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05/27/2006 02:31:52 PM · #26 |
what i have been doing is going to as many sports games as i can this spring and taking lots of pictures. then, over the weekend, i go through and delete the bad ones, and print out a contact sheet, which i then show different kids i know, and usually get all of the names of people in the shots. at the end of the season, i'm going to send out letters with small, low-res pictures and a price list, giving families the opportunity to buy. i don't know if it will work, but if it doesn't, i have thousands of pictures that i have gained experience from.
Message edited by author 2006-05-27 14:41:28.
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05/27/2006 02:58:24 PM · #27 |
Originally posted by skiprow:
...you should be concentrating on mastering the fundamentals of photography rather than starting a business. the key to longterm business success is being recognized for reliability and competence. this requires building a track record and building a portfolio... |
Actually, I hadn't even thought of it that way, thought it seems so logical. Perhaps that is the way I need to go this summer. As far as the sports thing, I would like to get some experience first, but it's gonna be my senior year! Yes, I know, people don't stop playing sports when I graduate, but I'd really like to do this, and really the sports thing is largely intended for experience. I'll likely be taking an approach similar to that of Robert (mo5988). I feel like I need the new equipment to achieve the quality necessary for the 20x30s, and I need the sales to justify buying the equipment.
Anyways, I'm still undecided about all of this, and thank you for the help, Robert and Skip, and I'm sure someone else posted while I typed this long thing. |
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07/15/2006 01:51:32 PM · #28 |
Like skiprow, I admire your initative, and wish you luck in your venture. All of what he says is good advice, and is coming from someone who knows what he is talking about from firsthand experience.
First thing that comes to mind from this thread is that there is an apparent conflict between being "hired as the school's athletic photographer" and selling prints to parents, etc. If the school is paying you to cover games they will likely expect to own some kind of an interest in your photos. Work out an agreement, in writing, on this point ahead of time and you may save yourself major headaches.
Mpix has a reputation for doing very good work at reasonable prices but some people find their interface to be extremely difficult to work with. I tried them, but gave up and went back to winkflash.com. Don't bother with anything smaller than 8x10, it's just not worth your time and trouble at the low prices small prints go for.
For shooting in dimly lit gyms a f1.8 lens is a great tool. I have used a 50mm and a 85mm. With the 20D you can shoot at the higher ISOs and still get results good enough to publish or print. Don't hesitate to use a noise reduction program, like Neat Image, if you think it's necessary.
Parents want to see their child's face while in uniform (and that includes a cheerleader's uniform). The school and the local paper want action shots. One way to do it is to try to get as many good "sportraits" as you can during the first half, and then concentrate on capturing the action in the second half. And don't forget the post-game celebration shots, sometimes there's lots of easy-to-capture drama in either the team's, or the fan's, jubilation or dejection.
I think you could possibly make 2 grand in a school year, but you'd have to hustle, putting a lot of time into shooting, processing and promotion. You might get tired of the pace. If you want to go forward on a more limited scale, your 300D and that 50mm 1.8 can do wonders for HS basketball and the other indoor sports. Like any business, success will depend on your ability to deliver a quality product.
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07/15/2006 03:00:22 PM · #29 |
I agree with skiprow and coolhar. You appear to have the energy to undertake this venture.
I do high school sports in Brownsville,TX. We have an outstanding stadium with great lights because almost all of our football games are night games. Getting good clear action photos that you may sell are not easy to come by. First you must know the sport and anticipate the play. If it is 3rd and 10 you can be pretty sure it will be a pass play. Then you have to key on the best receiver or the quarterback. I find the lighting is the big variable. I have been to stadiums where I have had to use ISO 3200 to get a shutter speed to stop the action. You have to have a noise reduction program and even that does not eliminate all the noise. Parents ask for pictures of their sons and he is the center or a guard on the offensive line. Hard to do during a game. Try to get some photos during the warm up before the game.
Best of luck on your venture. Also I see other potogs with the Rebel XT
Don Beck eaglebeck |
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07/15/2006 05:47:07 PM · #30 |
| Thank you very much, Harvey and Don! I thought people were done posting on this thread. Both of your replies are very helpful and much appreciated! |
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