Photography at Sports Events

[Cheesy_DSLR_Man]

I don't know if someone has already asked this question before within the forum but anyway here it goes. I am just wondering does anyone know anything about getting press passes for sporting events like, football, ice hockey, rugby etc, without working for a newspaper. Also anyone who lives within the UK, do you know if you are able to turn up at car/bike race circuits (Oulton Park Circuit, Silverstone, etc) on event days with professional cameras (i have a cannon EOS 450D) and take photos as a spectator without having any problems with officials? Any information would be great, thanks Jon

 

[tbphotography]

"do you know if you are able to turn up at car/bike race circuits (Oulton Park Circuit, Silverstone, etc) on event days with professional cameras (i have a cannon EOS 450D) and take photos as a spectator without having any problems with officials?"

All you have to do is wave a press pass in their face... I do it all the time, pisses them right out of their upper-class mood...

 

[Mongoos3]

My dad took photos at the miss world competition a couple months back. You just have to register on the "official" website. If you click on a contact us link and request for permission they will probably give you a go ahead.

 

[Cheesy_DSLR_Man]

All you have to do is wave a press pass in their face... I do it all the time, pisses them right out of their upper-class mood...

hahahahaha, how do you get your hands on the press pass in the first place?

 

[Cheesy_DSLR_Man]

Thanks Mongoos3 i will give that a go

 

[Mr. Innuendo]

It certainly helps to be associated with a publication or a relatively known website.

I shoot for a magazine here, and pretty much have carte blanche for getting into events around town (admittedly, not sporting events).

I go down to Daytona a few times a year to shoot motorcycle racing and the Daytona 24. I've looked into getting credentials, and it's ridiculously tight. There's no way I'm getting credentialed there. However, on race days, it's easy enough to shoot over the infield fence (I'm tall and carry a step stool), and there are zero restrictions on what equipment you can bring into the venue. Even better, I go on "practice" days, simply because there's no crowd and it's almost impossible to tell, in a photo, if a car is racing or practicing.

I recently wrote to a local minor league baseball team here, asking for a one-day credential so I could shoot a game for a piece I'm writing for the magazine I work for. They're giving me a credential for the entire season.

You never know what'll happen' just ask! The worst that can happen is that they say "No"...

 

[tirediron]

To get credentials for any even moderately major event, you need to be associated with the press. That said, the easiest way to get an answer is to simply call the venue, "Hi my name is Bill Smith and I'm an amateur photographer. I was wondering if it would be possible to get permission to shoot from the pit area/press box/sidelines/whatever. I'll be happy to provide you with a copy of my photos." It might work, it might not, but it's probably your best bet.

 

[Gary A.]

Even if you are associated with the press, there is only so much room, (motor sport is different with a lot of room), so the bigger papers/wire service, magazines get priority over smaller publications. The days of waving a press pass has long been gone, most events require a credential issued specifically for that event by the event organization. I think that most event/venues, if they have room, will work with non-media photogs, especially if they're students, or have a pretty good reason. I think that giving the event/venu a DVD of your images would be a good opening argument.

 

[fjrabon]

Unfortunately the answer to this question is "it depends wildly from event to event, contact the people running the event"

I've basically just walked up confidently day of and gotten in at some events. At others I've gotten approval in advance but been denied admission simply because my contact screwed up a form and they couldn't let me in despite me having been approved because of insurance reasons.

So, you gotta call and ask. Working for an organization that has insurance on you will make things drastically easier though.

 

[KmH]

This is a thread from 2009.

 

[table1349]

 

[Mr. Innuendo]

This is a thread from 2009.

And, yet, the information is still accurate and pertinent for anyone else who might not know what to do.

The age of the thread is largely unimportant.

 

[table1349]

The age of the information however is important. I've been shooting sports for 40+ years. These days I limit myself to NCAA Division I sports because these days it is just for fun. The way I got in to shooting sports be it NCAA sports or the major professional sports no longer applies. I am able to continue to shoot at the major Universities and programs. The world of sports photography has greatly changed all the way around. The world situation has seen to that. I sure miss the days when I didn't have to wear one of those silly vests with giant letters on them.

 

[Mr. Innuendo]

The age of the information however is important.

Of course. And, if you read the recent posts, you'll probably see where that information is more pertinent than the information shared in 2009.

I opened this thread without looking at the date on it. I didn't care what the date was. I enjoy shooting sports, so I opened it. I shared how I went about (only nine days ago) getting credentialed. That's information that's solid and good right now.

Unless someone is asking "Should I buy the new Canon 50D when it comes out?", old conversations are usually still strong, valid and viable conversations.