The TP "Official" guide to sports stadiums

Rovers_Andy said:
Gigg Lane, Bury FC

Parking

Street parking is limited so you need to get there early, or pay £3 and park next to the club shop, again limited spaces. I arrived about 1 1/2 hours before Kickoff.

Facilities

No sign of a media room when i was there :( team sheets are handed out about 30 minutes before Kickoff.

Shooting Locations

You can shoot anywhere :D

Lighting

Looked pretty consistent to me ISO 2500 at 1/640th f/2.8
Click to expand...

There is a media room at the top of the stairs where you come into the main stand, obviously not publicised enough when you arrive, but I do try and tell people when I remember.
 
Martin64uk said:
There is a media room at the top of the stairs where you come into the main stand, obviously not publicised enough when you arrive, but I do try and tell people when I remember.
Click to expand...

Hi martin.. yep I have been in there... i forget about it :)
 
Martin64uk said:
There is a media room at the top of the stairs where you come into the main stand, obviously not publicised enough when you arrive, but I do try and tell people when I remember.
Click to expand...

Thats Kipaxs fault :nono: giving me duff info :lol:
 
Parking

No parking restrictions on nearby roads just past the stadium (coming from M6), and plenty of on site parking too.

Facilities

No media room as far as I could tell.. when I asked where to go I was directed to the pitch with a strange look :lol:

Good O2 signal for wiring, no wifi though.

Shooting Locations

Pretty much anywhere I think :)

Lighting

Varied every so slightly across the pitch, but you can't go far wrong with 1/640th, f2.8 and ISO2500, with local adjustments in the corners!
 
snapper75 said:
Withdean Stadium parking anyone!!!?????
Click to expand...

Do you have press/football league id?
Get there early and use the sports center complex next to the ground, the stewards will want id.
If not, don't know :lol:
Shaun
 
Cheers Shaun, i do have a id card, though on request for parking was told that they cannot help ( the club ).
 
Thanks guys, it was mainly about parking around the ground and facilities i.e wifi or 3g coverage. However i will be elsewhere on Saturday now, but will be good to know for future reference
 
Loftus Road

Getting there - traffic pretty nightmarish. Motorbike or tube is best I suggest.

Match-day pass collection - get it from the ticket booth nearest to the club shop. Usual thing - show your press pass and they'll hand it over. Entrance for media is just next to the ticket booth. Go in, turn right, up a slope and down a little corridor, and there's a very small photographer's room with power plugs and worktop, where you collect and sign for your bib. Might be a sandwich in the fridge.

It was daylight when I was there. Shooting positions from the ends are tricky as you have to sit on the grass to avoid blocking the supporters who are down at the same level as you.

3G on O2 was great - pics zapped up quick-style. No WiFi that I could find.
 
Wakefield Trinity: Hearwell Stadium

Parking

Very limited as the club shares its parking with the Superbowl, best to use on street round the ground

Matchday enterance

Enterance is from the superbowl car park, go to the far left side of the seated stand and flash your pass to the steward, go down steps and turn left through the Cat tunnel, turn right then immediate right into press room, sign in get bib and teamsheet along with programme, tea and coffee facilities along with a selection of fresh buns.n Wireless code is usually on far wall.

Shooting and lighting

Restricted to behind the posts at one end onbly, lights are woeful, 3200 ISO all the way at least, forget about the corners unless you have a D3s :D
 
[/B]Parking

Underground car park right at the ground, no requirement to show pass

Facilities

Pick up pass from ticket office at Main Stand then enter via main door, press bibs in reception. Media room in main stand, sockets etc, not sure on wifi.

Shooting Locations

Limited to eight points at the away stand end, anywhere on the far touchline or at the Sainsburys end, so long as you're behind the boards.

Lighting

Only shot at daytime games so can't comment
 
snapzz said:
Parking
Free parking has been withdrawn since they were promoted to Championship.It is possible to park in one of the side streets or there is a big retail park nearby. Otherwise its £5!

Facilities
Check in in reception and receive your bib. Use the lift to 2nd floor and turn right for press room which is at the bottom. I believe for rugby they use a different room. Refreshments is only hot drinks and pork pies so maybe not kosher friendly! Wifi is available but requires a password.I have used it and when working runs well but found it a bit hit and miss at pitchside.

