Field access

[onesix]

What is the process of obtaining a field pass for sports games? Do you need to be employed by a newspaper/magazine? I live in Colorado and trying to get access to the Broncos/Nuggets/Sky Socks (Rockies minor league baseball). Does anyone have any guidance?

 

[DScience]

(303!)

 

[TUX424]

(303!)

I hope your taking about the band, there are so funny.

onesix
You are going to have a very hard time trying to get a feild pass to somthing that the teams may not see a real reason for you to be there your best bet would be calling the team and trying to work something out.
Best of luck to you on your seach.

 

[AlexColeman]

What lens would you use w/ the 700? None of your lenses actually look FX.

 

[TUX424]

What lens would you use w/ the 700? None of your lenses actually look FX.

They got the Nikon 85 prime.

 

[table1349]

What is the process of obtaining a field pass for sports games? Do you need to be employed by a newspaper/magazine? I live in Colorado and trying to get access to the Broncos/Nuggets/Sky Socks (Rockies minor league baseball). Does anyone have any guidance?

You could try contacting the teams you listed and inquiring about their requirements, however I would not hold my breath. There are a lot of people that want the same access. What any pro team is going to look at is what they will get out of it. Obviously when SI, Sporting News, or any of the news services photograph a pro teams events, that team gets something out of it. Exposure either locally or nationally. That exposure is dividend for that pro team. What can you offer that pro team?

The minor league team on the other hand might be an possibility. Unlike the pro franchise, their exposure level is much less and their demand is par with that exposure level.

You might have a better chance by starting at the college level. I started shooting for a local small college that my son played sports for. That got me into some larger venues. Shooting those venues has allowed me to make the contacts necessary to now be shooting in the Big 12. I can shoot most of the events that I want too now.

I say most of the events, not all of the events. There is only so much sideline or base line room, and when say, KU is having another outstanding basketball season, the base line can get pretty crowded for certain home games. And just like the pros, they are looking for that exposure. The people that can deliver will get the limited amount of openings.

Sorry if this doesn't sound to hopeful, but it is the real world of sports photography. While shooting OU-OSU is exciting, some of the best action to be found can be on those smaller college campuses where the atheletes are competing for the love of the game. Good luck.

 

[onesix]

Alex - I need to update my list. My Tamron broke and could not be fixed. I replaced it with a Sigma f2.8 but forgot the range. It’s a great lens. I do love my 85!



gryphonslair99:
I love your avatar! We love Walter!!
Thanks for the truth about sports photography. I will try the local collages and try the Minor league teams. My wife has a contact with the minor league team so maybe that will work out.

 

[Seefutlung]

Typically yes. If you're a student and work for the school's paper ... you may have a shot at it, if you're persistant. One of the problems is liability, shooting football or basketball you are practically in the action ... making the potential of injury much higher than if you were with the regular spectators. Another problem is currency ... your currency ... what can you give them in return to make it all worthwhile for the team to allow you into a restricted area? Baseball has an additional problem with lack of available space ... behind the plate and the first and third base media dugouts are not spacious. (But this is minor league so how crowded can they be?)

Your best bet is with the minor league team. They would be easier to work with. The best thing to do is contact all three and maybe they'll say yes. Remember that being persistant helps and keep looking for an angle that will convince the club's PR person to grant you permission to shoot from the media areas.

Gary