at Anfield for Liverpool v Newcastle

[redmonkee]

This weekend I went to watch Liverpool play Newcastle at Anfieild which was part of my valentines present from my lovely lady

Aside from enjoying a great game of footy (we won 3-0 ) I found myself watching the pro togs sat behind the goal line of the anfield road end.

What struck me was I didn't see many laptops, so I was wondering when the images were being wired? There was obviously Getty staff there and I assume they all wire live as it happens as the pics were on their website within minutes of the final whistle going.

Also it was interesting to see at halftime a possy of photographers got up and left for the Kop end leaving just two togs who'd obviously gambled on Newcastle getting an equaliser in the second half at the annie road end.

Their gamble didn't pay off as all the action was at the Kop end, but what struck me was one photographer had his eye to the camera through all the second half and yet the other tog was sat for large periods just watching the game without a camera in his hand, do you think he's given it up as a bad day at the office or would he have been waiting for the money shot (Andy Carroll coming off the bench to play his former team)

Was great to see the togs at work and also interesting to see them sat in front of the advertising boards, what i'd give to be able to sit there and shoot a game......one day

 

[jamesward93]

Glad you had a good day.

From what i understand from other photographers on here (i haven't shot at Anfield), is that you are not allowed to wire from pitch-side at Anfield. Phil (purple clouds) or Chris can probably confirm this

 

[asterix]

No you can't so they would have gone to media room to wire at HT. Anfield is awful for photographers IMO sat on the floor and no wiring. Good place for scenes and atmosphere though

 

[redmonkee]

That'll explain the lack of laptops then. Bet it's a nightmare having to edit all the pics and wire them at half time....what if you need the loo

 

[redmonkee]

No you can't so they would have gone to media room to wire at HT. Anfield is awful for photographers IMO sat on the floor and no wiring. Good place for scenes and atmosphere though

I like sitting on the floor so i'd be suited there

 

[Aperture87]

I like sitting on the floor so i'd be suited there

I'm sure it's not as fun when you're under a lot of pressure with a baying crowd right on your back. Thankfully the bigger grounds up here have decent space to sit in with boards to 'protect' you. I always hate it when at smaller grounds where there is nothing to stop someone clattering into you, which I've escaped so far! From what I've seen of it on television, its extremely tight at Anfield, at one end at least.

 

[soccersnapper]

I like sitting on the floor so i'd be suited there

you seem to be seriously deluded

stewards in front of you whilst sitting on the floor in the pouring rain under the worst set of lights west of the Ukraine?:bang:

oh yes - dont remind me, we are so lucky as we get in free though you failed to mention the amount of cars that get broken in to around Anfield . . .

and once again I sincerely do not know ONE photographer who calls him or herself a tog. Why this utterly crazy stupid name exists I do not know :bonk:

thats me done for another rant, bye for another 6 months

 

[Gary Coyle]

and once again I sincerely do not know ONE photographer who calls him or herself a tog. Why this utterly crazy stupid name exists I do not know :bonk:

Stupid to who, you, then you're in the minority.

Journo = short for Journalist
Deco = short for Decorator
Conty = short for Construction worker
Doc = short for Doctor
Jibby = short for Jib operator
Chippy = short for Carpenter
Spark = short for Electrician
Tog = short for Photographer

Dont beat yourself up about it, we don't, if someone's paying me to do a job they can call me what they wish.

thats me done for another rant, bye for another 6 months

Promise

 

[redmonkee]

you seem to be seriously deluded

stewards in front of you whilst sitting on the floor in the pouring rain under the worst set of lights west of the Ukraine?:bang:

oh yes - dont remind me, we are so lucky as we get in free though you failed to mention the amount of cars that get broken in to around Anfield . . .

and once again I sincerely do not know ONE photographer who calls him or herself a tog. Why this utterly crazy stupid name exists I do not know :bonk:

thats me done for another rant, bye for another 6 months

Haha hi Matthew

well I didn't see one steward in front of any of the photographers they were all stood behind them watching the crowd.

Also sitting in the rain, I thought was part of being a pro sports photographer.

As for using the term 'tog' It just saves me typing photographer all the time

Also with regards to cars getting broken into around Anfield I think that;s a bit stereotypical and i'm sure happens at a lot of football grounds up and down the country.