Lighting
Very good 1/640 @f2.8 ISO1250

Location
Only restriction is they dont like you on the pitch for managers shots.Just remember this is also a rugby pitch so you are quite far back if sat behind the goal. What out for ballboys too. They only seem to come and sit just before KO and usually right in front of you!
Click to expand...

The room for Rugby is the Press room, depending on the game, there normally aren't that many other photographers about [today was myself and two local paper photographers], but again, you get a fair run of the ends of the pitch, I don't know about the sides, as I didn't try there today.

The light dropped off for about 10 minutes when the clouds came over, and the floodlights were warming up, but other than that, its exactly as Graham put.
 
Parking

Big car park, I had a reservation so that was easy peasy! :)

Facilities

I arrived and was directed to the players entrance.

Small media room, with tea, coffe and butties provided. No room for more than 5 or 6 people though!

No wifi, but great O2 signal.

Shooting Locations

Wherever you fancy!

Lighting

Day game so it was lovely! Can't comment on the lighting otherwise.
 
Parking

Press parking at the back of the East Stand, no requirement to show pass when I was there

Facilities

Enter via press door in Main Stand, next to Main entrance. Press room through a warren of corridors, not sure on wifi, couple of hard wired ports for the big papers, good signal on Vodafone. Tea, Coffee and pies provided at half time.

Shooting Locations

Behind either goal and limited space in enclosure on Main Stand side (if it's not open for fans)

Lighting

Not bad, 1/800th f2.8 at ISO2500 in the centre, had to up the ISO to 3000 in the wings.
 
Stamford Bridge Update

There's excellent WiFi coverage across the pitch via BT Openzone (£9.99 for a 24 hour pass if you dont have membership already). Mobile coverage falls away once the stadium is full - be warned! WiFi is a better bet.

On the West side, the signboards are particularly high so you may not be able to see over them especially if you have to be down 6" below the kerb. My cheapo stool wasn't good enough unfortunately and I had to kneel for the whole game.

Night-time floodlights are particularly good - 1/1250th at f/2.8 and ISO2000 is excellent.

Parking after 6:30pm in Lots Road just off the Kings Road is free. It's a 5 min walk to the stadium from there.
 
purpleclouds said:
Anyone shot at the Don Valley Stadium? There for Rotherham tonight!
Click to expand...

get wrapped up.. its like being out in an open field mate.. the stands are so far away.. honestly.. and only one stand open .. plenty of parking right on the ground.. pretty quick to get away as well..
 
purpleclouds said:
Anyone shot at the Don Valley Stadium? There for Rotherham tonight!
Click to expand...

Hi Phil, i shoot there regularly, these from a post last week were shot last Friday night, take noter i shot at ISO 4000 but i like a shutter speed over 1/1000th sec where possible and with the D3 S its possible http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=213289

Having said that you will easily use ISO 2500 and get between 1/500th to 1/800th, lights are currently aboiut 70% capacity switched on for Rugby League and you might get more on for the Footy

These were shot mid february when i used a Canon 1d MKIIV at ISO 2500 http://www.rlphotos.fotopic.net/c1816089.html

These were shot last February at ISO 2500 with a D3 http://www.rlphotos.fotopic.net/c1816089.html

Ive never used the press facilities so no idea, footy might be different but you need to book in with the club and pick up your pass from the portakabin on Worksop road by the main enterance, parl outside, pick your ticket up and then go into the car park 20 yards further down.

Like i say, footy might be different to Rugby.

I try to stay at the clock/scoreboard end as light seems to be a little better that end.
 
seriously phil ...look how far away fans are to pitch your sat on :)


roth.jpg
 
KIPAX said:
seriously phil ...look how far away fans are to pitch your sat on :)


roth.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes.. it was bad.. it was raining horizontally so everything on my right got wet in the first half, then everything on the left got wet in the second :D
 
I had the pleasure to shoot at Wembley yesterday. By far the best stadium I've been to so far...

Getting there
Predictably very busy on a match day, but get there early. I was on the motorbike and parked in the Green car park about 20 yards from the photographer's entrance (just to the left of the "Wembley Way" bridge under the concourse).

