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How to become a sports photographer??
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I’d love to become one because:
A) I want to watch international rugby matchs from the side line
and
B) I would like to get paid for it.
Answers on a postcard please. :lol:
you should have seen that program last week on RTE “No Experince Required” all about Sports photographers in Ireland.And the chance to be one.I have it taped if you want ,I can send it on to you.
constantine wrote:
I’d love to become one because:
A) I want to watch international rugby matchs from the side line
and
B) I would like to get paid for it.
Answers on a postcard please. :lol:
C) You love taking Sports shots?
Dave
yeah man you gotta love your craft and not just be in it to watch games, which you wont get to do if your busy shooting..
No but seriously, how do you go about getting a press pass? What organisations do you have to join etc etc, sports photography is something I want to get into, with the view to someday going to the big games in croke park, lansdowne rd (when they build it), just like to know whats the best route to take in doing this.
You shouldn’t want to become a sports photographer because you want to watch the game from the sidelines. Tell that to an employer and you certainly won’t get a call back. I watched my first grand prix in over two years last Sunday…most of the races I photographed I hadn’t a clue who came outside the top 3. Field games are a bit different, but the point is the same, you have to concentrate 100% on what you’re doing so you don’t miss anything…if you’re too busy ‘watching’ it, you’ll miss the mega shots.
As for being paid for it..the pay is generally crap until you’ve been at it a few years. That sort of weeds out the guys who don’t really want to do it, but would like to try it. Anyone who really wants it, sticks with it. My first 2 years as a junior shooting british racing mostly, were difficult with terrible pay. I stayed with it, got to F1 and the pay got good.
As Dave said the most important thing is you have to love taking sports pictures…end of story. If you only ‘like’ it, then you probably won’t put up with getting wet every other weekend, rushing with deadlines, getting in the scrum with other photographers for that crap picture…but it happens to be the one that newspapers will run with. You have to love the job….if you do, it can be one of the best jobs.
constantine wrote:
No but seriously, how do you go about getting a press pass? What organisations do you have to join etc etc, sports photography is something I want to get into, with the view to someday going to the big games in croke park, lansdowne rd (when they build it), just like to know whats the best route to take in doing this.
My advise would be to look at your “Local” newspapers and see if there is a possibility for your sports photographs to be published in their pages. they may have a “Staff” photographer who doubles up as a sports photographer but not specialise in a particular sport. Offer to attend events to take photos for the newspaper but offer your services for free to start off with. Any images used have to have a “By-line” with your name below them. A letter from the editor of the paper should give you access to most local events. Offer to take PR photos or event photos for the organisers to build up a relationship with them.
As you build up a portfolio as well as a re pore with the Sports editor and the organisers of the events you cover it will become a lot easier to get the break you are looking to get to the bigger events. If you get an unusual or “News worthy” shot that would be of interest to the “Daily” papers the email them asap to their sports desk. You will find that they will pay you a lot easier that your local paper.If you want to make money out of it then as your portfolio grows send your CV to different publications and keep your fingers crossed..
I did this with my local paper and became their motorcycle correspondent when the previous reporter lost interest. I was paid 3p per line of text and ?2.00 per photo published. That was in the days when I had to buy my own film, process it and hand write or type up the reports and hand them in first thing on a Monday morning. The benefits were that I received a Press and Photographers Pass from the organising body for Motorcycling racing in the country which gave me access to the slightly more dangerous places to take photos of the action from.
Oh! You will also have to sign a form stating that in the event of an accident you will not claim from them!
You would also need to join the N.U.J.I. as a press photographer to get a “Press Pass”. The big events still only allow the”elete” of the press world close to the games and even though you have the press pass it may not be worth the effort.
Think joining the N.U.J.I. is a little easier now than back in the 80’s. Back then you had to have had x number of pics published in an N.U.J.I. publication (………most local papers are N.U.J.I. members ………..) and to have your pics published in the local papers you had to be a member of the N.U.J.I. ! ! ! ! ! ! !Some local papers back then did not strictly stick to the rules or none of us would ever be allowed to join.
This is a link to the NUJ UL which also covers Ireland. It is much easier and cheaper to join them than the Irish NUJ.
Thanks everyone for your input,
Interesting stuff, don’t think I would want to do it full time, just a part time thing. My current position pays too well. Photography will be a much loved hobby for me for the foreseable future.
Would be a nice way to kill a Saturday though.
What the guys above say is so true. If your photoraphing an event, you dont get to watch it properly or you will not be doing your job. Also, Dont plan to get to watch all of any event as many sports photogs cover multiple events per day, only staying long enough to get 6 or 7 keepers, and then moving on.
There are a lot of crappy boring matches on wet weekends to be captured before getting into the internationals!
Merv.
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