Press pass for sports

I live in a small town (approximately 25k people). We have a local newspaper. This spring, they have been using my photos from track meets due to the fact that their regular photographer has had some health issues. I have had about a dozen photos published this season. Now the conference/district and state meets are coming up, which are more regulated by the state high school athletic association.

Do small newspapers ever issue a temporary press/photography pass? It may not be as easy to get trackside at these upcoming meets as it was at the regular season meets.

I don't really know anything about it, just curious. I don't want it to be able to get in free, just want to be able to have access to the infield for shooting the events/races.

duckster wrote in post #18852813
I live in a small town (approximately 25k people). We have a local newspaper. This spring, they have been using my photos from track meets due to the fact that their regular photographer has had some health issues. I have had about a dozen photos published this season. Now the conference/district and state meets are coming up, which are more regulated by the state high school athletic association.

Do small newspapers ever issue a temporary press/photography pass? It may not be as easy to get trackside at these upcoming meets as it was at the regular season meets.

I don't really know anything about it, just curious. I don't want it to be able to get in free, just want to be able to have access to the infield for shooting the events/races.

Well if the newspaper wanted you to cover the events for them then surely they would organise a media pass for you.

I didn't know if there was such a thing as a temporary pass or exactly how the media thing works.

I had received a email asking me to shoot some shots from the upcoming meets.

I will email the paper and ask, can't hurt to try. The photos for them will likely be better if I can get a bit closer.

For higher level sporting events where media access is controlled your editor should be able to get you accreditation.

If you're going to be "working media", you should be afforded credentials and access to necessary areas in order to do your job. Your point person should take care of this. Make sure things are set up in advance to avoid last minute surprises.

My Sister shoots University of Louisville sports. When it was not cost effective for her to travel to all the way to Dallas, and knowing my capabilities, she asked if I would be interested, and subsequently got me credentialed for the UL, SMU game. ... Right there next to AP and Dallas Morning News shooters. Pretty good pregame eats in the media room too. : ) Bottom line, absolutely, you should be admitted for free and be allowed field access. You are part of the media. You are there to work. Shoot with confidence.

Thanks for all the insights. Only a hobby shooter so this real access stuff is all new to me.

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duckster wrote in post #18852834
I didn't know if there was such a thing as a temporary pass or exactly how the media thing works.
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I had received a email asking me to shoot some shots from the upcoming meets.

I will email the paper and ask, can't hurt to try. The photos for them will likely be better if I can get a bit closer.

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I'm not familiar with anything called a "temporary pass". . Normally, you get issued a pass for an event. . Then the next event that comes along, you get issued a pass for that event. . And so on and so forth. . So each pass is, technically, "temporary", because it is only issued for that one event.

If it were me, I would reply to the email saying that yes, I would be able to cover the events, as long as they are able to provide me with a press pass so that I can access the event properly. . If I wasn't going to be given the same access that others are given, then I wouldn't bother with the thing. . If they want you to do something they need to provide you with the the things it takes to do the job properly.

I would also ask what shots, in particular, they are looking for.

In such matters, it is usually best to act and speak as though you're an old pro who's been doing this for a long time, even if you haven't been.


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Tom Reichner wrote in post #18853210
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I'm not familiar with anything called a "temporary pass". . Normally, you get issued a pass for an event. . Then the next event that comes along, you get issued a pass for that event. . And so on and so forth. . So each pass is, technically, "temporary", because it is only issued for that one event.

If it were me, I would reply to the email saying that yes, I would be able to cover the events, as long as they are able to provide me with a press pass so that I can access the event properly. . If I wasn't going to be given the same access that others are given, then I wouldn't bother with the thing. . If they want you to do something they need to provide you with the the things it takes to do the job properly.

I would also ask what shots, in particular, they are looking for.

In such matters, it is usually best to act and speak as though you're an old pro who's been doing this for a long time, even if you haven't been.

