Football press pass?

Joshwain

Joshwain

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I'm rather new to photography but I was just wondering if anybody knows how easy (or difficult) it would be to get a press pass to a Championship football match. I've always wanted to give it a go but haven't had the courage to contact them. At one match, I saw a young girl with a simple compact camera...
 
Try the thread above this one; Photographing the Football or Premiere League.
 
Oh right, so basically it's impossible :p

I thought it might have been as simple as contacting the club and being allowed to take photos at a match or two. I wonder why the girl was there with a compact camera, maybe she was a relation to one of the professionals or something.

Anywayy, Happy new year!
 
Joshwain said:
I'm rather new to photography but I was just wondering if anybody knows how easy (or difficult) it would be to get a press pass to a Championship football match. I've always wanted to give it a go but haven't had the courage to contact them. At one match, I saw a young girl with a simple compact camera...
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Very Difficult though many will say not difficult enough ;)

If your really serious about it as a career, go away and practice on sunday league games and put together a portfolio to show what you can do then take things from their.

If your just after a one off jolly to say ooh look at me i'm pitchside i would politely suggest you don't bother, its hard enough for the guys trying to make a living from it without having people pitchside who shouldn't be there and treat their place of work with contempt :)
 
Joshwain said:
Oh right, so basically it's impossible :p
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I asked similar question 3 or 4 years ago. I now shoot regularly at anything from League 2 to Premier League games. Yesterday I had the joy of covering a 0-0 draw between Aldershot and Plymouth Argyle for the Daily Star, and it's Fulham v Charlton next weekend.

So, it definitely is do-able. As Andy says you need to work your way up, get experience, make contacts, build a network. It's not easy, which is why only those who are very committed get through.

The lady you saw may have been with the team's PR department or her son might have been playing. You'll usually spot the serious shooters from their layers and layers of warm clothing, shoulders sagging with the weight of gear, and ability to get great pictures from even the dullest game.
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Very Difficult though many will say not difficult enough ;)

If your really serious about it as a career, go away and practice on sunday league games and put together a portfolio to show what you can do then take things from their.

If your just after a one off jolly to say ooh look at me i'm pitchside i would politely suggest you don't bother, its hard enough for the guys trying to make a living from it without having people pitchside who shouldn't be there and treat their place of work with contempt :)
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I think it would be rather interesting however I'm not too sure if I would like to do it as a career as of yet. Also, I don't have the right equipment yet and my only lens is a 18-55mm kit lens. What I think I'll do is contact a few Sunday league teams and see if I enjoy it or not, that will also be good because I won't be expected to have the best of the best gear.

Tobers said:
I asked similar question 3 or 4 years ago. I now shoot regularly at anything from League 2 to Premier League games. Yesterday I had the joy of covering a 0-0 draw between Aldershot and Plymouth Argyle for the Daily Star, and it's Fulham v Charlton next weekend.

So, it definitely is do-able. As Andy says you need to work your way up, get experience, make contacts, build a network. It's not easy, which is why only those who are very committed get through.

The lady you saw may have been with the team's PR department or her son might have been playing. You'll usually spot the serious shooters from their layers and layers of warm clothing, shoulders sagging with the weight of gear, and ability to get great pictures from even the dullest game.
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As above, I think I'm going to give it a go with the almost unknown teams to see if I would enjoy it or not, then I can take it from there. I'm only 17 so I'm sure I have plenty of time to get in if I decide to be determined enough :D
 
You forgot to mention the Risk of your camera gear being destroyed by the Football.

Especially in the Non Premier League games where the ball can go anywhere when they shoot ;)
 
Josh,

Well good luck with you endeavours. I was a bit over-zealous yesterday, you caught me mid drinks etc :naughty:
 
Tobers sums it up nicely, build contact and work through the lower leagues and up, look around local / nearby Saturday teams and start there.

I got lucky with mine last year, it ended with a trip to Wembley and loads of contacts made, great times had, I've since jumped up three levels and regularly shoot Blue Square north and Blue Square premier now with an option to work to Championship level on the horizon once things are finalized

I've done that all since Feb 2011, don't let things get you down, keep your head high and keep pushing, you will get your rewards
 
Oxford_Matt said:
You forgot to mention the Risk of your camera gear being destroyed by the Football.

Especially in the Non Premier League games where the ball can go anywhere when they shoot ;)
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The risk is nominal no matter what game you go to.. I have done over a thousand games sat on the touchline and never had any damage to self, camera or lens..
 
Oxford_Matt said:
You forgot to mention the Risk of your camera gear being destroyed by the Football.

