Football Photographer checklist (also hello)

dafphotographer

dafphotographer

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David
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Hello all! I've been casually skimming over your forum posts for a while now, unearthed by the unholy magic of Google, whenever i'm stuck on something or other. I thought it time I put my big boy pants on, show my face, and join in a little bit.

I'm not entirely sure what I can offer by way of contribution, but i'll give it a go where my knowledge or experience or utter contempt feels applicable. I'll try and stay away from the contempt.

A tiny shred about me then: Midlands migrant to East London, now 29, first year freelancer and trying my bloodiest to eek a living from sport. I mix it with PR and events to pay the bills.

I'm on Twitter as the same profile name, and just getting round to learning how to use it.

And just last month I started a blog (its good for web hits, they say). Today I penned a feebly humorous checklist of my working life as a football photographer. As with most crafts, its all about the P's.

http://www.davidanthonyfearn.com/bl...ration-prevents-****-poor-photography-sort-of

If this chimes with your experiences too then let me know and be my friend!

Peace,

David
 
Let me edit what i said above. 10x further down the road from me, your portfolio is stunning.
 
Ah, it seems the mild profanity in my blog post title is the issue. Try this instead!

goo.gl/GfmQD

Thanks for the hello Tom, and thank you for visiting my site. Your compliments are appreciated, even if I can't seem to agree (we're our own worst critics, right?! I come to like very few of my own photographs).

My journey into photography has not been a traditional one, and not particularly remarkable either. I think at some point in my adolescence it became a hasty preference over other more patient art forms such as painting and drawing. And in my early twenties I went on a thoroughly middle class journey to India to "find myself", and armed with a crappy Kodak point&shoot I managed to come back with a few decent frames. Its stuck ever since.

My journey into sport has been equally non-linear. I took the decision that I needed to knuckle down and concentrate on something or else be doomed to suffer a string of unfulfilling career choices. I love sport in all its glory and pomp, so it was an easy choice I suppose. That was about four years ago and I started covering local games of various types before seeking out the bigger stuff. I found the determination of the amateur athlete very inspiring, and today it is no different if I have a premier league star down the lens or a country club runner. The same drama exists at all levels if you can find it.

I'm now into my second season speccing on football for a couple of agencies, together with whatever else they have going on. In this country, if you're going to do sport, you have to do football, because little else makes the papers.

In many ways I wish I had a classical photographic education and hard earned tutelage from a master of the business, but it didn't work out that way. I made a choice, I work really hard (for little reward),and I humbly soak up as much learning from those around me as I can. There are those who would discredit this path as being inauthentic or maybe even cheating, and they may be right. But i'll stick my neck out and say the industry has changed since digital and since the proliferation of high quality and easy-to-use equipment (and the internet of course), and i'm probably just another example of how accessible this line of work has become. Whether I will survive is another matter of course, and other more crucial aspects come into play, like actual talent! Still not sure I have any but there we go... I'll keep plugging and learning.
 
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Hiya... read the blog..You mnention barnet.. you wasnt there against accy the other week was you?

I have been full time sports for the last 4 yrs and part time for a few yrs before that..

why oh why are you working for agencies on spec? why havent you got your own licence and applying for commisions.. you get more control over your pictures and you get 100% of the fee.. its a hard enough road without giving 30% away and no need.. an agency cant do anyhting for you that you can't..

PS however that comes accross? its meant as friendly positive advice ...nothing else :)
 
Cheers Tony! Friendly and positive advice always appreciated!

I shoot for agencies because: [1] the DataCo licence appears impossible to acquire when going solo, at least when you're starting out; and [2] because the agencies I shoot for have global client reach for better sales, [3] they can get me into any kind of event, [4] and I learn a lot from interactions with pic editors/pic desks etc.

Ultimately I want to do this line of work for one of the bigger agencies, so this experience is just as important to me as getting paid at this early stage in my career.

I should also add that outside of editorial work I do chase commissions/day rates via other means. There's not a lot of that work, but it can be worthwhile.
 
dafphotographer said:
I shoot for agencies because: [1] the DataCo licence appears impossible to acquire when going solo,
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I decided I needed one to survive and got it.. it is doable. I ahve a league licence and dont go for the premiership.. the chances of making a living from premiership unless your with one of the top agencies is slim (am talking full timke pay the bills living) .. The last big game I did was city utd in fa cup (allowed on lg licence) 50 photogrpahers.. whats the point in that?

I suppose it depends what end of the sports scale your looking at.. I shoot paid sport quite a lot and mostly during the week.. i get schools and college work..ok its not arsenal ot chelsea but its sport and it pays guaranteed :)


dafphotographer said:
[2] because the agencies I shoot for have global client reach for better sales,
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fair enough.. I have accounts with all the nationals and although i have sold abroad.. no real connections but then again i dont suppose there interested in the lower level games I do :)

dafphotographer said:
[3] they can get me into any kind of event,
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apart from things like the olympics.. you should be able to get into most stuff yourself.. I have licences for all manner of sports..


dafphotographer said:
[4] and I learn a lot from interactions with pic editors/pic desks etc.
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that would be no different on your own..Like you say I am also always learning and always will be and i always interact with everyone i can inc pic editors who have suprised me now and then... one gave me a right telling off after he said i had a great pic and i said i was lucky because they turned towards me.. he told me never to say i was lucky to get a shot..i worked for it!

