Sports Photography "Golden age is over"

[Formatted]

I was browsing through Sport Shooter website as I tend to do every now and then and I came across this article - http://www.aipsmedia.com/album/AIPS0410/slide.html (Its on Page 46 /47 if you click 1:1 you can read the text properly) its terribly one sided and this person is on a bit of a high horse.

But I think the message shouldn't be lost through the noise. Its a well understood fact that uncle bobs have badly affected the wedding industry, and that in the future they are moving over to commercial photography, thus squeezing the market share for those that do it for a living.

This has been happening in Sports photography for a while now and the problem is getting worse. Where once before as late as 2009 you would have 6 photographers at a game, 4 working for agencies or papers and 2 freelancers. There are now double the number mostly made up with "weekend shooters" people who do it for fun and just cover the cost not people who do it for a living, and are happy to give away photos to get there work in print.

One example is of a photographer who worked for a college basket ball team, one year when he was going to renew his contract he was told that one of the professor was doing it for $100 a game where as before he was doing it for $250.

What are your feelings on this? Is this just the way the world is going and that photographers should move on and adapt or do the organisations that run the media accreditation need to be more strict on who they let in. Her thoughts on how it should be managed are in the article I linked above.

Next week we can talk about the death of photojournalism...

 

[Rekd]

I didn't read the article, don't like the site layout (all flash). That being said...

Not to beat a dead horse, but the times they are a changin'. The digital age changed everything. Again.

If you're getting wnt: by the new wave of sports/wedding photogs then it's up to YOU to find a way to compete. Or find a different profession.

Bitching about the way things are now isn't going to solve anything. And it's not going to change the current trends.

Just sayin'.

 

[Formatted]

If you're getting wnt: by the new wave of sports/wedding photogs then it's up to YOU to find a way to compete. Or find a different profession.

I wouldn't have a problem with the situation if it was good photographers taking over the positions the fact is they aren't good they are cheap (or free).

 

[Rekd]

If you're getting wnt: by the new wave of sports/wedding photogs then it's up to YOU to find a way to compete. Or find a different profession.

I wouldn't have a problem with the situation if it was good photographers taking over the positions the fact is they aren't good they are cheap (or free).

You should be happy the crappy photogs are doing it. That will help potential clients (that are looking for the quality shots) single you out among the crappy ones, like me. :greenpbl:

 

[Formatted]

That will help potential clients (that are looking for the quality shots) single you out among the crappy ones, like me.

Whilst true newspapers large ones don't sacrifice quality for money, magazines these days often do and that is a huge lose of revenue for photographers.

 

[Derrel]

It's true--there is now more average to poor sports photography being bought and used than there was in the pre-digital era. The increasing prevalence of well-heeled amateurs and part-timers has meant that many,many more "sports shooters" are getting payed for shoots, even though they are not let's say, the best shooters. "Good enough" has become the mantra for quality at many publications,and on the web. The days when only the very best and most experienced shooters had access to sporting events is over. All the new technology HAS changed the sports photography field over the last 10 years, especially. Unfortunately, all the new technology has also in some ways, devalued still images. That's just what has happened....digital apture, high ISO capable cameras, high-frame rate cameras, autofocusing, reasonable prices, the ability to transmit from the field in just minutes, laptop computers, wireless networks, and so on...IMMEDIATE images are now more valued than better images, delivered 2 to 10 days later, which was the older model.

 

[spacefuzz]

flashIf you're getting wnt: by the new wave of sports/wedding photogs then it's up to YOU to find a way to compete. Or find a different profession.

Ineed, its just like any other buisiness. Theres going to be competition, and the market always changes with time. Try to out perform the other guy, heck if you can upload your 1st half pictures during half time and try to sell them to parents / players from your laptop immediatly after the game.

 

[orb9220]

"even though they are not let's say, the best shooters. "Good enough" has become the mantra for quality at many publications,and on the web. The days when only the very best and most experienced shooters had access to sporting events is over. All the new technology HAS changed the sports photography field over the last 10 years, especially. Unfortunately, all the new technology has also in some ways, devalued still images."

Derrel brings up the point I agree with. Tho I don't do photography for a living. I get request all the time for using my images and want them free. Even the main ad agency some german firm for Pan-Euro advertising for Nikon wanted to use an image for free for 2yrs on their web slideshow. I asked for monies and they offered 25 euros. I told them no.

Now whether it's magazine,Stock,Weddings,etc.. Everyone wants them Free/Cheap!

The thing is why is a photographers profession any different compared to any other profession? I mean if you become too specialized. Then you are putting yourself in a nice making a living hole. But it is still a hole. It may stay a nice comfy hole. Or it might become less comfortable and harder to live in. Or It may or may not even collapse on you and bury you alive.

I see the struggling professional trying to adapt and increase their fields of possible revenues by adding to the types of photography they will do. And adjust or add to their skill set making them a more marketable commodity.

Ability to survive today for the photographer. Is that he can be flexible and adapt to a evolving market that will give them the best chance to survive. The less likely to survive are the ones that specialize and insist on the Uncle Bob's to go away. And think they can go on with business as usual That I believe isn't going to happen.

