How can I photograpgh some pro events?

[carbonXevo8]

I just went to the islander ranger game last nite and sat in the 1st row behind the rangers bench. I've saw so many photographers walk by with 3 or 4 1d mark II bodies and nice big white lenses :p . Anyway. It really looks like something I would be intersted in and something I'd like to pursue. I dont think I'm very good...:rolleyes: :cry: but does anyone know who I can contact about shooting events? Even the amateur leagues or something. Thanx alot

[karensimmons]

Well the first step is to become "very good". The competition for serious sports photography is huge and you're not going ot compete in the field unless you become a good photographer.

Start out with high school and league sports, any local college sports you can, any local adult leagues, etc. Practice, practice, practice. Shoot lots. And shoot even more than that. Build up a portfolio and get to the point where you *do* believe you're "very good".

Once you get to that point, you'll be ready to compete. :)

Karen

[carbonXevo8]

I could probably shoot my old high school, I still keep in touch with 1 of my teachers so Im sure she could let me know what the football games are. My main interest would be hockey and we dont have any minor leagues or anythign like that here. I guess I'll have to search and cheack out the games ...Thanx karen!

[Big WIll]

As said practice practice practice then make friends with leagues/officials everyone involved! and you will move on up! Just give it time!

Another thing is if your young and willing to work ask the pro photographers and/or their agencies for some work experience. The worst they can do is say no, but you will get your name in there! :)

Oh and practice somemore!

[carbonXevo8]

Its hard talking to the photographers, i see them running and in between periods they are usually calibrating their cameras/ changing lenses or whatever. I would have no idea how to get a hold of them otherwise....Time to do a little research!

[carbonXevo8]

oh btw...you think i could get descnet pix from an xt?

[superdiver]

I dont shoot hockey, but check out my sports gallery...I shoot with an XT, I am NOT the best out ther, but I think most of my sports shots are OK at least...

[Zilly]

practice practice practice pactice and erm practace

in answer to your question you can shoot with the 350d

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/zilly_photos/gasserup.jpg
(not the best example but thats all i could find)
but youll soon find that youll want to up grade. its not easy. and its not what you know but who you know

[fslshooter]

Find a sports team with a fan club who needs a photographer and shoot for them pro bono. Others will see your work and if your stuff is good enough you'll move up to paying gigs at pro levels in time. Just be advised that sports photography is competitive, hard work and don't expect to make a living at it overnight. While the togs you see at sporting events might look like they're having fun be assured that some are not. See THIS (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=257528) thread.

[Brodog2525]

carbon, i just looked at your gear list and i dont really think that you can photograph any sports with your current lens. maybe a 70-200mm f/4 L or 2.8 if your really serious. or maybe the 85mm 1.8

[brunester]

and its not what you know but what you know
??? whats this mean?

[Vegas Poboy]

First off you must have at least a zoom that can reach 200mm, I started with the 70-200 f/4 to build my portfolio. If possible take a sports photography class at a local college that will help you gain experience and a small portfolio.

Go out and practice, low light and daylight and try multiple sports not just one. If you don't know the sport watch it and see where the action is taking place, read about the sport.

Try to become the team photographer for a sporting group, that will help you gain entry to alot of events. When you get good shots post them and make sure you get photo credits.

It's not going to happen overnight everyone thinks sports is a easy way in and credentials is getting harder to get because of it.

Good luck

[LBaldwin]

Hey CarbonX,

I do shoot pro sports, Baseball, Rugby and Hockey MLB, NHL, NFL as well as college and minor league. Gear is inportant but you need to learn with what you have first. There are several techniques that you can learn prior to going out and buying a bunch of gear. Here are few in no particular order,

1. Know your sport, who the players are, and who the stars are regardless of the level involved. Use ESPN, sports radio and the newspapers to help you prepare.
2. Learn how to position yourself in relation to both the play and the lighting to maximize your image quality and minimize background crap.
3. Learn how to read the next play, and point your camara in the general direction of your guess. Second base, puck drop near the goal, end zone etc.
4, Learn to get the most out of the gear that you already own. The first mistake is think that the motor drive will bring home the shot. Many of the worlds best sports images were single shots.
5. Three elements in nearly every great image, face, ball, action.
6. Learn when to shoot verticals and when to shoot horizontals.
7. Learn how to hold your camera correctly, there is a right and a wrong way.
8 Learn to squeeze the shutter

Two other bits of wisdom, if you saw it in the viewfinder you didn't get it!!
If it not SHARP don't bother!!