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Thanks. I probably am not using the correct terminology. I will make sure to ask about specific shots. So far, I try to take as many of the athletes as possible during the meets because the coaches use the photos for the end of the year slide show and want to try to make sure that all kids are represented. If there is a particularly close finish, I try to send those photos as well. So far, they seem to have been happy with the selections

No need to act or talk a certain way. Sounds like you have a relationship with this newspaper. Just talk to them about what type of shots they're looking for. You should be fairly compensated, at least for anything they use. Fair of course, is subjective and is ultimately your call. Research "work made for hire". As an inexperienced shooter, you probably won't get offered much. Nevertheless, your work still represents value to the "for profit" newspaper. Negotiate a deal that makes you happy. Lots of opinions out there about compensation.

if you live in a small town and have a good relationship with the paper and such, often times you can just let the event people know youre covering the event for said newspaper.

that said, there are always some stick in the mud that will try to thwart your efforts.

compensation is definitely something you want to look into. back in the day my local Gannett paper affiliate paid $12 for a front page (any section) and $10 for inside a section. IF they printed anything which back then, i worked on spec. sort of. the last time i covered anything for the paper (when it was still edited locally and such) they paid $50 per event covered. i traveled with a Junior hockey team to the championship series and was paid $50 per game (2 games) to shoot it and send 3-6 images to them. if youve been shooting this sort of stuff before, then you already know what to look for. obviously the top seeded participants, coaches coaching, athletes pre-event exercises or rituals, athletes and coaches/family/friends consoling the 2nd place or 3rd place (or lower) finishers. maybe some shots of fans, totally unrelated to the event. a little kid playing in the grass because picking at weeds is more interesting to a 5 yr old than their older sibling running around the track in a 1600 event.

if you have all the techincal aspects down and come up with a variety like this, maybe instead of one or two images with the story, theyll run a photo-story on the back page of the sports section..

ive found with State Athlete Associations, if you have permission from the athletic director or coach of the host school, theyll let you do what you need to do. i actually got credentials from my states high school athletic association. it wasnt difficult to do when i explained that i was already at the games etc...

good luck, have fun, show us some of your images!

Don't document. Tell a story.

Ltdave wrote in post #18853584
if you live in a small town and have a good relationship with the paper and such, often times you can just let the event people know youre covering the event for said newspaper.

that said, there are always some stick in the mud that will try to thwart your efforts.

compensation is definitely something you want to look into. back in the day my local Gannett paper affiliate paid $12 for a front page (any section) and $10 for inside a section. IF they printed anything which back then, i worked on spec. sort of. the last time i covered anything for the paper (when it was still edited locally and such) they paid $50 per event covered. i traveled with a Junior hockey team to the championship series and was paid $50 per game (2 games) to shoot it and send 3-6 images to them. if youve been shooting this sort of stuff before, then you already know what to look for. obviously the top seeded participants, coaches coaching, athletes pre-event exercises or rituals, athletes and coaches/family/friends consoling the 2nd place or 3rd place (or lower) finishers. maybe some shots of fans, totally unrelated to the event. a little kid playing in the grass because picking at weeds is more interesting to a 5 yr old than their older sibling running around the track in a 1600 event.

if you have all the techincal aspects down and come up with a variety like this, maybe instead of one or two images with the story, theyll run a photo-story on the back page of the sports section..

ive found with State Athlete Associations, if you have permission from the athletic director or coach of the host school, theyll let you do what you need to do. i actually got credentials from my states high school athletic association. it wasnt difficult to do when i explained that i was already at the games etc...

good luck, have fun, show us some of your images!

Thanks. I have not requested payment for any of the photos although there have been several front page shots and a photo insert from our local Invite meet.

I do try to document a lot of other interactions with athletes/fans. Most of the photos are for the athletes/coaches at the end of the season.

I wonder if the local newspaper gets its power provided for free? Last time I checked, my local paper was full of advertisements too. If they're using it, your work has value to them. They are not a charity and neither should you be one to a for-profit business. Any business should be able to understand and respect that concept. Lots of shooters out there appreciate others who keep our market viable by not giving away work. That information being presented, make your decision accordingly.

Thanks for all the responses.

I never started taking photos as a business, I just like doing it and I like sports so the two things just came together organically. Most of the track stories in the paper this year were headed up with a generic logo or photo from last season. I sent them a few images at the request of the coaches so that they would have some current images to go with the stories, which they have been using this year and then the sports editor reached out to me to do the next couple of meets. They do credit the photos to me that they run in the paper.

duckster wrote in post #18853918
then the sports editor reached out to me to do the next couple of meets

"for free" is what you missed at the end, and you also missed the point from texkam. There is no reason for the paper to pay a professional trying to earn a living when people are willing to give them a passable product for free.

If you were to accidentally injure an athlete while photographing, do you think "I'm an unpaid hobbyist" is going to work as a defense if you're sued? Get a $2M liability policy so you don't lose everything you own, a business license, new gear because yours is worn out, etc. and you'll appreciate the need to ask for compensation.

...or don't. This is an age-old debate and people are entrenched on both sides of it.