Good evening everyone!

CraigDouglas · Jul 4, 2007

Since you have a sub-forum dedicated to "Welcomes and Introductions" I thought i'd put it to a little use and say hello!

I'm from the UK (I gather this is an international forum so I won't be too specific, but somwhere in the middle of England - no, not London

) and i'm a software developer.

I've started getting into photography over the past month since I bought my 400D and i've just bought a 70-200L f/4 (couldn't afford the IS or f/2.8

) which I've found to be amazingly sharp!

I think i've come quite a long way in the past month and i've learned an awful lot! I've been buying magazines like there's no tomorrow and trying out new techniques all the time. Some work, a lot don't, but i'm finding it fun experimenting and understanding.

I've just set up a personal gallery which can be found here - http://www.craigdouglasphotography.co.uk

I've joined for several reasons, but most immidiately is information. I've got tickets to an international cricket match for this comming saturday at which I was really looking forward to trying out my new lens, but i've found out that they don't allow people to take cameras in without "Proper accreditation". I phoned up to double check and they said it would be confiscated at the entrance if I took it. Is this normal at big sports events? I assume its so that they can charge the press money for the ability to take photos there?

Anyway, hello everyone and I look forward to taking part in the community, learning, and competing in your competitions!

Big Mike · Jul 4, 2007

Welcome to the forum.

i've just bought a 70-200L f/4 (couldn't afford the IS or f/2.8 ) which I've found to be amazingly sharp!

That's said to be one of the sharpest zoom lenses avaliable...so it should be.

Is this normal at big sports events?

Pretty much, yes.

I'm not sure if they charge the press money for the right to photograph...but it does give them a degree of control over the situation.

CraigDouglas · Jul 4, 2007

Thanks for the reply Mike.

If thats the normal at big sporting events, how would amateur photographers go about getting permission to photograph events?

I'm still awaiting a reply to an email I sent the place to find out what "proper accreditation" is and how to go about getting it.

Big Mike · Jul 4, 2007

I'm no sport shooter...so I'm not 'in the know'...but I've heard a few tips now and then. Basically, what you need is some sort of press accreditation. You can try contacting small news papers, magazines or even news letters etc. Ask them for a press pass and see what they say. I've even heard of people making up their own publication, just for the purpose of making up passes to get into events like these...although I'm not endorsing any kind of fraud.

Another option would be to contact the sponsors of the event...ask them if you could get some sort of pass.

When it comes down to it...it really depends on the rules of the venue and the event. Bigger events will have tighter security and more restrictions. It may just be that you have to find a friendly security guard...or at least don't catch one who is having a bad day.

There are several sports shooters around here...hopefully some of them will chime in. You may even want to start a new thread with a title specific to that.