press passes

[darrell]

I was wondering about people opinion on obtaining press passes. It seems that it's pretty straight forward of you work for a major publication. But what if you do freelance work? The seattle police have discontinued the issue of passes, relying on company ID instead. It's kind of hard to get decent images when there are people sitting/standing between you and the subject, and breaking out a tripod in the bleachers ... I've seen these companies that sell "press passes" but it seems more like a scam than something worth while. kind of like those university diplomas they advertize by e-mail.
any suggestions, comments?

[Penguin_101_1]

btt :)

[CyberDyneSystems]

I'm stumped... :?:

I have no idea what "btt" means...

Nor do I have an answer for you..

[IndyJeff]

Darrell your right, working for a major publication or AP, Rueters, AFP makes it easier. My best advice is contact a paper in your area and ask about doing work as a stringer for them. The way it works most of the time you get paid if they use your shot, if not no pay but it may get your foot in the door.

[Penguin_101_1]

btt is from another forum. Sorry. :) It simply means Back to the Top of the forum.

[tpinchback]

this thread started 29 Dec 2001.

[stopbath]

Easy way to get a press pass. Make one up.

Create your own publication, then hire yourself as a photographer. Make up a little tag, put your photo on it, and laminate it. Naturally this won't carry as much pull as some big network news conglomerate, but "HomeTown News", "BackWater Express", "Views From the Front" may work just as well as "Toronto Star" to get you out of the masses.

[Ikinaa]

Easy way to get a press pass. Make one up.

Create your own publication, then hire yourself as a photographer. Make up a little tag, put your photo on it, and laminate it. Naturally this won't carry as much pull as some big network news conglomerate, but "HomeTown News", "BackWater Express", "Views From the Front" may work just as well as "Toronto Star" to get you out of the masses.

Question : 'How long does your publication exist?'
Answer : 'Errr 3 years'
Question : 'How many did you publish?'
Answer : 'Err Err ... none' 8) :lol:

[Yance]

Penguin the gravedigger? Bring dead threads back to life?

Well, as long as its here..... Press passes are offered by events to people that will help to promote the event. To get a press pass issued to you requires having credentials with a credible media outlet. The passes are usually issued long before the event. The police usually aren't involved so I'm not sure how that has any bearing. Most public events don't require press passes unless you want special access.

[stopbath]

Easy way to get a press pass. Make one up.

Create your own publication, then hire yourself as a photographer. Make up a little tag, put your photo on it, and laminate it. Naturally this won't carry as much pull as some big network news conglomerate, but "HomeTown News", "BackWater Express", "Views From the Front" may work just as well as "Toronto Star" to get you out of the masses.

Question : 'How long does your publication exist?'
Answer : 'Errr 3 years'
Question : 'How many did you publish?'
Answer : 'Err Err ... none' 8) :lol:

That's when you pull the bit "Help help! Squashing of the freedom of the press happening right here! Did you see that? He's not letting me through. Help help!" until they relent and let you in! :D

[IndyJeff]

LOL Stopbath you can try that but, I still don't think that would get you anything but a swift kick in the arse and thrown out the door.

Example of how hard it can be to get credentials.

Indy Racing League....Last year at Chicago I was doing some pictures for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The good folks at Chicagoland Speedway were telling me that they needed something on D&RR letterhead. I even supplied the name and phone number for the team manager. Not good enough, they need it in writing...on letterhead.

Not by me but from a friends experience...... He was shooting for a small town newspaper and applied for a photo credential to shoot the Indianapolis Colts NFL game one Sunday. Credential denied...a writer could get a press pass but no field access. If they wanted pictures, there was a pool photo batch supplied by the Colts photo staff.

Basically any event you can get into. Just use this as a rule, the bigger the event, the harder the credential will be to get.

[CyberDyneSystems]

btt is from another forum. Sorry. :) It simply means Back to the Top of the forum.

Ahhh ,.. we call it "Bump" where I come from :)

[IndyJeff]

btt is from another forum. Sorry. :) It simply means Back to the Top of the forum.