I hope this helps,
BTW at NHL hockey games they have the ice strobed and it is nearly impossibe to get access to those strobes.
Les

[PhotosGuy]

Sports Shooting Tutorials and Advice (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135417)

Sports Photography... it's all about LIGHT ;) (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=142078)

[BradT0517]

Two other bits of wisdom, if you saw it in the viewfinder you didn't get it!!

Im not quite sure what you mean by this but im thinking if you see the play happenwithout hearing a click then you missed it.

[BradT0517]

oh btw...you think i could get descnet pix from an xt?

The XT is a great camera I have the XTi and it is virtually Identical except some minor stuff. Now if you really want to pursue I would suggest atleast a 70-200 f4 or a 2.8 if your not in to much of a budget crunch a flash Either a 430EX or again a 580EX if not in a crunch and a 85 1.8 to go along with your 50 1.8 making a great combination.

[Rich Brown Photography]

I think what is meant by this is that if you saw it through your viewfinder... the action has already passed and by the time that you compress the shutter you have missed that composition. Sports shooting is almost predictive, its not an easy thing to do or learn.

[cdifoto]

It means your viewfinder should be blacked out when the moment happens, because when you can't see it, your sensor can.

[Zilly]

??? whats this mean?

ok it was late and i was tired. its changed now

[Palendrone]

I just went to the islander ranger game last nite and sat in the 1st row behind the rangers bench. I've saw so many photographers walk by with 3 or 4 1d mark II bodies and nice big white lenses :p . Anyway. It really looks like something I would be intersted in and something I'd like to pursue. I dont think I'm very good...:rolleyes: :cry: but does anyone know who I can contact about shooting events? Even the amateur leagues or something. Thanx alot

I had the very same train of thought after day dreaming at many a football match / other sporting occasions thinking damn I'd like to give that a go. What I did was to be honest and write nice emails to media / PR staff at the clubs locally stating I was building up my portfoilio and would like to come and shoot the game if possible ( it did help that I have public liability insurance with all my camera insurance though!!!)

practice practice practice pactice and erm practace

in answer to your question you can shoot with the 350d

Yup I will concur on this as my trusty old 300D with a 4 shot RAW burst has done me well over the last couple of years.


5. Three elements in nearly every great image, face, ball, action.


Here's one I shot last April with a 300D + Grip and a 400mm f2.8 Prime Lens hired from Calumet in Manchester.

http://www.f8cus.com/images/sport-sale_sharks_1.jpg

Does mine constitue all these three or not?

All I will say is that if its your passion to give it a go then go try it and see what you can achieve, many people have talked about doing things and thats where I like to be different, I would rather look back in 30 years time and say ho hum it never worked out that still stating "I wish I had tried that" or "maybe I should still give it a go!".

Good luck.

Michael

[Mike R]

I had contacted a MLB team about getting a pass into the "media pit" I never really expected a reply but they did respond back. I was told that due to limited space it is reserved for Pros who are shooting for major publications. They suggested that I contact a Minor leauge team and felt I would get a favorable response. Next season I'll try it.

[basroil]

you never shoot to the top unless you have connections. now, if you happen to know the owners of a place, or an editor of a major publication, then you have a fairly good shot at getting in. it's all about knowing the right people... and choosing the right venues. for MLB, the pit area is very, very small.. if you had considered MLS instead, you'de surely have a better chance, as there are at least two spots on most fields. ...

