? re: shooting college sports

I don't think I've seen this asked in this way particular. Maybe I have and just missed it. Ok, here goes............

...........I am looking to build my college sports portfolio. I have a few colleges locally and would like to get some field time. Anyway, say I wanted to contact a visiting team that is quite a distance away to offer freelance photo services. Would I contact the Athletic Administration office or the Sports Information Dept or are the one and the same? Any thoughts and advice is appreciated. I was made aware of this concept by someone who is now shooting sports full-time. That is how he got started and it really wasn't all that long ago. Just wanted to get other viewpoints on this.

If I did miss this being asked before, I apologize. Search was used.

Most schools have a media director (or similar title) that handles that kind of thing. If not, then I'd contact the AD, at the least they could point you in the right direction. Good luck.

Contact the sports info guy/gal and ask to shoot there teams and give them a disk whith some of your photos you took that they can use on there web site and they give you credit for it on there site for the pass that they give you. You might have to start with the olympic type of sports before they give you a pass to shoot the schools high profile sport weather it is football or basketball.

I won't ask to start w/ the Ohio State/Michigan game, I promise. Although that would kick arse. I had planned on asking about lacrosse, softball, baseball and sports like that. I'll work my way up to D1 football and basketballl. I work as a medic for a university and hardly ever, if ever, see photogs at those games. Thanks for the info. I went through the schoos websites and got the contact info for the respective sports' information director. Now, which contact method is better, phone call or e-mail? Thanks, again.

All good suggestions except for that one line by Doublea17 "ask to shoot there teams and give them a disk whith some of your photos you took that they can use on there web site and they give you credit for it on there site for the pass that they give you"
NEVER NEVER NEVER give away images just for a pass. Just my 2 cents

gromeo wrote in post #9634259
All good suggestions except for that one line by Doublea17 "ask to shoot there teams and give them a disk whith some of your photos you took that they can use on there web site and they give you credit for it on there site for the pass that they give you"
NEVER NEVER NEVER give away images just for a pass. Just my 2 cents

x too many to count!!! No offense but you will ruin the market by doing that. Make a contract with the school or something along those lines to where it because a business transaction. Trust me, it will make you better in the long run.

Dave, sorry what I meant to say was the suggestions on who to contact and working your way up was all good, I was disagreeing with Doublea17

Gromeo,
I never plan on making money from photography this is just a hobby for me so that is why I sugested what I did. I do it for the university here that I shoot for I don't give them photos of everytime I go out and shot a sport but if I can help them I do.

Again, thanks for all the info. It's good to see other viewpoints. Let me give you some background on why I ask. Like I said, I am a medic and we provide EMS coverage for the college. I am also a student, albeit nursing. I approached the college re: shooting some of their non-premier sports. I was clear that I didn't want to shoot their football or basketball because of the national media attention they already receive. I provided samples of my work and they liked them. However, I was pretty much shunned from their office. Now, I've covered dozens of sporting events. Apart from football and basketball, I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've seen photogs at those events and that includes school photogs, and then they only stay 15-20 minutes. My idea would be to contact schools that are not local to the other college and cannot send school photogs. Believe me, I am not wanting to ruin the market. That is the furthest from my intentions. However, I don't feel there is currently a market if no one else is providing coverage. There is a market for premier sports and competition is fierce. However, if I have no one to compete with, how is there a market? Yes, I've read the "Free is killing me" thread over at SS. I would never dream of walking into Ohio States SID office and tell them I'll shoot their football games for free. I would probably get shived by the other photogs who are getting paid. However, I have to start somewhere and I feel (in my opinion) that providing coverage of sports w/ no current coverage is the best option. Again, stepping on someone's toes is not my intention.

Kevin,
I think you are doing the right thing by not trying to step on toes. I live in a small college town so I don't have to worry about paid professionals here and stepping on their toes at most events it is just the local newspaper and school paper and the university does not have a full time paid photog on staff. I do not shoot footbal or basketball and the only time we have paid professionals in town is when we play USC or the other college down the road.

Kevin,

Sorry I came across so blunt earlier. That I just how I am. Honestly, I think you are doing the right thing in asking about these type of situations. I see no problem in contacting the other schools coming and seeing if they need coverage. Just make sure you get paid. Please at least do that for us.

canonnoob wrote in post #9636702
. Just make sure you get paid. Please at least do that for us.

Thank you. Took the words right out of my mouth!

canonnoob wrote in post #9636702
Kevin,

Sorry I came across so blunt earlier. That I just how I am. Honestly, I think you are doing the right thing in asking about these type of situations. I see no problem in contacting the other schools coming and seeing if they need coverage. Just make sure you get paid. Please at least do that for us.

Dave, I have no problem w/ people being blunt. That's exactly how I am, too. I would rather people say what they're thinking rather than saying what they think I want them to say. I just wasn't very clear about the entire situation initially. That's my fault.

Now, how would I go about getting paid? Would I put it in there that any image used would be compensated based on usage and circulation?

asysin2leads wrote in post #9637517
Dave, I have no problem w/ people being blunt. That's exactly how I am, too. I would rather people say what they're thinking rather than saying what they think I want them to say. I just wasn't very clear about the entire situation initially. That's my fault.

Now, how would I go about getting paid? Would I put it in there that any image used would be compensated based on usage and circulation?

that or you can do a flat day rate.. simple as that.What you could also do is provide them with an image gallery, watermarked, and tell them that they can download the photos for use on the web for a certain price.. almost like a wire service lol

canonnoob wrote in post #9637991
that or you can do a flat day rate.. simple as that.What you could also do is provide them with an image gallery, watermarked, and tell them that they can download the photos for use on the web for a certain price.. almost like a wire service lol

Thanks. That's an alternative.