Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

Sports Corner Rules
Sports Corner Resource
  

FM Forums | Sports Corner | Join Upload & Sell

1      
2
       3       end
  

Archive 2014 · Why do you take sports pictures?

  
 
csllcoach
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Why do you take sports pictures?


Purely because I am egotistical . . . I wanted to be like Paul Aleese and Max Simbron [PShizzy] !

http://www.rfboddie.org/BI10E/a_B4W0267.jpg
http://www.rfboddie.org/307.jpg



Edited on Mar 11, 2014 at 02:20 PM · View previous versions



Feb 02, 2014 at 08:55 AM
knight13
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Why do you take sports pictures?


Started out many years ago at Cheer Comps thinking that I could do better than what the event guys where producing and I advanced from there.

I now work for the event guys at the highest level of the sport, shooting, learning and sucking as much info as I possibly can.....and I LOVE every minute of it.

When you've just shot for 2+ days at 14hrs plus and every muscle in your body hurts....and you still want to do it again. You have found what you're supposed to be doing.

I shoot other sports for the access and the fun but Cheer is where I love to be.



Feb 04, 2014 at 02:14 PM
andyz
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Why do you take sports pictures?


Certainly it's all about the fame and fortune.

B&H knows me and I've spent a fortune there. I told my wife recently I could quit my day job and do this full time and make hundreds of dollars a year. She laughed, I cried.

Actually I got into it shooting my son thru high school and then had too much invested to stop shooting. It's a lot of fun, gets me out and away from my desk, gives me goals.



Feb 04, 2014 at 11:42 PM
rachelsdad
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I got into this shooting my Kids games. At most of them I am the only one with more than a camera phone. I keep those of my Kids and I put a few on a site for parents. I was asked to do the team pictures the last couple of years ( they don't want to pay the league contracted company) and I have refused. I will take one of my kids, but they still get the paid package. I have found that as my kids get bigger my equipment cost grow as well, good thing I have a day job Steven


Feb 05, 2014 at 02:52 PM
Carl Auer
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I know you are "not really asking the guys who do this as a job" but I will chime in. I actually got started seriously with photography by accident. I was never planning on becoming a photographer. I had dreams of playing college basketball and NBA basketball. I took a journalism class my junior year of high school and was a "Sports Editor". Then during a summer league basketball game I blew out my knees about a month before my senior year started. I took the continuation of the Journalism class my senior year and early on I was going to cover a soccer game and our photographer could not come to the game so I borrowed a schools camera and shot the game. Our photographer taught me how to develop the film, and within a week I went out and bought my first SLR and shot everything I could. I went to college for photography and photojournalism but did play one season of JuCo ball before I realized my knees would never be able to take another full season of basketball again (I did compete in a dunk contest in Washington held by a radio station in 1995, but that was about the last time I did anything serious with a basketball in my hand (I did win ). I got hit with the real world after college and did very little with my photography until 1998 but it was all architectural and portrait stuff. It was not until I moved to Alaska that I rekindled my love of Sports Photography and I have been fighting to do that as my only job for 11 years. And it is not easy. But it is what I love to do and I will do it until I can not hold a camera anymore.


Feb 05, 2014 at 06:16 PM
drbob
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I was into photography starting back in Junior high, learning how to develop and print photos in the darkroom. "Photography" (vs taking pictures), was mostly dormant for a decade or two, until my own kids were in middle school and active in sports. Bought the Rebel in '03, and the rest is history. I'm an administrator at the high school my kids went to, so I go to a lot of our events and shoot... not for $, but to post online for kids and families, and because I love the challenge to improve. I've learned so much from seeing and reading all the posts from all the really talented shooters here at FM. So, whatever your reasons, thanks to everyone for contributing to the common good.

bb



Feb 06, 2014 at 10:27 AM
Ed Swift
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Why do you take sports pictures?


For me it was just for the challenge. In fact the main reason I started going to Ice Hockey was to shoot something new. Now I like watching it more than shooting (and generally spend at least 1 period just watching)


Feb 08, 2014 at 04:31 AM
fstopperdown
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I knew the editor of a local weekly newspaper and my images trumped anything they did.

It became a fun hobby. At $15 per image (or was it $25?) it became more about the press pass and personal challenges. I mean... you can only shoot baseball so many ways.

I shot sports mostly, and a few other assignments.

I won a handful of Press Association awards. One was taken in B+W with a Leica M3. They needed filler and my afterthought snapshot of some young kids jumping off a bridge into the river was pretty cool and won an award...

The coolest thing was walking into a gym and seeing my images cut from the newspaper and pinned up!

Stupidly got into weddings and bombed miserably... took a few years off.

Just found out today that the paper might take me back.

My gear is rather minimal. Nikon D200 with either 300mm f/2.8 AIS ED-IF or a 50mm f/1.4 prime. Today, I ordered a D600.

Pretty stoked and just in time for some excellent PJ opportunities with the Governor and TWO US Senate race heating up this year.

I have a feeling 2014 is going to be a fun year!



Feb 10, 2014 at 02:23 AM
Ming0225
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Why do you take sports pictures?


rob4bama wrote:
I'm more of a lurker but I'm curious about the reasons many people post here. I'm not really asking the guys who do this as a job or for a paper but mostly the others.

Are you there taking pictures of your kids and just take shots of others?
Just a hobby you enjoy?
Parents ask you to?
You're a budding photographer trying to make it in the business?

Also, what do you do with your pictures after you take them?
Share them on facebook with parents?
Put them on a hard drive and just put them away?
Upload them to a website to sell?

