High school sports

Ok question for you school sports shooters. I went to to the local school AD and asked about shooting all the school sports. He didn't know if it was possable. So he talked with the superintendent. Who gave the answer that they do not allow people to make money off the school or the students. Unless I was doing this a part of a fund raiser to donate the money to the school.
Has anyone else ran across anything like this. If so werre you able to change thier mind.

I'm having trouble understanding what you asked. Did you ask for permission to shoot the games independently, and then sell prints to the parents, or were you offering to be a district photographer?

To my knowledge, I don't know of any photographers who cover a specific school district. Usually its school by school.

There are plenty of photogs who cover a certain district with the deal usually worked out with the AD, Superintendent or Principal/VP. Schools vary on chain of command and what some are able to approve and what they're not at times, so it can depend on who is the one that can approve the deal.

It is also common for the school to have this policy for private companies not to make money off the students/parents. However, there mind can usually be changed if there is something in it for them - i.e. a cut of the profits usually. First step I would do is talk to the AD about making it a fundraiser for the athletic department, and you work out a percentage that goes back to the schools athletic program. Then when you talk with the superintendent again with the AD to show it would benefit. Obviously you can't give all the profits back to the school, but a percentage (and that is reflected in your prices).

Not all schools do this, but many do.

MJPhoto24's response is the deal I have.
However each school has their own AD.
I have the High School and one Jr. High.
The other Jr. High isn't interested in having a photographer.

Dave

Here is an interesting caveat to this though, and you might want to get some opinions on this angle as well. IF your at the event/school on an editorial assignment from a magazine or newspaper. I believe the rules are a bit different in the images your allowed to reproduce and sell.

For example, our local newspaper here offers up for sale prints and pictures from the sporting events their photographers cover.

I'm sure some of the experts here will have more detail and info to offer.

A fellow photographer friend of mine lets the school use his prints in there yearbook, in return for him covering all the events and selling the prints.

liam5100 wrote in post #7111867
Here is an interesting caveat to this though, and you might want to get some opinions on this angle as well. IF your at the event/school on an editorial assignment from a magazine or newspaper. I believe the rules are a bit different in the images your allowed to reproduce and sell.

For example, our local newspaper here offers up for sale prints and pictures from the sporting events their photographers cover.

I'm sure some of the experts here will have more detail and info to offer.

A bit different, when a newspaper (or similar editorial) photographer covers a game they are allowed to have secondary usage and sell prints.

http://www.nppa.org …s/2007/12/illin​ois06.html

http://www.nppa.org …s/2008/04/illin​ois11.html

HOWEVER, a school can restrict who they allow on the grounds. Not to far from here it happened because a writer liked to take kids quotes and twist them around so the school said no more access for that paper.

Thanks all for your opinions. They are gettting ready to bring in a new superintendent.I think I will wait untill the new one gets in place and try again.I would not agree to give money to the sports. I might agree to the pictures for the yearbook and promotional posters. If I did give some of my profit it would be to the PJ class to get better cameras and things like that.

MJPhotos24 wrote in post #7115198
A bit different, when a newspaper (or similar editorial) photographer covers a game they are allowed to have secondary usage and sell prints.

http://www.nppa.org …s/2007/12/illin​ois06.html

http://www.nppa.org …s/2008/04/illin​ois11.html

HOWEVER, a school can restrict who they allow on the grounds. Not to far from here it happened because a writer liked to take kids quotes and twist them around so the school said no more access for that paper.

Mike,

I don't understand why a newspaper should be entitled to any different treatment than any other business trying to make a proffit from photographs. A newspaper is a business as well.

Yes I also dont understand why the newspaper can sell the pictures. Later this summer I will be asking this question. Right now I have to wait to push things too much.

Simple - Freedom of the Press and the Constitution. Newspapers are using the images as secondary usage, so if you were there covering for news purposes one could sell prints as secondary usage. When covering an event just for profit, not newsworthy events, it's different.

Mike,

Does freedom of the press really come into play? The school can deny access to anyone they want. Even though the school is funded by public tax dollars, it is still the schools sand box.

Matt, I am talking about how they gain access in the first place. If the school grants them access to begin with then the Supreme Court has said they can use the images as they see fit after the fact (secondary usage) under freedom of the press.

Now, if they don't gain access in the first place different story.

So if I would offer to make it a fund raiser for them. What kind of a cut of profit would you give them.

I got roped into shooting the boys HS Basketball games this year. All the shots are on a website hosted by Shutterfly. Somehow, I felt compelled to put a disclaimer (without being asked by anyone) that states I in no way make a red cent from the images posted at the website.

It's for sharing photos of the kids among the team, coaches, parents, family, friends, etc.

It should be obvious with the quality of my output posted at the site, I'm not in line to make a dime anyway!

dave