So.., you want to be a motorsports/sports/event photographer

[philwillmedia]

So.., you want to be a motorsports/sports/event photographer?
What does it take?

This is something I recently posted elsewhere on another forum. It's a bit long, I know, but I think it covers most things you probably need to know and, dare I say, it tells it like it is.

I will add that it is not aimed at anybody on this forum now or in the future, but is just an insight into what it takes.

Some of you will probably already know all of this, but read it anyway

A quick few words about my background.
I started my motorsport photography over 20 years ago when I stopped competing in rallies in South Australia.
The biggest problem I, and fellow competitors had back then was getting pics of ourselves.
When I finally parked the rally car, I still wanted to be involved.
So, I picked up the camera and started taking pics at club events to national championship level, shooting from spectator areas and other spots I was able to access with a bit of knowledge about how rallies worked.
Some of the competitors came to me wanting to buy any photos I had of them.
After a while I started submitting to a couple of motorsport magazines. It took some time but eventually, after about 3 years, I started getting some shots published and then it snowballed from there to the point where I was able to get accreditation.
Admittedly, things were a bit easier back then - there weren't the insurance and OH&S issues etc that there are today - or at least nobody seemed to worry as much.
Today, I cover all types of motorsport and other sports and supply several magazines and agencies with images.
I also cover a number of different sports and events for image libraries and have my own website.

Firstly, what is your reason for wanting media credentials?
Are you a member of the media?
What publication or publications will you be supplying?
What can you give the organisers by your presence?
Media creds are technically only given to WORKING media. This means people working for and supplying bona fide media outlets ie: magazines and newspapers and other recognised media outlets such as websites and press agencies. Sometimes for various reasons, exceptions are made, but that is the organisers/promoters option and discretion.
I’ve been shooting sport, mainly motorsport for over 20 years, and still do basic club level and grass roots sports as well as higher profile events.

I often get asked…
”Hey mate, how do I get a pass to shoot from where you are?”
This would happen at least once a day at a V8 Supercar Round.
My reply usually goes something like this…
“How long have you been photographing (insert name of sport) and what outlet do you work for?
To which they almost always reply something like…”Nah mate, I never do. I just want to get in and shoot from where you are. I’m just taking photos for myself but where you are I can get better shots than here.

Ask yourself this…
If you’ve never taken a photograph of an AFL match (substitute for any sport), would you approach the AFL (again substitute relevant organisation) and say to them “Hey Mr Demetriou, I’ve never taken a photo of an AFL game before, but I think I’m a pretty good photographer, I’m not shooting for anyone except myself so you won’t get any publicity but I’m a really good photographer, because I say I am, can I have a media pass for the Grand Final…"
Seriously, what do you think the response would be?

So why is it that people think motorsport in particular is any different?
Yeah, of course it would probably be cool to be there, and your mates would be suitably impressed and you'd have the wank factor of it all, but seriously…
Unless you are working media, why should you be there?

Media credential's ARE NOT a free pass to get in to an event and CAMS accreditation is no different.


Admittedly, sometimes I have seen some people with creds who maybe shouldn't have them - and people who possibly should have them who don't - however it's not for me to make that decision.
I do sympathise with people who wish they could get creds for events and can't.
The bottom line is event organisers are after publicity.
You shooting for yourself does not give them that publicity no matter what gear you have or how good you think you are and they do not have an obligation to give you a media pass just because you think you should have one. It is up to you to justify why you should be accredited.
Remember that the 'togs you see shooting at a track or sporting event etc are being PAID by somebody. therefore IT IS A JOB and that is their workplace. There are some who are shooting on spec - that is if they get something published they get paid for that one shot, or two shots or a couple more if they are lucky.
They are not there for the fun of it, but to WORK.
Imagine if somebody came into your work place and thought geez, that looks like a cool job… Do you think they'd just be able to sit down and start doing what you were doing just for the fun of it?

I reckon I’d make a good brain surgeon – anyone got a scalpel?

Also, there is a way, way, waaaaay more to it than just standing by the track/oval/court and taking photos. That’s actually the easy bit.
There are deadlines (sometimes very short, insanely short) to meet and as a rule I would suggest that for the same amount of time spent track/courtside there is at least 1/2 to 3/4 of that time and sometimes more, to be spent on editing, sending images etc when the day shooting has finished.
If you spend 8 hours taking pics, then you will usually spend another four to six hours, at least, once you have left the venue, on editing etc.
Often you may even have to file images on the fly – from trackside/courtside/the boundary line.