Get there early because all the photographers also get there early. I checked in, did the bag search and got my creds, then onto the Photographers Lounge. As a first timer I asked where to go and a nice media steward took me through.

Once in, the advice is to get pitchside and book your place pronto by laying down your monopod/stool. I did this at 2pm (5pm kick off) and most of the good spots had already gone.

Getting away is predictably very tricky too if you are in a car. Expect a long slow dribble out of the estate and onto the main roads. By motorbike I was back in Guildford in 40 mins :D.

Comms & Power
In your creds pack is a bit of paper with login details for the network connectivity. Dont lose this! In the Photographer's Lounge there is wired network and power. Rather fantastically, you can get the same pitchside as well. There are wired LAN ports all around the pitch. There are also numerous large plastic boxes full of LAN cables as well. If you sit near one of the covered green power units you can plug in your laptop too. Some togs take an extension lead with them as well. The networking is awesome - snap, caption, send. I was pinging pictures away 2-3 mins after taking them. Bloody brilliant!!

Lighting
I was there in daylight. There's a pretty harsh shadow that comes across the pitch but that's nothing unusual.

Other Stuff
You'll get a wee bag with sandwiches, crisps, chocky and a drink. Also there were hotdogs post match. Tea and coffee are on tap and there's a fridge with cold water in. The staff are exceptionally helpful. Overall an excellent experience.
 
good timing Andy :D i'll be heading to Wembley for the playoffs. saved me asking for info :)
 
Rovers_Andy said:
good timing Andy :D i'll be heading to Wembley for the playoffs. saved me asking for info :)
Click to expand...

Hopefully to get a few pics of my happy bunch of reprobates doing well...
 
Ive shot a Wembley too (Twice) and to be honest it was a nightmare both times, I wont be clamering for the job next time trust me*. Horrible preferential treatment in bib colour, Horrible very very harsh shadow, Horrible traffic and over zealous stewards. Nice media room and goodies though.

* although if the FA cup needs doing I will check my diary ;)

:thumbs:
 
asterix said:
Ive shot a Wembley too (Twice) and to be honest it was a nightmare both times, I wont be clamering for the job next time trust me*. Horrible preferential treatment in bib colour, Horrible very very harsh shadow, Horrible traffic and over zealous stewards. Nice media room and goodies though.

* although if the FA cup needs doing I will check my diary ;)

:thumbs:
Click to expand...
Same experience of Wembley as you Ste, a horrible place and unless you work for Getty youre treated like crap.

And as for the "packed lunch" what a load of rubbish, it's basically a school kids lunchbox
 
Wembley is a weird one - Ive covered the last couple of FA Trophy Final's there and found it to be a great experience! Very helpful staff, great facilities and excellent connectivity. I was covering these for one of the local papers, so didnt get any preferencial treatment lol.

However, a colleague of mine covering for one of the local Sunday's said it was one on the worst experiences he's ever had covering footy. Guess Im just easily pleased? :lol:
 
Gary Coyle said:
Same experience of Wembley as you Ste, a horrible place and unless you work for Getty youre treated like crap.
Click to expand...

Think it's the big agency boys get red/green/black bibs, only some of them from there teams of snappers and club togs can aswell. empics are allowed in first.......... Wembley official snappers! Plain blue for us mortals.

KL755 said:
Wembley is a weird one - Ive covered the last couple of FA Trophy Final's there and found it to be a great experience! Very helpful staff, great facilities and excellent connectivity. I was covering these for one of the local papers, so didnt get any preferencial treatment lol.

However, a colleague of mine covering for one of the local Sunday's said it was one on the worst experiences he's ever had covering footy. Guess Im just easily pleased? :lol:
Click to expand...

Think it depends on what your used to. If your shooting lower league stuff the stadium is top notch (apart from the shadow!) Ask Tobers if he prefered Wembley or Esher RFC......... power/wifi/food or a picnic bench under a piece of stretched canvas with a hot drink voucher? Know which one I'd go for.
 
Last edited:
Has anyone done Meadow Lane before? I've got a possible game there on Saturday afternoon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top