Also i'm still awaiting you slaughtering my portfolio I emailed you the other week

cheers

Phil

 

[redmonkee]

I'm sure it's not as fun when you're under a lot of pressure with a baying crowd right on your back. Thankfully the bigger grounds up here have decent space to sit in with boards to 'protect' you. I always hate it when at smaller grounds where there is nothing to stop someone clattering into you, which I've escaped so far! From what I've seen of it on television, its extremely tight at Anfield, at one end at least.

I'm sure you're right mate but it'd sure be more fun than shooting Farsley for free every week

 

[whitey]

Glad you enjoyed the day at Newcastles (our) expense

The tog who wasn;t shooting much may well have been the official Newcastle tog. which would explain the lack of shooting

 

[Gary Coyle]

Glad you enjoyed the day at Newcastles (our) expense

The tog who wasn;t shooting much may well have been the official Newcastle tog. which would explain the lack of shooting

You mentioned the dreaded "tog" word twice, someone wont be happy

 

[redmonkee]

Glad you enjoyed the day at Newcastles (our) expense

The tog who wasn;t shooting much may well have been the official Newcastle tog. which would explain the lack of shooting

HAHA sorry bout that matey, though I thought you were gonna get a goal in the first half as you guys had plenty of pressure.

I did wonder if he was a club photographer, didn't know the clubs employed their own tog ....oops did I say TOG

....now where's that contact number for Liverpool

Gotta say though your fans were super and never stopped singing in fact they put the rest of Anfield to shames as it was very quiet on Sunday.

 

[whitey]

Fans have always been the same regardless, always had brilliant support

NUFC have two togs who do home games, the main one doing all of the other stuff, I was talking to him when I was there last week funnily enough

 

[Gary Coyle]

Tog, tog, tog, tog.

 

[redmonkee]

Tog, tog, tog, tog.

i'm still waiting for him to slaughter my folio Gary, seems he's decided not to

 

[jamesb84]

S

 

[redmonkee]

Perhaps give him a ring?! Shock, Horror, there are people out there who might need a gentle reminder.

I emailed him my folio and to be honest I got a bit of a bashing but he said he could totally slaughter me but wouldn't as I'd not asked for C&C. I since replied by email asking for the slaughtering as this is the only way i'd learn and improve.

no reply yet :|

 

[KIPAX]

I emailed him my folio and to be honest I got a bit of a bashing but he said he could totally slaughter me but wouldn't as I'd not asked for C&C. I since replied by email asking for the slaughtering as this is the only way i'd learn and improve.

no reply yet :|

I like slaughtering people.. give us a looksy

 

[redmonkee]

I like slaughtering people.. give us a looksy

Hi Tony, pm me your email and i'll happily step in line for a slaughtering haha

 

[jamesb84]

Y

 

[The23rdman]

*sighs*

 

[redmonkee]

THEN PICK UP THE TELEPHONE...

Sometimes I wonder if people on forums can think enough to use other communication methods.

There are two numbers and a Skype address on their website. They are there for a reason.

Fair point James.

But i've had a good slaughtering from Tony (Kipax) via email so i'll happily go with that

 

[KIPAX]

Fair point James.

But i've had a good slaughtering from Tony (Kipax) via email so i'll happily go with that

which was late tuesday.. we are now early thursday and still no response from you.. no thanks or kiss my ar.. nothing. if i hadn't just read this thread i wouldnt even know you got my email.

perhaps yer still in shock..

 

[redmonkee]

which was late tuesday.. we are now early thursday and still no response from you.. no thanks or kiss my ar.. nothing. if i hadn't just read this thread i wouldnt even know you got my email.

perhaps yer still in shock..

Hi Tony and apologies for not replying. I was halfway through writing an email the other day at work when I got a job to do and since forgot to send it

The C&C you gave me wash pretty harsh but largely fair. I see a couple of pics aren't as sharp as they should be and therefore shouldn't go in the folio. Also the ones which have the player's eyes shut is also a valid point as they would look better with the eye contact.

I was surprised by the comment on my processing as I've usually had good comments in the forums on my processing, though I see that in some my skin tones do have a little too much red in them.

I'm sure gonna take your points on board Tony so thank you very much for taking the time to comment on my work.

Since your email I've had great emails from Soccersnapper and he has been really critical of my cropping and composition and encouraged me to shoot full frame and avoid cropping. Which is interesting as many of the guys in here always tell me to crop, crop, crop and i've followed this advice probably a little too much as alot of my images are now cropped fairly tight.

