thanks. for your addition to this article. i think there is something to say to both things. i do not live in the US and here are things like college and high school not big or high skilled at all. So things go a little different. And of course kids, and low skilled teams can be shot also and give you amazing shots to get you any job. But Pro level stuff gives away way more power and photographic moments, thats my believe.
October 29, 2009 10:24 pm
Tyler @TylerIngram
I’ve been able to photograph a few pro sports (Hockey, Snowboarding, Skiing and others).
For the most part, I just found out the media/pr contacts, emailed them asking. Doesn’t hurt to ask right? Worst they will say is no. Just keep trying eventually people will say yes. It is also good to keep an online presence as well. Flickr, SmugMug, Photobucket whatever allows you to store online photos. Just link to some of your better shots (sports, wildlife, whatever) and it will help.
December 9, 2009 11:34 pm
Glenn Ivens
Hey, I live in Canada and it is very tough to get access to Pro sports events unless you are shooting for a media company. I myself shoot for a small sports based web page (www.islandsportsnews.net) and we have access to ECHL games, I recently attended a CHL vs. Russia allstar game and was approached by the CHL and asked who I was shooting for. I explained the situation and they allowed me to continue shooting after they gave me one of their media passes. I was lead to believe as was my editor and the person at the media door that we had access but certian events require their own media accreditation. I find that they will not give a photographer accreditation if he is shooting on his own and if he is shooting for some media outlet he is not allowed to sell the images without prior approval from the event coordinator. They really don`t want you to make money off their sports unless they get a piece of the pie. It is very hard to make it as a sports photographer in North America. Steve is so right in his comments, it is not as glamourous as it sounds. You figure you show up at the game shoot the game and be around the athletes but you have to arrange accreditation, show up early, set up remote cameras and lights (if allowed), coordinate with other Photographers if they are using the same triggers as you, then get your spot and wait, shoot the event then spend hours editing images to send in. It is a long and hard job. I love covering the events and would love to do it full time but it is very tough to break into the market. There are only so many jobs and once someone gets one they don`t let it go. Please check out my website (www.javalon.smugmug.com) and let me know what you think.
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