Especially in the Non Premier League games where the ball can go anywhere when they shoot ;)
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I have ninja reactions so I will be fine ;) :suspect:

cowasaki said:
Josh,

Well good luck with you endeavours. I was a bit over-zealous yesterday, you caught me mid drinks etc :naughty:
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Ahahh, no problem - I hope you had a good night :D
 
have the rest of us missed soemhting.. i cant see any posts from cowasaki apart form the one apologising?
 
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I would also speak to your home insurance company and explain exactly what you are doing and double check re cover. Just to be sure.
 
cowasaki said:
I would also speak to your home insurance company and explain exactly what you are doing and double check re cover. Just to be sure.
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Time to sound young and inexperienced in life. I'm 17 so my mum deals with all that :shrug:
 
Yv said:
Yeah Tony, how on earth could you have forgotten that day :eek: :lol: Still, they say the human mind is very good at blocking things it would rather not remember ;)
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complete and utter blank.. spooky... then along comes gary :)
 
Joshwain said:
Time to sound young and inexperienced in life. I'm 17 so my mum deals with all that :shrug:
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You better get her to ring and just check with them. You are probably going to be ok for Sunday league etc but nice to be absolutely sure.
 
cowasaki said:
You better get her to ring and just check with them. You are probably going to be ok for Sunday league etc but nice to be absolutely sure.
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Wont be OK if a player crashes into him and smashes his head then decides to sue, even for local sunday league soccer i would have at least 1 million PLI which would only cost about £30 a year.
 
Gary Coyle said:
Wont be OK if a player crashes into him and smashes his head then decides to sue, even for local sunday league soccer i would have at least 1 million PLI which would only cost about £30 a year.
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If he is not doing this commercially then their household insurance will probably have a household public liability section anyway. Again worth checking.
 
I'd only be doing it to find out if I'd enjoy it or not and to gain some experience :)
 
I'd still recommend insurance beforehand.

Worst case you don't need it and lose interest in sports photography... but at least your gears still properly insured whatever you end up shooting :)
 
Agree re insurance, I've not been "hit" by players but have often had to stick a hand up to stop a ball, its not worth the risk

Conference level and about need atleast £2mil PL cover aswell
 
Joshwain said:
I'd only be doing it to find out if I'd enjoy it or not and to gain some experience :)
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Phone your local club (Barnsley?)explaining your looking for some experience in sports photography and ask if its possible to shadow their club photographer (I cant remember his name but could find out) at the next home game.
 
KIPAX said:
OMG I forgot about that.. how could I hahaha.. Now the nightmares have stopped :)

Josh...Third pic down... right in middle bald head ...ouch..managed to get my gear under the triangular adverts boards....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-Billy-Clarke-clinch-points-Ian-Holloway.html
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Only just seen the edit, It's a good job you had ninja reactions to get your gear covered :p

snapzz said:
Phone your local club (Barnsley?)explaining your looking for some experience in sports photography and ask if its possible to shadow their club photographer (I cant remember his name but could find out) at the next home game.
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Would that be possible, or do you think they would just frown at it?
 
Aperture87 said:
You won't know until you ask, the worst they can do is say no.
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I need to get a suitable lens before I ask just in case they say yes. I don't want to be there with my kit lens getting no results at all :lol:
 
Joshwain said:
I need to get a suitable lens before I ask just in case they say yes. I don't want to be there with my kit lens getting no results at all :lol:
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Maybe not, you'd get more from watching their photographer at work, not taking your own shots, you need to start doing that at the lowest level. I can't imagine they'll just allow you in for some photography practice, there's more chance of a kind of work experience with their man I'd say.
 
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Aperture87 said:
Maybe not, you'd get more from watching their photographer at work, not taking your own shots, you need to start doing that at the lowest level. I can't imagine they'll just allow you in for some photography practice, there's more chance of a kind of work experience I'd say.
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I need to save up for even the cheapest of lenses at the moment, Christmas has emptied my pockets :p
 
Joshwain said:
Only just seen the edit, It's a good job you had ninja reactions to get your gear covered :p

Would that be possible, or do you think they would just frown at it?
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It's worth doing, it worked with me :D

The worst they can say is no. Ask about covering the reserve team and juniors. I covered the Millwall v Barnsley FA Youth Cup game a couple of years back shadowing the Millwall club photographer.

With regards to insurance, get it. I lost a lens one Saturday afternoon by not getting out of the way of three big rugby players and ended up underneath them. The lens is now a very expensive door stop.
 
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