Sports Press - help needed

[Red Dog]

I've an opportunity to break into the world of sports press photography as a part-time freelance. I need advice on using mobile technology (in the UK). I have a laptop with photoshop elements, but I need two bits of advice:

How to set-up Photoshop so that I can quickly crop and sharpen images during half time intervals for transfer to the photoeditor
Advice on value for money 3G data cards for occasional use with a laptop i.e. Once per week for approx 5MB of photos.Any advice would be appreciated

[Gary_Evans]

Dont think this is the same as a 3G card, but I use "Web and Walk" from T-Mobile. If you have a phone signal it will work and I can upload 10mb galleries to my event sites in about 20 minutes. £29 per month for upto 3gb data transfer.

With regards to PS, cropping will vary image to image so you will need to do one at a time, but if you set up an action to sharpen and save an image to a certain folder all you will have to do is press an F key

[primoz]

I don't know about UK offer of 3g cards, but personally I use (in Slovenia and countries around here) my Nokia 6680 which is 3g for transfer when there's no wifi in press centers or on field. It works fine for me, but normally there is wifi, at least there where I work :)
As far as software goes. Next to Photoshop I'm pretty sure you will need something like Photo Mechanic is. Captioning is must in this kind of job, and I don't know any faster program then PM is for this kind of work. And with $150 it's not even all that expensive. If PS Elements support some shortcuts, then just make shortcuts for Unsharp mask. And cropping tool already has "shortcut" (key c). I also have preference for cropping tool to automatically resize photo to 2500pix on longest, so I skip another step. And next to levels or curves, these are pretty much only tools I need in PS. And for sending, I also use Photo Mechanic.

[Red Dog]

Thanks guys, Some useful info there. Much appreciated. Anyone any advice on how to improve the weather so I don't get soaked every week?

[primoz]

Hehe if you get any info about this, please let me know too. I would be extremely interested in this :mrgreen:
But until you find info about this, the only way to still feel ok in crappy weather is proper clothing. Nothing else helps unfortunately.

[blackshadow]

Hehe if you get any info about this, please let me know too. I would be extremely interested in this :mrgreen:
But until you find info about this, the only way to still feel ok in crappy weather is proper clothing. Nothing else helps unfortunately.

A ski instructor told me many years ago "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing".

[primoz]

True :mrgreen: But sometimes it's still not fun shooting out for hours with crappy weather... even when you have right clothes :)

[snapzz]

For data cards Vodaphone offer the best overall coverage but checkout your area. I use their 3g USB broadband and find its great.

http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp;wrpsessionid=26GNGmYPhWLzm2WG30NP3ChNh3m21B0vY GM2tLXdGGMBJcTs0q0N!-2059838517?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=template08&pageID=BS_0201

I also use photoshop CS for editing and captioning. I simply download into a folder which opens in file browser. Simple crop and re-size accordingly then add file info into a pre created template.I then just ftp to site using cuteftp. Some prefer to use Photo mechanic as it has an in built ftp. Personally I dont think one way is quicker than the other so just down to preference.

Regarding keeping dry, well firstly just make sure you have good quality rain covers. If your equipment packs up so do you :(
Good luck with your new life!

[TeeJay]

....Anyone any advice on how to improve the weather so I don't get soaked every week?

Yeh, move to Florida (but watch out for the hurricanes!)

[Big WIll]

What about using a mobile phone to send the data? How do you connect your laptop to that??

[primoz]

It depends on phone. With my Nokia 6680 I got some sort of USB cable. Or I connect it over bluetooth. And of course normally you need drivers on your laptop for that.

[Big WIll]

Got ya, thanks. How quick is the FTP over the phone?

Cheers

[primoz]

So quick as GSM operater allows :) Around here upload is unfortunately only 64kbps. Download is 1.5mbps but who cares about download :confused: But anyway... this is different from operator to operator, and since I'm not in UK, everything what I will tell will be probably wrong.