Ahhh ,.. we call it "Bump" where I come from :)


Things that go bump in the night?

[Penguin_101_1]

Oh what have I done!?! :wink:

[IndyJeff]

Penguin, does the phrase "Pandora's box" come to mind?

[Penguin_101_1]

Yes!

[stopbath]

LOL Stopbath you can try that but, I still don't think that would get you anything but a swift kick in the arse and thrown out the door.

Example of how hard it can be to get credentials.

Indy Racing League....Last year at Chicago I was doing some pictures for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The good folks at Chicagoland Speedway were telling me that they needed something on D&RR letterhead. I even supplied the name and phone number for the team manager. Not good enough, they need it in writing...on letterhead.

Not by me but from a friends experience...... He was shooting for a small town newspaper and applied for a photo credential to shoot the Indianapolis Colts NFL game one Sunday. Credential denied...a writer could get a press pass but no field access. If they wanted pictures, there was a pool photo batch supplied by the Colts photo staff.

Basically any event you can get into. Just use this as a rule, the bigger the event, the harder the credential will be to get.
I didn't say that working for your own news letter pulls as much weight as working for a networked news outlet. Naturally when you have 200 photographers trying for 100 spots you gotta pull the plug on some of them.

[Belmondo]

I know an indiviudal who somehow scored a press pass for all home games of a particular NFL football team. He is not a photographer. In fact, in the early days he would rent a camera and lens and just carry it around as a prop. He often didn't put film in the camera---not even sure he knew how. Once, he forgot to rent a camera and borrowed my EOS-630 for a day. (How professional are you going to look with an EOS-630 and a 28-70 zoom?)

Ultimately he bought a Canon 1x (I don't recall exactly which model), and a nondescript lens. He now actually takes pictures, although with no market for them, the worthwhile shots just end up as souvenirs on his office wall.

I’m not sure how he got the pass. I believe he has a friend who works in the publicity department for this particular team, or for a company hired by this team for that purpose. Anyway, the moral of the story is:

The moral is-----


I guess there is no moral. Some guys are just luckier than others.

[Mark0159]

the moral of the story is "it's not what you know, it's who you know"

so what do you, become close friends with someone that can get you a pass :)

Just don't ask me how.

[defordphoto]

I have been covering motorsports on the Internet since the early 1990's and at first we had a tough time getting credentials for the CART (Then known as IndyCar) races. But, once they saw we were serious there was no problem at any of the tracks whether located in the USA, Canada or overseas. Our site was one of a very few that helped carved the way into legitimate Internet-only news services. The next year my lead photographer was carrying an IndyCar hardcard. Not an easy card to get.

The current website I own we also have no problems getting credentials for any of the series we cover: ChampCar, ALMS, Trans-Am, USSBA. Two of my staff carry ALMS hardcards. We also cover LeMans and have no problems securing credentials there.

None of us carry PRESS cards. I guess I could make some up, but there's no point. No one ever asks.

But, it takes time and patience to establish yourself.

[IndyJeff]

Jim your right about how hard it can be to get credentials to some of the bigger racing series events. A hard card definately helps. Chicagoland Speedway is one of the hardest I have ever encountered. I felt like a fox trying to get into the henhouse.
I expect things will be a little easier this year, I got an IRL hard card, so that should make it a tad bit easier. I don't expect I will be getting the 3rd degree LOL.
Is CART/ChampCar doing Portland this year?

[defordphoto]

Tad bit easier? A hard-card is automatic entry plain and simple. No discussion.

Portland is close to being signed. This year. I have a feeling you might be visiting PIR in 2005. ;)

[shelbix2020]

damm I could probly get the press pass ... then they would spot my G2 and tell me to get lost :P I need to get a $20k first :lol: :lol: :lol: jk

I know Ill be shooting the Long Beach GP .. dont know about a p.p. yet tho

[IndyJeff]

I'd love to come to Portland. I have a buddy there. Of course if I did, you and I would definately have a sit down.

[defordphoto]

I'd love to come to Portland. I have a buddy there. Of course if I did, you and I would definately have a sit down.

Abso-freaking-lutely! :)