A typical day at a motorsport event like the Clipsal 500/Bathurst etc goes something like this -
Arrive at the track around 6.30am but no later than 7am and leave at around 6pm – even later if I’m doing some night shots or the after race concerts then edit and send images, field the “How long before I see any photos” phone calls from pic editors, prioritise who gets their pics first, decide which images to send and to whom, try and have something to eat at the same time and get to bed in the early hours of the morning often around 2am, sometimes later, then up at 5.30am to do it all again for the next 3 or four days – fortunately at Clipsal I get to sleep in my own bed.
At Bathurst in 2008, I actually had more sleep on the Sunday night after the race than the combined total from Wednesday to Saturday.
Adrenaline is a wonderful thing. Lots of coffee helps too.
Recently I shot the ANZ Championship Netball semi final at ETSA Park in Adelaide. Got home from the day job at 5 and was at the venue at 5.30 for a 6.30 start. Left the venue at around 8.30 edited and filed images and finally got to bed at around 2am – more time in front of the ‘puter than actually shooting.

And yes,…I attend a lot of events where I don't have creds so I do know what it's like from behind the fence or in the bleachers, but I still manage to get good and sometimes great images. These are the ones that are usually the most pleasing.
It makes you see things differently and find different angles and ways of shooting.
I'd estimate that about 50% of events I go to, I don't have the magic media pass, and pay to get in like everyone else. The camera comes with me.
Sometimes I'm just there for being there, and sometimes it might be a sport I've never shot before but want to see what it's like. Occasionally I do manage to sell some images.
Also, just because you have “good” gear doesn't mean you should be there either.
I've seen some 'togs with basic entry level DSLR's and kit lenses take some better images than shooters with 1D's and white lenses (and Nikon equivalent). I myself occasionally use a 400D with the 10-22 lens.

In closing, I will say this...
If you want to have creds for big events, start shooting the grass roots of that sport – I’ve spent hundreds, no thousands of hours traipsing around racetracks and sports venues shooting club level race meetings etc and still do - (no it's not glamorous like the big events - but you'll probably make more money) and start supplying images to publications etc.
This is the only way to get yourself known to the people who matter. They learn to know who you are and that you are committed to photographing their sport or event and being known is half the battle.
It makes your life a whole lot easier when these people know who you are.
This is not going to take 5 minutes and may take several years, yes... I did say years…and will take some bloody hard work.
To do this you need to have passion for both the sport and your photography.
You must be prepared to put up with the elements – cold, rain, wind, hail, (sometimes all four at once) shine, heat, dust and depending on the hemisphere, maybe snow (not generally an issue in Australia) etc etc.
Also, sport usually happens on weekends – be prepared to give them up – this bit can play havoc with your social life and “significant other” and WILL cause plenty of conflict.
In 2009, about 32 weekends were sucked up by shooting sport and events of some description 2010 looks like it will be even more.
Just like any job, sometimes it will NOT be fun and just plain hard work.
It just depends on how hard you are prepared to work to get there.

Except when learning to swim, always start at the bottom.
I see too many people trying to start right at the top but, it doesn't work that way.
But would I give back any of my experiences –
No Way!!

Apologies if this appears blunt and straight to the point, but it is fact.

Still want to be a sports and event shooter…????

If anyone wonders if I'm still learning - Hell yeah.
The day I stop learning will be the day I put the camera down.
Can't see that happening in the forseeable future.

To see pics, go to my website - http://www.freewebs.com/philwillmedia/apps/photos

If anyone has anything to add - Go for it.

[inter]

great post there,

I am one of the togs who wants to be a proffesional photographer.......and I do have a passion for the sport and photography.

I attend all the grass root events at the creek and oran park ( now gone) and before that Amaroo park

I do agree at the above post and i am still trying to get my first media accreditation pass,

I submittd work but never had it published ....but will keep on trying

[hoffy]

Thanks for posting this up and an excellent insight into how you got where you are. I have read a few threads of late on some other forums where people were suprised that a) the media manager for the clipsal 500 wasn't returning there calls, because they thought Clipsal owed them a favour and b) complaining about the equipment restrictions at the Australian Tennis open, because "How the heck were the to get images for their portfolio if they couldn't use there biggest lens".

OK, I am going to ask a few questions, more to keep this topic going (I think it has the makings for a good all round "I have made it this far, now what do I need to do next..." kind of topic), but also to satisfy my own curiosity (after 12 months in the doldrums, I have finally worked out what type of photography I like to do). I am also going to base these comments/questions purely on motorsport to start off with.

You mention club and local level racing as a good starting point. The biggest problem I see with this is that media outlets available who will publish more then just 1 photo in a whole publication are few and far between. Do you see shooting and supplying to the competitors and or even the clubs themselves as a legitimate way of getting yourself known (I am talking purely club levels here)? Is working the spectator side of the fence and then offering your images to the club or competitors going to upset and get up the goat of those who are out there doing the hard yards (I am going on some comments that I have seen on other sports tog based forums)?

I will post more as I think of them (mental blank....hard day at work....)

[Doctor]

Good write up Phil, we've discussed this on numerous occasions, good to see it surfacing on the net again!

On the topic of Clipsal 500 Accreditation Hoffy, lets not get the guys started on that!

