Sports Photagraphy as Living

[Buszaj]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone knows about how to get into sports photography for a major newspaper. I've read about photography internships in the Toronto Star, but does anyone know more about how to get started? Also, what about this as a main source of income?

Thanks

 

[pandinus]

Why not contact your lockal press? I've done that for some events. (More as a freelance photographer.) I've done quite a bit of equestrian competitions, and some other sports. (Since most fulltime photographers for the press are interested in football (Socker to you americans...))

That's how I've done that sort of thing... Might work for you as well.

You could allso apply for an internship, get a foot thrugh the door so to speak. Who knows, you might impress them.

 

[Jeff Canes]

If you’re in collage think about taking some journalism classes

 

[Buszaj]

only in high school. we do have a photography course, but its film and you need an SLR and i don't have one and i don't shoot film.

 

[GoM]

Well, I go to UWO, and I called the communications guy for the athletic department who's hooked me up with a pass to all Mustangs games in all sports. As well, I cover sports for a couple London news outlets, one of which is SNAP, which actually has branches all over Toronto. Maybe try calling UofT, York or Ryerson to see if they could hook you up with a press pass, even if you're not 'press' nor a student.

 

[JIP]

Easy to get started, not easy to get rich but it is possible. The best way for you to get started is to buy a decent camera D80, D200, D300 or the Canon equivalent and (and this is the MOST important part) put some 2.8 or faster glass on it. Next you need to go out and shoot as much as you possibly can shoot every concevable type of sport that is played in your area (concentrate on the most popuar of course) then make a portfolio, make a resume' and send it out to as many local small papers you can locate. You can get on the list to be a freelancer for some smaller papers pretty easily I know I got on several but I could not continue as I did not have 2.8 glass hence the importance of it. Once you do this the sky is the limit you can go to school but you can just as easily (if you are young enough) work your way up from the bottom. And remember the most important thing to remember is fast glass and locate EVERY small local newspaper you can find and send them resumes and oh yeah, just starting out you need to expect you will be working for pennies so do not expect to even make enough to pay for your lens or camera.

 

[usayit]

only in high school. we do have a photography course, but its film and you need an SLR and i don't have one and i don't shoot film.

This is going to sound really harsh... but there is no other way to put it lightly...

There's more to a photography class than film..... lots to learn that all translate to skills that go beyond the equipment.

If you are not willing to take a "free" class in photography because "you don't shoot film", then you don't "want" it bad enough.


other advice..

Start working on a portfolio. Simply put that is your resume.

 

[JIP]

only in high school. we do have a photography course, but its film and you need an SLR and i don't have one and i don't shoot film.

I think you might run into a problem if you don't have an SLR. This might be a good place to start. Getting one and learning how to use it I mean.

 

[S2K1]

This is going to sound really harsh... but there is no other way to put it lightly...

There's more to a photography class than film..... lots to learn that all translate to skills that go beyond the equipment.

If you are not willing to take a "free" class in photography because "you don't shoot film", then you don't "want" it bad enough.

Very good point.

 

[Buszaj]

Wow, great advice guys. I guess you are right Usayit. Unfortunately the SLR will have to wait. I'll try to slowly get into some small local papers like you guys said. Thanks

 

[JCPics]

You can cheaply rent SLRs or Film SLRS from Henry's and probably Vistek as well.

 

[usayit]

Why does the SLR have to wait? Most schools I know will lend you a camera for the class. Heck... some of my classmates in my photo 101 class managed to find cameras well south of $100 bucks (I was the only one with a full time job to support the costs). I sold a couple of my old spotmatics to students that REALLY showed an interest at next to nothing. I wanted to make sure that getting an SLR was not a reason to drop out.

As I said.. you want it "bad" enough... you gotta work for it... even it means being seen with a 50 year old camera.

 

[JIP]

Wow, great advice guys. I guess you are right Usayit. Unfortunately the SLR will have to wait. I'll try to slowly get into some small local papers like you guys said. Thanks

I am sorry to say if the SLR is going to have to wait the possibility of getting into any paper wether a small local or whatever will have to wait also. The most important thing in shooting any kind of sports photography prfessionally is having the right gear. If you do not have the gear to do the job properly there are 10,000 other people waiting in line for the job that do. I know some people say that gear does not matter but in professional soprts photography wether shooting pee-wee football or the largest pro sport you can thnik of professional gear with fast lenses is imperative.

 

[gpimages]

You don't need "fast glass" to break into sports photography. I shoot a lot of high school sports that my sons play. Basketball, Track and Cross Country. I have a Nikon D70s and a 50mm f1.8 for indoors. Outdoors I use a 70-300 G f4.5? lens. I am always at the games and meets with my camera. The sports editor for the local newspaper knows me. I stared out by sending him links to the pics that I put online. He thought they were good and started using a few of them. It is to the point now that if he knows I will be at an event, he doesn't send a photographer, he counts on me for the photos. It takes practice, practice, practice. Take lots of pics and learn from your mistakes, then practice some more.

 

[sabbath999]

Excellent, professional quality SLR's are a dime a dozen these days. I will bet you if you ask around, your aunts/uncles or grandparents or friends parents have perfectly some good photography equipment sitting in their closet that hasn't been touched for years. Manual focus stuff is GREAT equipment, and you need to learn how to focus manually anyway.

Worst case, you can ebay or go to KEH.com and buy stuff for virtually nothing.

Here is a perfect example of the kind of equipment I am talking about.

Pentax MX fully manual camera. Throw in a couple $15 prime lenses and you have an outstanding kit for about $100.

When you are done with it, you can put it right back on eBay and sell it for what you have in it (more or less).

You can pay for it by printing up a few flyers, and walking around your neighborhood knocking on doors, offering to do things like mow grass, clean out sheds or garages, trim hedges, or any other odd job at $10 an hour. One weekends work and you are good to go.

With all due respect, if you don't want it bad enough to buy $100 worth of photography equipment (if it isn't worth a few hours of work), then you just don't want it bad enough.