So you wanna......

[IndyJeff]

be a sports photographer? Let me give you an example of what kind of a fun day you can have.


I started at 6am this morning, getting my son up for a 7am arrival at school for his wrestling meet. Came back home and checked over my equipment list for the day. Formatted cards and headed out about 9 am. Drove 57 miles to the New Castle semi state wrestling meet, not the same one my son was in as he isn't in high school yet.

I get there and pick up my credentials along with a do's and don't's list for the press. Don't get down to floor level, stay behind the green barrier which is the front row all around this stadium. There is no hospitality suite. Well there is but the press isn't allowed in. Need a program? Ok here's one. That will be one dollar. Receipt? Sorry we don't have receipts for programs. I get one anyway as I can't do the job today without it. I am photographer and writer today, so I must keep track.

I am here to photograph 4 wrestlers out of 156. My nephew is also wrestling but he doesn't count towards the paycheck.

Two of the guys are out in the first round. Ok that makes it a little easier, just 2 guys to keep an eye on. Now I am in row 1, which because of the green barrier that no lowlife photographer shall cross without a lashing from someone for sure is really row 2, I have a good view. Well except for all the wrestlers and coaches who keep walking by in front of me. Ok, lets move to over behind the scorers bench. Now I am in about row 5, elevated slightly and the passerbys aren't bothering me, well not as much.

Guy 1 wins and moves on. He is wrestling on the mat to my right and closest too me of the 2 on my right. Now guy 2 is up and he is on the mat closest to me on the left mat. Good, except that they keep coming over towards my side of the fieldhouse and the portable scoreboard is in the way for half the shots.

Ok, both guys advance. I have about 45 minutes to an hour. I decide to walk up and get a coke. All that stands between me and my refreshment is about 50 steps up. $1.50 sir. Thank you. Walk back down 5o steps. Ahhh how refreshing.

Ok guy 1 is back up on mat. Shoot him, less traffic this time. He wins!!! Yeah I will be shooting the state finals next Friday and Saturday. Got about 30 minutes before guy # 2 comes up and my nephew will be in about 15 minutes. Nephew gets beat in his second match, his career is over. 25 goes by and now the coke lets me know that it is ready to evacuate my body. Back up 50 or so steps, carrying my coat, camera and bag. Relieve myself and back down the 50 or so steps. See another shooter. Hey a Canon guy!!! Alright. We talk for a minute and my 2nd guy is up. See ya later buddy. Guy # 2 advances to state finals yeehawwwwww.


Now I have about 1.5 hours before anyone I need to shoot is wrestling again. Ok I check out the menu at the concession stand located about 50 some steps above me and to the right. High priced for a high school. Oh well I guess they do that when they need a new building instead of raising taxes. Nothing really sounds goo but fried chicken, that is one thing they don't have on the menu so away I go. I find a Wal-Mart and pick me up a $6.75 chicken dinner, 2 breasts, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese and a dinner roll. Sit in my van eat my lunch and watch the Saturday shoppers hustle thier groceries and other stuff to their cars.

Back to the gym. What timing, I have about 3 matches to go before guy 1 is back up. Hey there is my newfound Canon buddy....down on the floor. I walk over and ask who he talked to in order to get access? "Well nobody, I saw moms over there on the floor with their video and p&s cameras and figured if they aren't credentialed and working and can get down there why can't I? I am thinking the same thing. So I find myself a break in the great green barrier and slip down to the floor level.

Never had a problem at all. Free to move about, as long as I don't get on the mat I am fine. Both guys end up in the consolation brackets. One takes 3rd, the other 4th. Get the podium shots, and one with both guys and the coaches and I am headed for the barn. I get back up to the top of the 50 or so steps and the sun has gone down. I left my coat in the car on the trip back after lunch but, I parked closer. Not too cold. Get out of the lot, head for the interstate and in an hour I will be home.

Arrive home about 7:50. Almost an 11 hour day. Sit down for about 20 minutes and talk with son and wife about his matches that day. He won all 3, 2 by fall and 1 forfiet. About 8:15 or so I sit down and begin the editting process. Save this one, toss those 3, save this one...maybe...minimize and look at it later. Save that one.....toss these 7....etc, etc, etc....

Finally I am down to 12 images to send. But first the copy. Type, type, type...check result sheet. Type, type type....check result sheet. WHAT?????How could I have done this? I have the same score for one of the guys I was covering in two matches? Great, now where can I get those scores? Search and search and finally I find them. Guess what? Yep, he did win both matches 11-4. Whats the chances of that happening? Ok that only slowed me down by maybe 45 minutes. Finish the copy, proof it. now for the captions.