Hopefully those reading this understand the work that needs to go into a full events shooting, not everyone understands the long days and hard work that it actually takes to "Push a button and take photos"

[SpeedShots]

Hoffy - FWIW, my break came by shooting State and Historic Level stuff. My first published work was some drift photos taken during a demonstration at Oran Park with the Procar Series in 2004. After that, I got an image published for the Historics in Auto Action, and then subsequently some images from that same Historic meeting in the Group N Newsletter. From 2004 I'd been putting a lot of my work online, and getting my name out there. My 24Hr gallery from back in 2003 got something like 4500 hits for a little album on PBase (the images are still online today!). I made some contacts within the categories at Procar rounds (Gt-Production and Performance) and started supplying some images for some drivers' websites. I built up enough of a portfolio to send to CAMS in late '05 and got my accreditation in '06. Since then I've attended almost every CAMS/Shannons Nationals round (I think I missed 2 or 3 in 2006, but every round since then). At the start it was tough as it was hard to even break even on costs vs expenses. Motorsport photography is not the domain you want if you want to make signficant amounts of money

Echoing Phil's words about time spent on track..... last year at the 12Hr we were in the Media Centre by 4:30am.....I didn't leave the track until 9:30pm that night after sorting photos, uploading for AutoAction etc. I expect to be there for similar hours this year.

[Matt Mead]

Getting media accred is realtively simple, well thats what i have found except for V8 Supercars apparently, i havent actually tried that yet. The hardest part about it all is trying to get money from publications as there arent many paying ones. Thats why i do it for the love rather then money hahah.

Im no way saying im successfull at this cause im fair from it, But the past two years i have been pushing my online presence with a different style to most and its only starting to pay of, but its not so much in the form of covering race meetings, but more so promotional kind of stuff for teams, drivers and sponsers which is something i like to do anyway.

I pretty much started out going to circuit club track days, got noticed and was asked to be published in there newsletter/mag they made, still do that. Started going to different events and switched to helping out online blogs and stuff for exposure and media accred. Then got cams at the start of last year, decided to support a series state supersprint, made friends with alot of drivers and other work started coming through. Did a few shannons nationals rounds and got hooked on real racing.

I havent really thought about what im going to do this year.Keep developing my style then hopefully some rich dude pays me to cover V8 supercars haha dont like my chances but.

[hoffy]

Its funny Nathan, but I had thought you had been around the traps much longer then that (maybe I just remember you from Conrod and the original panel beaters way back when it was at its most popular, which is now probably close to 10 years ago now)

Ohh, yeah, I do see your point about not making hugh amounts of money. For me personally, I am not looking at doing this to make a full time living (thats why I have a day job!). Should this be something that we all aspire to do? As a matter of fact, I would be pushed to know of any motorsport tog who makes their soul income purely from motorsport (does Dirk? Who else would there be?).

Yes, I have goals:

• to be published in print
• To be able to earn enough to be able to upgrade equipment and cover costs
• To be recognised as someone who can provide a service for local competitors, clubs and or media agencies (if they at all exist....)
• To be able to bring something different to the table (which lines up to other areas of photography that I am interested in)

The thing though for me, is I actually have limited desire to be able to shoot at the highest profile events (I am talking specifically V8 Supercars here). I am not sure why. I suppose it comes down to the fact that I simply don't need or want that level of commitment and stress.

At the moment, I am assessing what equipment I have, will it cut the mustard or not (this is not intended as a fanboi war. My personal feelings when it comes to what does the job aligns to what Phil has said above. A good photographer will make the most of what he has at his disposal. A poor photographer will always rely on the best that is available. An excellent photographer will do both). I am also assessing what other things I need to take care of.

Will I succeed? I don't know. I suppose, I just need to give it a bit of a go, or I will never know.

[SpeedShots]

Hoffy - I've been around since the inception of the V8 Tipping Comp back in 1997 (pre-conrod). But never serious about taking photos until around 2002/03 when I happened to work (normal job) with an online mateof mine who is a kickass photographer. That started me on the path of learning more about the camera, how sperture and shutter affects images etc, borrowing friend's DSLRS (Nikon D70 and Pentax ist*D with kit lenses), and going from there.

Re. the equipment.... I've only bought one brand new DSLR in my time, my 30D. All the rest including my new(old) 1D3 have been secondhand. Ditto for lenses until I got my 400 2.8 recently. I'd also had nothing in the long end better than F4 for a long time, it's not about the equipment at all. It can help, but it's not the be all and end all.

Personally, I think you should pick a target market and concentrate on that. The local historic scene is pretty good in SA, as is IP and Vees. If you're able to market to them, service them well, show your face around the traps, get images online etc it all adds up. The only problem I see for you is the abundance of SA photographers (seriously, there's heaps of you guys!) making it rather competitive. But like Matt said, if you have an angle you can work in terms of style (or anything else) that sets you apart then use it to your advantage.

[hoffy]

I believe you have gone to the evil side once apon a time:

http://phorums.com.au/archive/index.php/t-79428.html

Photoaction would have been proud! & this is probably the reason why you ended up using something else....

[Matt Mead]

id much prefer to shoot shannons nationals then v8 supercars, its just that there are no crowds to use in images :(