[Kiddo]

I do alot of "minor" sports photography. I got into it 2 ways, 1) my son plays peewee football, and 2) my cousin plays "AAA" peewee hockey.

The first year I took football photos, was just for myself. The second year, people asked me to get some shots of their kids for them and then people started asking for team photos and such. This year I went to the minor football association and said that I would shoot thier game photos for free, if I sold any then I would donate some of the money back the the association. It worked out really well. I really got my name out there and made some great contacts. My photos are posted on 4 different football sites. One of those contacts is a very well know person in the hockey world here. He wons one of the hockey teams.

I got to go to a big 3 day hockey event, that I made some money from. And I also got to do some team photography for some of the teams that attended.

So in doing this I also got to go to basketball games, volleyball games, car races and lots of other sports related events. I love doing it. It's all at the minor level, but the way that I look at it is someday I'll mean that one person who will want my photos for a magazine or poster or something!!

I've also had my photos printed in 3 differnt local papers.

Basically, go out, get your name out there and if you're at an event, it never hurts to ask if you can stand right on the side lines for better photos.

[BradT0517]

I've also had my photos printed in 3 differnt local papers.

Well I was lucky enough to have a picture of mine in my local newspaper.
It just happened to be of my schools student of the year and it didnt have my name as the person who took it but it was my picture.

[acura nsx pilot]

True story...... I had a friend who walked right down to the field where the other photographers were and because he had a big white lens on his canon they thought he was with them and they let him onto the field.

[Palendrone]

True story...... I had a friend who walked right down to the field where the other photographers were and because he had a big white lens on his canon they thought he was with them and they let him onto the field.

It's amazing to say the least - bouncers on doors see a huge bag a huge lens case and a tripod / monopod bag and your in... If you wanna risk it and you get this far you can always play dumb afterwards when someone asks where your media badge is!!!

[bigjon0107]

It's amazing to say the least - bouncers on doors see a huge bag a huge lens case and a tripod / monopod bag and your in... If you wanna risk it and you get this far you can always play dumb afterwards when someone asks where your media badge is!!!

Haha, that is so true! I probally could not count the number of times that i have done this when i wanted to shoot little things like some high school sports and such. They just let you walk right though the players/coaches entrance with out any problem. But when it comes to Texas Stadium in Irving, its a little diffrient ;)

[LBaldwin]

Haha, that is so true! I probally could not count the number of times that i have done this when i wanted to shoot little things like some high school sports and such. They just let you walk right though the players/coaches entrance with out any problem. But when it comes to Texas Stadium in Irving, its a little diffrient ;)


Well not really. HS sports and PRO sports are two different balls of wax.

HS sports generally do niot require 'press creds tor sideline access. After all HS kids are down thre all the time. Now for state finals or other contests it can get tougher. Schools are mostly public property. It does not require permission to shoot an event, Regardless of what you are told. You will Mom w/ her P&S down there too.

The big lens does lend some "Pro: look to it, add a vest if you want to top it off. But it is always better to make contact with the school and let them know that you want to shoot. It is common courtesy. Say hello and trade nods with the cops. If you are smart give them a biz card. Everyone starts somewhere, and this is how all sports shooters get into it. I startd in 1978 the same way.

Pro sports, the venues they play in are for the most part private enterprises. Theya re not really news per se, so access can be controlled all they want.

Build a portfolio of great images at the lower end get it reviewed by editors and pros in your area and keep shooting. Then when you can chase the pro mags for gigs. It is easier to say than to apply. go to sportsshooter.com to see some of the best stuff out there.

Les

[bigjon0107]

Well not really. HS sports and PRO sports are two different balls of wax.

HS sports generally do niot require 'press creds tor sideline access. After all HS kids are down thre all the time. Now for state finals or other contests it can get tougher. Schools are mostly public property. It does not require permission to shoot an event, Regardless of what you are told. You will Mom w/ her P&S down there too.



Dang it! i thought they saw me as some one important! Haha, just kidding. Sorry, i was just using it as a quick example, obviously not the best one.