Open PS back up, open 4 of the 12 photos. Begin writing caption for #1 in the file info section add all neccessary information. One by one and hit ok when I have completed everything on each one. All 12 done and I am ready to attach and send.

Now what I usually do is send the copy in one email and the images in another and today is no different. So the copy is off thru cyberspace. Open PS back up, open 3 images and file info to cut & paste into email with image number. Guess what? When you hit ok, it doesn't save it. That is what the save button is for DOH!!!!!
Ok so it is about 12:30 and I open each image file, take a look and insert caption along with corresponding file number in email. All 12 captioned and attached...hit send and I am done. A little after 1 am. A 19 hour day but, I can't go to bed yet? I need to have a Beam & Coke and see whats I missed on this bb today.

So now it is 2:37, I have read all I am going to read, uploaded all I am going to upload, done everything I am supposed to do and heading for bed a little less than 21 hours after I got up.

The moral to this story is....if you want to shoot sports be ready for long days which may or may not include steps but, will surely require walking some distances everytime. Eating less than glamorous meals most of the time and you must be able to eat standing up, sitting in your car, while walking and you get no nap after meals. Once you get home, your tired but still have work to do, get a little slack and make a mistake which sets you back about half an hour. Then decide that you want some chocolate chip cookies you have stashed away from the two eating machines your wife gave birth to, only to realize that when you reach over for the coke you have and take a big drink......chocolate chip cookies aren't all that tastey when you follow them up with a drink of Beam & Coke!!!!!!!


Good night nurse!!!!!!

[FlipsidE]

Great write-up!! Thanks for all the info, Jeff.

FlipsidE

[mikesd]

And nobody wants to do weddings, at least we eat good.:lol: Nice bio. Jeff, shows how doing photography and doing it right is alot of hard work.

[mikesd]

What he isn't telling everyone is that those 400mm lenses are babe magnets!

Hm, I always thought it was the Wal Mart chicken.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Great story Jeff,. sounds like a hard days work indeed!

[MT]

What he isn't telling everyone is that those 400mm lenses are babe magnets!

And what you aren't mentioning is that it is the 15 yr old cheerleaders it attracts. Danger Will Robinson!!!!

I've been traveling to "away" wrestling meets because the local paper doesn't send a photographer - and I figured it would be good practice. What I discovered is that it was good practice - but a hell of a lot of work.

[Mills]

Thanks Jeff. What a story. That can't make for a very high hourly rate. :confused:

[IndyJeff]

No Bloo it wasn't a 400, just a 70-200 f4 L. If you know your limitations and shoot only what will look good due to flash distance and lens reach you can still make a good shot. There was one dad there with a 70-200 2.8 L and he asked what my lens was. When I said it was an f4 he asked how I could even use it. I told him if you have it setup right, it will work and just with the fill flash. I told him with a 2.8 I wouldn't even need a flash. LOL I think he kind of felt pretty dumb after that, sporting his hot shoe flash and expensive lens. I could tell he was kind of bragging about how his lens was a better lens. I told him I mainly shoot outdoor sports and never really have much of a need for the 2.8. When he asked, " what sports did you shoot mainly, little league games and soccer?" I couldn't help but reply, "No, stuff like the IRL, the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400." After that he pretty much kept to himself. No lens envy from me LOL

Bloo also one must learn to ask questions. A slow burn just causes a rise in blood pressure. And yes, the copy pays extra. I don't like having to keep track of stuff like that tho but, I do like the extra pay.

As far as 15 year old cheerleaders.....well I didn't see any cheerleaders but I did see more thongs than a mall walker in front of Victoria's Secret. Oh and hot mom's, yep plenty of those running around. One even asked if I would take her and her friends, two other moms, picture. Of course in a flirting manner I said sure, I will add it to my hot babes of the sporting world colection LOL That got a giggle out of them. I deleted it later as to keep from having to explain to my wife why I was taking pictures of the 3 pretty women. One must be tactful and smart in this line of work ya know.

Mike, this is the first time in 3 weeks I didn't eat like Jethro Bodine at a hospitality suite. I am looking forward to see what kind of spread Conseco Fieldhouse puts on next week.

As of this posting, the article is up along with 2 of the photos. The link to additional photos doesn't seem to be working so I have notified them to correct that. The link is FTONews.com (http://ftonews.com) if anyone is interested. Click on SPORTS. I will say the editor did punch up my story some, just made it better tho.

[pradeep1]

Ahhhhh...the life of a businessperson. :)

And you still find to post regulary on these forums. ;)

[Claire]

Very good post Jeff. :)

[gmen]

The moral to this story is....if you want to shoot sports be ready for long days which may or may not include steps but, will surely require walking some distances everytime. Eating less than glamorous meals most of the time and you must be able to eat standing up, sitting in your car, while walking and you get no nap after meals. Once you get home, your tired but still have work to do, get a little slack and make a mistake which sets you back about half an hour.