All I can say is good luck with surviving. As I can see and understand how tough the job can be. And how the clients often times doesn't realize just what it takes to deliver! And have little clue to the true value in a professional made Image!
.

 

[MSnowy]

flashIf you're getting wnt: by the new wave of sports/wedding photogs then it's up to YOU to find a way to compete. Or find a different profession.

Ineed, its just like any other buisiness. Theres going to be competition, and the market always changes with time. Try to out perform the other guy, heck if you can upload your 1st half pictures during half time and try to sell them to parents / players from your laptop immediatly after the game.

I agree. How many people on here shop at Walmart or Best Buy (just to name a few) instead of the old local mom and pop stores in order to save a little money. Same concept different field. You want a bigger piece of the pie you have to be better then the rest. You could go into the picture frame business. But then again you'd be competing with Walmarts prices. Bottom line you just have to adapt to the times.

 

[djacobox372]

Doesn't surprise me... there is very little skill in modern sports photography, just "be there and shoot a few thousand photos." No lighting setups, no posing, very little composition. Once your done you just upload them all to your FTP site and the entire world has access.

At least back in the film days it took quite a bit of effort and a well organized team to develop all the photos sort them and get them to the press first. The photographer also had slightly more sparring with his shots, as he didn't have endless film rolls.

Then there were the days of flashbulbs and speed graphics, where the fastest photographer was lucky to get off 4 shots in a minute. I'm still amazed that photographers in those days were able to capture shots like this:

Note the speed graphic with what appears to be an early strobe flash in the lower left.

 

[Rosshole]

I like how she says... "blah blah you wouldn't like it if I came into your place of business and started doing your job blah blah blah..."

What a stupid statement. Then come and do my job, it happens everyday, or is there some goofy rule that unless I get this lady's permission, I am not allowed to take pictures of anything...

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Free Market Rulez!

 

[benhasajeep]

The Walmart of Photography!

I have also noticed the same with reporting. Even on newspaper web sites there are errors all over the place.

I used to shoot sports while I was in College. I worked for the local paper and did freelance for players (mostly of Seniors for their family). I was busy and didn't advertise or even try to drum up any business. There was a need for the service and at the time, not many people could do it (equipment or access).

I think with the advent of less expensive big zooms 300mm +. It has become easier for Uncle Bob's to do it. They don't need field access. And with crop sensor cameras, they have pretty good reach now, even from the stands. As for quality. If the people paying for the pics like them. Not much you can do about that. I think people have become accustomed to the lower level of quality.

I remember years ago, we always thought of made in Tiawan stuff to be cheaply made inferior goods. Now a days. You want the MIT stuff over the made in China stuff. Has MIT gotten any better, or does its quality seem a little better because of the cheaper made stuff comming from other places? I really don't think MIT goods are any better than before. Its just something lower is on the market so they are now considered middle of the road! And people are accepting this.

Same thing is happening with all forms of communications (tv, radio, print, photography).

 

[Sam6644]

I covered a lot of Big East college football this season. Traveling to different stadiums I got to see a lot of situations where different schools gave credentials to fewer or more people.

West Virginia University was ridiculous... it seemed like they let anybody and everybody who wanted to be on the field have a photographer pass. I had to shuffle through dozens of people filling up the good spots on the field with D40s and Rebels and kit lenses on monopods in full WVU fang ear, cheering every play.

It was super frustrating because I drove more than hours and spent the night in a cheap fleabag hotel to do a job and act professional but I was getting blocked out of the spots I wanted by somebody's uncles and grandpas who were just there to mess around and have a good time.

That was a terrible day all around, haha. Drove five and a half hours to cover a boring game, have people in my way and stuggle with some weird lighting caused by November mid-day sun over a North-South facing stadium. :meh:

The food in the pressbox just about made up for some of it, at least.

I'm not entirely interested in classifying myself as a "sports photographer" but I can relate to a lot of those frustrations, that's for sure. Everyone is a photographer now.

 

[Garbz]

This crying about an industry going broke is nothing to do with photography and photographers, but rather simply a sign of the times. Two economic factors will determine how the industry works, the competitive pricing, and the quality required.

For every Uncle Bob who shoots a wedding there's many couples who know that paying Bob $100 won't get them a photo as good as someone who charges $4000 providing they look around and do their research. But for every couple with $4000 there's another who didn't want to pay $4000 and never wanted the shiny product to begin with and were happy enough with any old snaps. This is the same mentality as getting a photographer for the ceremony but at the reception putting a disposable on every table.

The only difference now is competition exists all over, and this is no different than cheap Chinese gadgets. Poor wedding photographers are suffering the same fate as Panasonic which now deals with Palsonic producing TVs for less than 1/3rd the price. You know what? I intend to buy a Palsonic. Yes they are horrible but they also won't cost much and I won't watch it very often?

There's still plenty of people out there who live for their wedding day. But there's just as many if not more where it's just another day with a big party.