Photography passes

jigga1980

jigga1980

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Wondering when you go to events, be it motorsport/gigs how do you acquire a pass. Or become 'an official photorapher' I assume most places would be paying for shots, so they would choose them.

Just I went to Loton park hill climb the weekend, there was a guy there beyond the barriers with a yellow jacket on with a website on it. He did have pass, but another guy just had a yellow jacket on.

Had thought if I just brought a jacket with me I could have got away with it. Also when I went to a vxr trackday I asked if I could get to a certain area, he said "are you a tog, you just need a yellow jacket, h&s"

It's amazing now, if you wear a yellow jacket with some sort of writing on and the right sort of gear people just never seem to ask questions!
 
This is an often asked question but for major events you need to provide evidence from a newspaper of magazine that you have a right to be there - ie you're working for them. Also evidence of public liability cover - £ 5 million is the norm.

For lesser events the requirements are sometimes more lax, but insurance is recommended.

You can get better angles, and you're closer to the action, but also its a more dangerous place to be as you're in front of the catch fencing.

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Depends what the event is.

I find a simple email is always best. I have recently got booked to cover a major event on the Island by a London based company - All it took was an email and a link to my website.
 
jigga1980 said:
Just I went to Loton park hill climb the weekend, there was a guy there beyond the barriers with a yellow jacket on with a website on it. He did have pass, but another guy just had a yellow jacket on.
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having a yellow jacket isn't particularly important at a hill climb - check out the pics at top12runoff.com, many of them you'd be embarrassed to claim ownership (although Mark Simpson seems better than most)
 
Turning up with a yellow jacket at a race and going trackside without any form of permission will most likely get you chucked out and never get a pass at all.

What track did you go to for the VXR day?
 
With my wife's new job she has a Pass for all the circuits in Europe and can get me a pass for any event, which is nice :thumbs:
 
PerfectSpeed said:
With my wife's new job she has a Pass for all the circuits in Europe and can get me a pass for any event, which is nice :thumbs:
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what kind of pass is that? its not something i've ever heard of!
i dont think even Bernie can get a pass that covers every circuit in Europe.
 
Mike Hoyer said:
Turning up with a yellow jacket at a race and going trackside without any form of permission will most likely get you chucked out and never get a pass at all.

What track did you go to for the VXR day?
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i reckon you could get away with it at knockhill lol
 
This subject has been done to death on this site. You'll need PLI insurance, probably need a mag/publication to get you trackside depending on where you're going/what is on. And even then, the promoter hiring a circuit can refuse to let you trackside for any reason they want. And there is nothing that can be done!

Take a quick search regarding press passes!

Join the other thousands of us motorsport togs that won't/don't make any money for hours and hours taking photos and then hosting them online! Oh! And getting them robbed and put in mags, on websites, on facebook without our permission!

If I were you (and am thinking of this next year) stay public side and enjoy getting the photos and enjoy photography!

Carl.
Carl.
 
CarlOgden said:
Join the other thousands of us motorsport togs that won't/don't make any money for hours and hours taking photos and then hosting them online! Oh! And getting them robbed and put in mags, on websites, on facebook without our permission!
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Surely not :eek: :p
 
Gary said:
what kind of pass is that? its not something i've ever heard of!
i dont think even Bernie can get a pass that covers every circuit in Europe.
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Just had a quick chat, we get tickets and press pass for France and UK I believe, will check it out in more detail this week to be sure.
 
Gary said:
the only people that work for Max are certain ladies of the night :)
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LOL - almost spat my coffee all over my monitor then LOL

Oh if it were easy to get passes I'd be in heaven. Any I've tried to get, even for my local circuit, I've been told I have to be working for the media AND have had at least 4 images published.
 
ive done work for the big B and didnt get any passes to anywhere
 
Annie said:
Any I've tried to get, even for my local circuit, I've been told I have to be working for the media AND have had at least 4 images published.
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Sssssssh don't tell anyone else I told you this, but the secret is not to ask for a season pass, but just for one event... obviously with backing from a paper/magazine...or even website (yes, motorsport is now in the 20th century) for a single event. Get the editor to write a letter backing you and off you toddle...

Prove that you can get images published from that first go and work your way up from there...

But you still have the hurdle of finding a publication outlet - afterall it is a MEDIA pass, not a "better shots on TP pass" ;-) They give you access so you promote their venue/series to the world, its advertorial content they want.
 
Mike Hoyer said:
Turning up with a yellow jacket at a race and going trackside without any form of permission will most likely get you chucked out and never get a pass at all.

What track did you go to for the VXR day?
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Rockingham, wasn't that good really. Something I'd always wanted to try.

p.s I did a search but didn't bring anything up, used to wrong words it would seem.
 
Who did you speak to there? Just out of interest really, as they don't generally let people trackside there unless they have a good reason to be working.
 
No idea, I could only get behind a fence. So poked lens through it. Was allowed on the top of the pit garages but as cars were too far away and barriers in the way wasn't much use.
 
I've had a pass for Badminton Horse Trials for the last two years and Chatsworth once as they let a few students have one, it's been great for gaining experience and great for gaining confidence too :) Obviously I've not had my images published or sold any (I'm not even sure how I'd go about that, the big equestrian magazines all seem to have their own photographers) so they've not really gained anything from it, but the chap from the press office said they liked to encourage younger photographers.
 
There are a few (smaller) places that will accept you without too much effort - their angle is to try and gain publicity when they largely get none.

So don't start trying for F1 or the World Cup, but go smaller - smaller venues and smaller events and gradually work your way up once you have an established media outlet...

If you don't get stuff regularly printed the savvy (bigger) events will ultimately can you...

There are very few who can just walk into just about anything and score a pass - even once you have some success it will depend on your publications editor as to whether or not its relevant content for their organisation, so look for an angle - local driver/rider, a sport a paper regularly reports on etc
 
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