Never Show sports, How am I suppose to approach this?

Contacted my local High School Athletic Director basically saying I am a freelance Photographer wanting to know how to get access to a Media Pass. She responded with this:

So how do I further this? I have never shot Sports but always wanted to.

Go talk to a coach?
I have to move this to "talk".

Shoot adults..........

around here there are football fields that are either open on the end zones to foot traffic, or the fences are very close to the field. Even with basketball and baseball, just show up with your camera and start shooting. Of course at this point you will want to go to another High School since you have already been turned down at that particular HS.

Get the hang of it, get some great shots and then go to the coaches, provide them with proof of your abilities, and tell them what you are wanting to do. If you can provide some value to the school, or the booster club, you will be more likely to get closer to the game.

Multiple opinions posted in similar threads
https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1406​879&page=1
https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1446​087&page=1

Search "credentials" for even more. Obviously the results are mixed and it depends on the school. I have one local high school that requires their own pass in addition to a press pass for football. I wasn't aware of the change in policy and was initially denied entry; however, I saw the Assistant AD who I've always been friendly with and he had the police officer let me in the gate. Yes, they had a contracted police officer controlling entry to the field. They were serious.

I've said it in each thread and will repeat it here. Are you insured in case there is an unfortunate accident on the sideline? 99.9% of the time nothing will happen, but can you afford the consequences if you're unlucky enough to be the 0.1%. At the school that clamped down on field access, they almost had the 0.1% happen and decided they would be held liable if the person involved did not have a reason to be there. I've shot enough games to have seen close calls where the photographer wasn't where they should have been. Not once was it a working pro.

If you're simply looking for experience, why not look at the youth leagues where the games are played in daylight, the speed of play is slower and the parents are more likely to buy photos (youth photos sell much better than high school). The coaches will be more approachable as well and after you talk to them they can e-mail the parents saying you'll be there the following week to shoot the games and provide info on where the photos can be purchased.

Good luck in whatever you chose to pursue.

pat.kane wrote in post #17858579
Multiple opinions posted in similar threads
https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1406​879&page=1
https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1446​087&page=1

Search "credentials" for even more. Obviously the results are mixed and it depends on the school. I have one local high school that requires their own pass in addition to a press pass for football. I wasn't aware of the change in policy and was initially denied entry; however, I saw the Assistant AD who I've always been friendly with and he had the police officer let me in the gate. Yes, they had a contracted police officer controlling entry to the field. They were serious.

I've said it in each thread and will repeat it here. Are you insured in case there is an unfortunate accident on the sideline? 99.9% of the time nothing will happen, but can you afford the consequences if you're unlucky enough to be the 0.1%. At the school that clamped down on field access, they almost had the 0.1% happen and decided they would be held liable if the person involved did not have a reason to be there. I've shot enough games to have seen close calls where the photographer wasn't where they should have been. Not once was it a working pro.

If you're simply looking for experience, why not look at the youth leagues where the games are played in daylight, the speed of play is slower and the parents are more likely to buy photos (youth photos sell much better than high school). The coaches will be more approachable as well and after you talk to them they can e-mail the parents saying you'll be there the following week to shoot the games and provide info on where the photos can be purchased.

Good luck in whatever you chose to pursue.

The Parents can use my photos all they want, I want to experience sport Photography, Not try to make money off of it. Thanks for the information though.

If you aren't doing this because you are a parent, why bother with kids' sport? Too much hassle. Cut your teeth on some amateur adult sport. Approach a club, a team and offer your services. If you haven't shot sport before it can be a pretty steep learning curve, but achieveable with practice.

Hannya wrote in post #17858962
If you aren't doing this because you are a parent, why bother with kids' sport? Too much hassle. Cut your teeth on some amateur adult sport. Approach a club, a team and offer your services. If you haven't shot sport before it can be a pretty steep learning curve, but achieveable with practice.

If you only knew my area, There is nothing around here but a few High Schools and FAU.

Do park district teams. I shoot some locally, and so do a ton of parents.