A very familiar tale! Sounds like my weekend just gone. I had the double whammy of transmitting from the car straight after a match - which always makes for fun when it comes to getting those captions done - and then sending another 2 batches of pics in when I got home. It doesn't matter how organised you are, there are numerous ways things can go wrong and slow you down!

Great thread Jeff. I might have to try some of that Jim Beam next time I'm editing all that IPTC data!

[Jon, The Elder]

BlooDog/IndyJeff-

I can relate oh so well. Consider myself in a semi-retired state. Staring a niche photo business in Horse competition/training venues.

Daughter trains Arabians, she was my intro source to the very, very tight community !!

Typical day: up at 5:30/6:00 and drive to competition.
Photo challenges are typical - medium to poor ambient lighting etc, etc.

Pretty soon, dust in the atmosphere, unruly horses, if you can imagine it - it happens.

Even with all that, the real problems are the Moms.
"Why don't you shoot more of my daughter...."
Well actually maam yer daughter can't ride very well and the horse isn't behaving well, and their both kinda ugly.

I don't say it - but I sure think it a lot.
Ya' gotta walk a lot of 'real fine lines' with MOR's (mother of the riders)

The young girls flirt, some of the MOR's flirt and some request "private sessions".
Now you REALLY walk a fine line.

Once in a while you work with a really GOOD trainer (which are mostly women also) but they are professionals and behave as such. Get a couple on your side and things get easier.

I have got several sessions booked for the spring - 2 banquet slide shows and 2 association championship competitions. Oh, 2 calendars also.

It is work - enjoyable for the most part - but work none the less.

Sounds like blasphemy, but the gear is almost secondary to all the other factors involved.

To anyone entertaining the idea - jump right in, you will make huge amounts of money right off the bat, and it only requires a few minutes of your time. Right Guy's?

[Olegis]

I'm not a professional photographer (not even close), but still I enjoyed the story very much. Thanks, Jeff.

[Claire]

To anyone entertaining the idea - jump right in, you will make huge amounts of money right off the bat, and it only requires a few minutes of your time. Right Guy's?

And you have girls and their mom's flirting with you! ;)

Sorry, couldn't resist.
/Claire

[pyterps]

IndyJeff

Now I guess I know what my mother felt like when she had to try and watch 3 sons at a match. It really takes it out of you when you wrestle a match, wait 1-2 hours, wrestle another match...ect. After 5 or more matches you are dead. I should have got stock in chocolate and honey--I'd be rich.

Great article and for me wanting to learn this business gives me a good idea what I'm getting myself into.

Dave

[swatcop169]

Thanks Jeff for that, really makes you stop and think.

Thank goodness with the hockey team I shoot for I only have to provide photo's no keeping up with scores, etc.

[Jon, The Elder]

Claire- Behave yourself !!

It can get VERY uncomfortable. Funny from the outside, but......

[IndyJeff]

Thanks Jeff for that, really makes you stop and think.

Thank goodness with the hockey team I shoot for I only have to provide photo's no keeping up with scores, etc.


A tip for keeping up with the scores in wrestling, shoot the scoreboard at the beginning of the match and from then on the end of each period. I was able to do with shooting the scoreboard and taking notes on my neckpad. The scoreboard will give you either the weight class or match number. A full body shot of the wrestlers will tell you who is green and who is red on the scoreboard. Just be sure to get the SB shot quickly as they don't leave it up a long time after the match is over.

In hockey if you shoot a goal being scored and then the jube shot, one more of the scoreboard and when you are editting you will know that this was the goal John Osenheimer scored that broke the tie in period 2 and decided the game.

The scoreboard can be used more as a tool for you later in editting than you will ever realize until you get home and have 3 shots of a guy shooting at the gaol but you can't remember which one was the goal shot that won the game.

[rick barclay]

When I'm at the horse races taking pics, I always shoot the toteboard first and then the action, so when I download the images I can can match the pictures to their respective races.

[Michaelmjc]

Great story, my hat is off to you man.

Mike

[tbfoto]

Hey Jeff...I feel for you man! Ive done many wrestling matches and could feel the whole day as I was reading this post. I once did a sectional meet (about 12 schools) and I had to shoot 4 schools at once. They had 4 mats set up in the gym and I camped out right in the middle of the mats. This was when I was shooting film as well and that alone added to the stress of the day. I had 4 cameras all set up around me and never stopped shooting except for intermission. I think I shot about 30 rolls that day. I'm lucky though as I only have to shoot. No writing for me...thank you. Your story was great!


Tom