DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 

Threads will be shown in descending order for the remainder of this session. To permanently display posts in this order, adjust your preferences.
DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Catch 22
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 4 of 4, descending (reverse)
AuthorThread
12/12/2005 04:59:24 PM · #1
The chances of your getting credentials to shoot something as major as the Hawaii Bowl without a track record as an established free-lancer or some sort of media affiliation is practically zip. They are simply inundated with credential requests at that bowl; it's something of a "perk" for all the local papers whose college teams have players in the bowl.

You're going to have to find a way to work up to this level, and the place to start would be photographing sports at the local level, for a college or minor-league pro sports, and parlay that into some work for newspapers and magazines in your area.

Back in the 70's I was "on staff" at San Diego Magazine for quite a few years, and only towards the end of that string did they "reward" me by getting me credentials to photograph the San Diego Chargers, which I did at evfery home game for 2 years.

It was a lot of fun, but very intimidating as well.

Robt.
12/12/2005 04:53:31 PM · #2
I don't have any personal experience to offer, but it seems to me like starting with a somewhat smaller goal than a bowl game might be more realistic. I can imagine that the media director gets tons of requests for access, and would probably get hammered if every shutterbug with a DSLR was given field-level access. Starting out at the high school level is probably more realistic, and would probably be a better learning experience anyway - much less crowded. Even a regular season UH game might be a better target.

However, there are several great photogs around here that do get field level access to pro football games. url=//www.dpchallenge.com/profile.php?USER_ID=3102]Alan Freed[/url] shoots at Pitsburgh Steelers games, and BradP recently posted pictures he shot from a recent San Diego Chargers game.

I'm with you - I'd love to get access to a major sporting event like that. I'm just saying, reality is, you're just one of a whole lot of requests that guy is probably getting right now, and he's probably way stressed out right now.
12/12/2005 04:38:24 PM · #3
I do 75% of the sports photos at my college, but it is only volleyball and basketball(my school does not have a football team), and i would like to start doing football photos because of all the action and "big plays"
12/12/2005 04:35:51 PM · #4
I keep on running into a photographer catch 22 and it’s frustrating! I’ve been trying to get media credentials but I can’t. I must be apart of a media outlet in order to get creds. Only thing is that I can’t be apart of a media outlet unless I take pictures at certain events. I’ve seen pics here on DPC of football matches and I want to know how those people managed to get creds to be on the field.

Just so people know what I am trying to get creds for; I am trying to get into the “Hawaii Bowl” (American College Football). I filled out the proper forms and everything, and I even talked to the media relations director (who was extremely rude). I explained to him that I am a college student and I wouldn’t be profiting from photos, and I’d even take pictures for their use (for free), and all I want in return is the experience.

I am extremely frustrated!

-Andrew
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 04/23/2024 11:05:13 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/23/2024 11:05:13 AM EDT.