dafphotographer said:
Ultimately I want to do this line of work for one of the bigger agencies, so this experience is just as important to me as getting paid at this early stage in my career.
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again fair enough if thats your chosen path.. I went the other way.. i do all manner of sports and find more money at lower levels.. i do deals so i am the only photogrpaher for schools and colleges as an example.. quite a few yrs building a network of contacts


dafphotographer said:
I should also add that outside of editorial work I do chase commissions/day rates via other means. There's not a lot of that work, but it can be worthwhile.
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90% sports here.. the hardest part was finding work midweek.. but I plod along :)

your aiming for the big events.. I hope it works.. no reason on earth why it shouldnt..you ahve the same attitude as me.. work hard, keep going, it will happen.. that was my thinking as well... and it did :)

I have to add.. I do a lot of hrs and I could get a 9-5 job with less hassle and more money... but loving my life doesn't have a price :)
 
Love the Blog Post. It tells it like it is. I could substitute clubs in the North and Midlands for the London ones but the poor Internet connections, Yellow or green casts on floodlights (Liverpool/Middlesbrough), Food (Newcastle & Birmingham are excellent most others are poor or non existent).

I'm now into my second season speccing on football for a couple of agencies I found this interesting. I work for an agency and understood that as they hold my dataco licence that's it. As far as I was aware you can't hold two licences with two different agencies?

Excellent Work - BTW
 
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That's a really nice set of images in your portfolio.....
 
Mark_Fletcher said:
Yellow or green casts on floodlights (Liverpool/Middlesbrough
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A slight stray from the main theme, if I may. I suffer from the same thing at a lower league ground. I use auto WB but still find the yellow/green cast showing on skin. Is there a way of getting this sorted at the time and in camera rather than doing it in post production?
 
nigpd said:
A slight stray from the main theme, if I may. I suffer from the same thing at a lower league ground. I use auto WB but still find the yellow/green cast showing on skin. Is there a way of getting this sorted at the time and in camera rather than doing it in post production?
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Nigel, I would always recommend dialling in a custom white balance setting. Afternoon daylight should be constant, and you'll definitely get more accurate results out of floodlights by also dialling in. My cameras (1D mk4's) have a custom WB registration function which reads from a single frame, but again I find that unreliable if the light temp is uneven. Just dial in a WB and match it to skin tones on the biggest part of the field.

For everything else you're going to have to suffer a little uneven light temp i'm afraid - its just the way some floods work, and LED ad boards are terrible for it.
 
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nigpd said:
A slight stray from the main theme, if I may. I suffer from the same thing at a lower league ground. I use auto WB but still find the yellow/green cast showing on skin. Is there a way of getting this sorted at the time and in camera rather than doing it in post production?
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By setting the WB manually but it's trial and error and then you might not get it right then. Someone else on here will have a recipe I'm sure but I've never managed to get it right.
 
Hi there David and welcome aboard.


I have just had a read of your blog, really interesting and well written mate. Your images are also excellent, you clearly have a lot of talent.

Good luck with your chosen profession, there are at least 2 very good photographers here , Kippax (Tony) and Gary Coyle who are established in your particular field and can no doubt give you some tips if needed.

Andy
 
Made me laugh reading that. Its all so true..i know everyone moans about the internet at west ham, but ive somehow never had a problem! Thats probably the only reason i got some hits from there lol.

Will keep track of your blog, as im only shooting my second season of football also.
 
Good luck with your chosen profession, there are at least 2 very good photographers here
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I think theres a few more than 2 great photographers using these sport forums! but tony and gary will tell u how it is :)
 
Great read David & sooo true!!.

I'm sure you'll regularly bump into my agencie's photographers round your neck of the woods as it's London based:).

Rob you wanna try it @ Sheff Weds :shrug:

Some great shots too by the way:thumbs:. Kind regards Graham.
 
I got stuck on the cheerleader photo a little but after that managed to get through your portfolio.
very enjoyable viewing
 
haha pretty much the best way to show new snappers what goes into one day, god knows why im getting back into it!!!
 
Hi Chris,
will we see your name back on the co's email list :)
 
Me too unable to access the blog , even tried Gary coles linky that doesn't work either :(
 
Yep G, he's my boss!, who, I have to say seems to going places in the Agency word ATM!.

As you've already stated you won't work for a 70/30 split, (which I appreciate), so I'm not surprised you weren't interested in joining!, not forgetting the fact you hate Football :lol:.

PS have you got your RL license application entered,(yours)?.
 
Bluesman graham said:
PS have you got your RL license application entered,(yours)?.
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My RL application is sat here.. I had a catagory one licence all last season.. never used it once.. I was never ever going to be able to do sundays anyway.. but was there for thursday/fridays.. however I never got to a single match

didnt stop the old women (natter natter pros) in the press rooms spreading rumours about me and rugby photography though... sigh.. seems i was after the huddersfield job.. neat trick when i cant shoot rugby on a sunday eh? :)

I dont think I will bother this season.. not going to get to any matches.. cant get a sniff of money from rugby apart from an odd commision if i can get halifax away or summat like that.. will do local rugby for paper and not bother with super league.
 
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Bluesman graham said:
Yep G, he's my boss!, who, I have to say seems to going places in the Agency word ATM!.

As you've already stated you won't work for a 70/30 split, (which I appreciate), so I'm not surprised you weren't interested in joining!, not forgetting the fact you hate Football :lol:.

PS have you got your RL license application entered,(yours)?.
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Already spoken with Daniel, yes mate, got my applic in. will be same as last year i suppose, wonder how they'll sort out accred for the world cup next year, think they might issue "blanket passes" for grouop stages then individual applications for semis and final.
 
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