I think next season i need to re evaluate my shooting technique and PP

 

[KIPAX]

The C&C you gave me wash pretty harsh but largely fair. I see a couple of pics aren't as sharp as they should be and therefore shouldn't go in the folio. Also the ones which have the player's eyes shut is also a valid point as they would look better with the eye contact.

For anyone else reading..Its this simple. they should not be in a portfolio.. not quite sharp or nearly sharp shouldnt be there.. tack sharp should. Also a fantastic action picture with players eyes shut isnt going to make it when the person reviewing knows you can get a fantastic action shot with eyes open.

I was surprised by the comment on my processing as I've usually had good comments in the forums on my processing, though I see that in some my skin tones do have a little too much red in them.

If you can see that then they shouldn't be in the portfolio and I am now suprised that your suprised? . and I know I mentioned it before.. ages ago on TP about your skintones so it wasn't just the portfolio..

Soccersnapper and he has been really critical of my cropping and composition and encouraged me to shoot full frame and avoid cropping.

If your submitting to a forum for critique on a picture you will always be told to crop in.. so they are not wrong.


your portfolio is for press work where the picture editor will want to do the cropping.. Have a look at sports pages.. some have the action then a lot of nothing space at the side for headlines.. so no point cropping tight for newspaper work.. Maybe when you submitting to a forum for critique you need to add what usage they are for... then you have to see if people experienced with papers are offering the critique..

I think your work is good enough to submit to newspapers and better than a lot of peoples.. but a portfolio has to be the best of the best to show you can do it.. newspapers wont axpect the same quality with every pic you send nor will agencies.. but they will want to know your capable of it if its possible..

THE ABOVE IS MY OPINION BASED ON WHAT I HAVE LEARNT ... I am not passing it off as fact or the exact way to do things.. its the way I know.. others will ahve different opinions (thats what makes the world go around) and others will ahve different ways... I would welcome others opinions and welcome anyone who wants to take me to task with anythign I ahve written.

 

[KIPAX]

Just my thoughts on portfolios here..if i was an agency looking for a photgorapher i wouldnt put too much store on a portfoio (i would want to see it as first contact)..

I would ask the photogrpaher to include me in the next set of pictures he is sending live from a game..maybe his/her next 3 games.. then i could get a better idea of the performance in the real world.

 

[blue marlin]

Just my thoughts on portfolios here..if i was an agency looking for a photgorapher i wouldnt put too much store on a portfoio (i would want to see it as first contact)..

I would ask the photogrpaher to include me in the next set of pictures he is sending live from a game..maybe his/her next 3 games.. then i could get a better idea of the performance in the real world.

agree 100% its just as important to see if you can get the pix that there want to them in time ie wireing etc. in fact i would suggest that people wanting to get in with an agency will have had somebody they have met who has put a word in for them.

 

[Gary Coyle]

Also a fantastic action picture with players eyes shut isnt going to make it when the person reviewing knows you can get a fantastic action shot with eyes open.

Unless of course the impact of the tackle or the ferocity of a collision forces the tackled player to close his eyes, in RL Tony its amazing how many players taking the ball up close their eyes just before the point of impact, sometimes it's to protect their eyes from a stray finger from a high tackle and sometimes its just the natural reaction, grit your teeth, close your eyes and take the hit.

 

[KIPAX]

Unless of course the impact of the tackle or the ferocity of a collision forces the tackled player to close his eyes, in RL Tony its amazing how many players taking the ball up close their eyes just before the point of impact, sometimes it's to protect their eyes from a stray finger from a high tackle and sometimes its just the natural reaction, grit your teeth, close your eyes and take the hit.

I know why they close there eyes and i know 99% of shots will be eyes closed... try getting a womens footballer to ahve eyes open heading a ball..

my point is.. the portfolio should have the 1% shot...

theres a great difference between what you send to papers or sell online or whatever.. and a portfolio.. and we are talking portfolio

 

[bigrob]

Conty = short for Construction worker

Conty - I think I've been called that a few times and I don't work in the Construction Industry.

I have no idea what they meant by it. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

[Gary Coyle]

I know why they close there eyes and i know 99% of shots will be eyes closed... try getting a womens footballer to ahve eyes open heading a ball..

my point is.. the portfolio should have the 1% shot...

theres a great difference between what you send to papers or sell online or whatever.. and a portfolio.. and we are talking portfolio

Well i would beg to differ Tony, i was viewing various top togs websites/portfolios yesterday and guess what, one top pro tog who has been the subject of immense amounts of fawning has exactly that shot in his portfolio.