How did you get into the sports photography business?

Looking for anyone/everyone to share how you came about getting into the sports photography business, trials and tribulations you encountered and overcame, and any other tips that helped you make it. Feel free to share all the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Ya' gotta live it my friend.

What do ya mean?

Me personally I own a cheerleading and gymnastics center and one of my customers was the Sports editor for the local paper and one day he asked me to photograph the Sweet 16 Boys' Basketball State Championships and that was some 7 years ago and I still do work for them, but it has lead to other jobs. I get paid plus I get access to a lot of other events that I would have a hard time as a freelance.

Thanks for sharing, Darrin.

ask a lot of questions and work the pavement. I went to a softball game once to ask about taking pictures of the team and was told that when a team signs the paper to lease the field from the city/county the photographer is included in the price. You might want to go to a bunch of games of what ever buy a bunch of photography equitment and look the part. Maybe someone would come up ask for a picture. Just a thought.

It depends a lot upon what sports you intend to shoot. I assume it's baseball, basketball, and who knows what - ball, but it could be gymnastics, ski jumping, or tennis? Either way, like mentioned above, you've gotta hit the pavement and get your face in the game. I think there are plenty of threads posted already on what to do or not do for whatever you're interested in, so the bottom line is just get out there - consistently - and work it.

Good luck!

Biffbradford wrote in post #12724975
It depends a lot upon what sports you intend to shoot. I assume it's baseball, basketball, and who knows what - ball, but it could be gymnastics, ski jumping, or tennis? Either way, like mentioned above, you've gotta hit the pavement and get your face in the game. I think there are plenty of threads posted already on what to do or not do for whatever you're interested in, so the bottom line is just get out there - consistently - and work it.

Good luck!

Yeah, just get your ass out there and shoot because you love the sport and photography. If some officials are giving your problems, see if you can talk them in letting you to shoot because......"you love the game and used to play it and your photos are so kickass that people would buy them....." Have thick skin and knowing your priority....some people just won't buy your photos. Some people become skeptical of you photographing them. The point is that you only care about people who would buy your and appreciate your works. Don't throw yourself out there to people who have little appreciations of your works. Don't try to please everyone because you can't.

On the business side, you obviously must have ways to market yourself and to allow your customers to see and purchase your works. Eventually, you would have fans and repeated customers.

You will get bad days when you have little sales. Then, couple of weeks later, you will get so much sales you would even think you can actually make a living shooting freelance sport photography..... Sport photography is too seasonal.

Same answer I posted in the other thread where you accused me of being an elitist.

Spend some time in the Business section of the forum. You will learn a lot about the market trend. There are no magic bullets or an established path to become a professional photographer, let alone a professional sport photographer. Even people who have a degree in photography or fine art couldn't even land themselves a full time career. What makes you think that a person with a camera with little experiences in photography can all of a sudden become a professional sport photographer for the major publication? I am not a pro. Just a cycling photographer making enough side money to buy some gear and paying some bills.

Fligi7 wrote in post #12714023
Looking for anyone/everyone to share how you came about getting into the sports photography business, trials and tribulations you encountered and overcame, and any other tips that helped you make it. Feel free to share all the good, the bad, and the ugly.

At what level are you asking about in particular?

I'm not asking in the sense of trying to mimic how everyone got into it or looking for any particular answers for paths to take, it is just an open-ended question to share your story. Thanks to all who have contributed thus far.

Sure. Okay, what are YOUR sports interests?

My main interests would be college and high-school Track, Swim & Dive, and Gymnastics. I haven't shot any cycling or triathlons yet, but those are on the list.

To begin, you need to determine who has the authority to give permission. It could be the school AD or the school Booster club. It might even be the parents club of each individual sport or even the school/district admin or Board of Ed.
Then approach that person and explain what you want to do. Bring examples of your work and be prepared that you might be asked what's in it for them (kickback, donation)

I got my first school this way (Booster club) I now shoot at 3 high schools in different towns, all the rest was word of mouth. My busiest and most profitable school is one where I deal with the parent clubs. I currently shoot 8 sports there.

Shootoing action shots is a sure way to get the T&I work which is the most profitable.