Critiques anybody ?

[rahm0277]

Few pictures from 2004 TD waterhouse cup from over a year ago.... any and all critiques welcome.. below players are (in seq) Alex Bogomolov Jr, Luis Horna, Lleyton Hewitt, Paradorn Srichaphan and Lleyton Hewitt. They were all taken with a 10D and a 70-200/IS 2.8f











Haven't been able to get into too many sports events to take good pictures - usually from the stand it gets too crowded and most events won't let u take it... any advice from anybody on how to get started from the bottom in the sports photo world ?

Thanks..
Mickey

[grego]

Are you looking to make a job out of it?

Well, the way you usually start is photograph small stuff like high school, community college, college stuff. And during that time, try to get to know the other photographers. A lot of it is about who you know.

And develop a portfolio. Then you can go to papers and agencies for internships.

For instance, each year, Los Angeles Clippers offer a photographic internship for them. No pay, and you have to be doing all their home games, but thats a way to get in on it... I'm sure the other bball teams do that and others sports as well.

Also call up the venues and offer to them to shoot for free(giving them all the photos). Do things like that, and try to keep offering. If you do that, I'm sure one of them will want something(heck, if they don't have to pay anyone and you have a good portfolio of sports stuff).

Hope that helps.

[Croasdail]

They are all reasonably good. The main issues are the second shot has WB issues (very fixable), and focus is off on the 4th shot. IMO, the last shot is strongest of the bunch.

If you are looking for opportunities to shoot - I think Grego's advice is spot on. The whole processes is learning to shoot, and to know when to start asking for money. I view a lot of this work to be a self directed internship. There are a lot of universities and semi-pro or minor league clubs that will work with you. Once you are known in the community and that your work stands on it's own, opportunities will start to open up to shoot the big stuff.

[rahm0277]

Thank you for your comments..

I'm usually wary of shooting without permission - I recently went to a local college lacrosse game and a couple of the parents got pissed off that I wasn't affiliated with a newspaper or publication. They don't think its normal that a guy would just come and shoot pictures just because he wants to :-/

[racketman]

I lke the one of Paradorn Srichaphan - never noticed he had such a high backswing.

[fslshooter]

These are very good and considering that you were shooting with a 10D, which IMO just doesn't measure up as a sports body, they're excellent. As for getting a start in sports photography, I agree with grego and Croasdail. To add a bit more specificity, I suggest that you find a semi pro or minor league sports team in your area that doesn't have a photographer and work to become their team photographer. You'll work your butt off and probably won't make much money doing it but you'll meet folks and gain exposure that might open more big doors than shooting school sports will.

[grego]

Originally Posted by rahm0277

Thank you for your comments..

I'm usually wary of shooting without permission - I recently went to a local college lacrosse game and a couple of the parents got pissed off that I wasn't affiliated with a newspaper or publication. They don't think its normal that a guy would just come and shoot pictures just because he wants to :-/

What you do is get some cards printed, and offer photos to them of their children. At first, you can do it for free, or charge a little fee. Say like 10 dollars a photo(which includes printing costs), or for a cd(although you are giving away your photos that they can re-print time and time again).

That's a way of making them happy and making them less weary. The more you help them, the more they'll say "yeah, go ahead, get lots and lots of pictures of my child."

One thing you have to learn when doing photo journalism type stuff, is not worrying about what others think. The second you do that, the better your work will get.


http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/5316/gal27fs.jpg

I can't find an uploaded image of it(but it ran sort of as a gallery), but look at the shot with the frame of the legs. I'm sure some of the players thought I was weird, aimming right near the legs. But it was about the shot, and I got what I wanted.

At many community colleges, I'm sure you can get yourself in and shoot some of the soccer, football(try to find day games), softball, baseball, for instance. Good place to start out is with community colleges, where usually there isn't a big struggle to get into the events, but also the level of playing is still pretty high, compared to kids playing sports.

[rahm0277]

Wow - lot of useful information - have to try it... thanks a lot

I was wondering how big u have to be to get into big time tournaments...... Our company owns LongIsland.com and they are a local news/portal website - they cover various stuff around LI, and when the US Open tennis tournament comes around, I always try to get a media pass - but I'm always rejected - no reason given. I'm thinking its just that LI.com is not a big enough outlet to warrant the coverage :-/... and they don't really let freelancers in there...

I'm thinking local colleges will offer the best chances....

PS... I also find that the 70-200/2.8f is a little too big for indoor sports - any suggestions for other fast lens ?

[blackviolet]

you might want to look at the 85mm 1.8. although it's not an 'L', it's prety darn sharp and the AF is pretty quick.

[rahm0277]

Ahhh - I see in your sig that you are from australia and a cricket shooter .. haven't watched a good game of cricket in ages ..... what lense do you use to shoot cricket pictures ?

[grego]

Originally Posted by rahm0277

Wow - lot of useful information - have to try it... thanks a lot

I was wondering how big u have to be to get into big time tournaments...... Our company owns LongIsland.com and they are a local news/portal website - they cover various stuff around LI, and when the US Open tennis tournament comes around, I always try to get a media pass - but I'm always rejected - no reason given. I'm thinking its just that LI.com is not a big enough outlet to warrant the coverage :-/... and they don't really let freelancers in there...

I'm thinking local colleges will offer the best chances....

PS... I also find that the 70-200/2.8f is a little too big for indoor sports - any suggestions for other fast lens ?

For indoor, 85 1.8 and 50 1.4, i know work well for basketball on the baseline for instance.

As for getting rejected. keep trying. But the events you do get into, talk to the fellow photographers.

A hint i was told by a photographer, was go up and ask them if they are selling camera equipment(photographers always are), if you need an in to get a convo started and ask them where they are from.

Try to join Sportsshooter.com as well. Get your name out there as much as possible. The more people you know, the wider the door will become.

[rahm0277]

Don't you need to be sponsored to get intop sportsshooter.com ? unfortunately, I don't know anybody in the circuit ... is there any other way to join the site ?

[grego]

Originally Posted by rahm0277

Don't you need to be sponsored to get intop sportsshooter.com ? unfortunately, I don't know anybody in the circuit ... is there any other way to join the site ?

Keep posting here. There's enough SS people on this site and FredMiranda's site. I'm sure someone would be willing to help you out.