I appreciate any comments.
...Show more


Actually, for this article that you posted.
take off "Sport" and replace any word you can.
it would be your question too.



Feb 16, 2014 at 07:29 AM
Frank Lauri
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Why do you take sports pictures?


Rob…based on your questions….I'll give my why's.

Although I don't do this as my main job….I do make some $$….but I didn't start that way. I don't remember how I learned about FM but I did and I joined and it was one of the best moves I made in my quest to "find myself" in the field of photography.

It's been a resource of valuable information that I don't think one could get in an institution of higher learning. It's also been a place where I've made some valuable contacts and friendships….and some who I've had the opportunity and pleasure of meeting, shooting with and sharing stories with over adult beverages.

I first started with taking pics of my kids which was a hobby and for pleasure. When I joined FM…I saw the caliber of images that people were posting and I wanted to get to that level. But the gear I had wouldn't get me there.

So I invested in a little better gear that was a little more expensive and my images got a little better and then I started to get the calls from parents, other coaches and booster clubs.

So I thought….hey there might be something to this. Since I was then involved in youth sports (Little League President)…I thought I would see where it went.

Well I quickly found out it wasn't as easy as I thought and there was things I needed to do in order to push this. Website, business cards, advertising, customers, business plan, etc. But I needed to start investing in other gear. Lenses, lighting, backup gear, insurance etc.

So the plan went into effect and several years later I now have a second job that…at times I put as much time into in a week as my day job….not to mention the investment of $$$$ into the gear and accessories.

But why sports….for me it's because I really like sports with baseball as my favorite. But shooting sports Ive been exposed to others I have grown to like a lot that I never really watched at all. It has allotted me the opportunity to see some really neat events, meet some really great people….but there is also the thrill of capturing that moment in time of something that no one else got. Some other photogs may have gotten something similar….but that exact image….PLUS….for the golfers and I've dabbled there too….it is the one shot that keep you coming back. You may have shot a 105….but there was one shot in that round that was amazing. Same thing for me with sports photography. I may have had a crappy day…or every a good day….but there usually is one shot that I took that day that keep me coming back for more.

About 6 years ago I was shooting one of my son's HS baseball games when the chief photographer from the local newspaper (Circ. approx. 35K) approached me and asked if I would be interested in shooting freelance sports for them. Although it's not a high paying gig….I accepted and I love it. I'm exposed to all levels of local sports and I am always shooting something……regular season stuff to playoffs to championship games. And here again…it afforded me to meet some great people, make more friends and some additional opportunities that led to more paid gigs.

What do I do with the images? I have numerous hard drives, CD’s, etc….plus I post to my website for sales, some go to Facebook and I also have clients that will get CD’s.

With my pending retirement from the day job HOPEFULLY at the end of this year….my plans will be to spend more time to do this and become a student again. I say student because I've started to get into "high school senior" portraits. So I'm dabbling quite a bit in this area now and I like it a lot. Since I don't have a studio…it is more location type and it keeps me outdoors during some nice seasonal weather in Northeast PA. And again it's meeting nice and interesting people and so far I've had some fun shoots with the seniors I've shot so far.

So that's my story and how joining FM and posting my sports images here has opened some doors for me that probably wouldn't have opened otherwise.

Good Luck with your info gathering. Start shooting and posting and also get involved in critiques here and you will see how much things will improve for you.

Frank



Feb 16, 2014 at 11:40 AM
808isle
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Why do you take sports pictures?


Therapy for me!!


Feb 16, 2014 at 04:27 PM
Billphysics
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Why do you take sports pictures?


Started out taking pictures of my daughter playing HS VB. I began to take pictures of other sports at the HS where I was teaching and giving them to my students.

After I retired from 43 years of teaching HS Physics, I was approached by the father of one of my students about taking pictures for the two select VB teams he was starting. I agreed to do it for a very small amount of money and started an LLC for insurance and tax purposes. He now has a club with 17 teams in it. I take pictures at tournaments here in town and travel with them 3-5 times a year to tournaments around the Midwest. My pictures are for publicity and promotion of the club only, I don't sell to the parents. I like this because I get to do what I love, take pictures, without the sales part of the equation. Recently some of the coaches have begun using some of my sequences (10 frames/sec) to show kids what they are doing wrong. According to them they can see things in my pictures that the videos miss.

I have made enough money to offset the equipment that I need, but I certainly haven't made enough to live on. I just turned 70 and I'm going to keep doing it as long as the body holds out with the 14 hour days.

So enough money to pay expenses and for gear.



Feb 27, 2014 at 12:05 PM
ryanrenken
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I would love to shoot sports. Someday maybe


Mar 09, 2014 at 09:06 PM
1337.
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Why do you take sports pictures?


My major focus is ski photography, and I shoot it because I love the sport. It keeps me doing what I'm passionate about, and being both a participant and observer with a camera I can better my final images because I know what I'm looking for, what I like, and what is impressive to me.


Mar 10, 2014 at 06:17 PM
GC5
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I shoot mainly my kids sports for my own enjoyment, but always shoot shots of the other kids and offer those to free to the other parents. Some have offered to pay me and I turn then down (call me crazy - but I don't want it to be a job). I have shot some for a couple of the leagues locally for promotional materials and the like - and accepted free or discounted fees for my kids as payment. (And as you parents know, that can be real money )


Mar 11, 2014 at 08:28 AM
John Korduner
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I'm a connoisseur of fine cuisine.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/13118591114_c635377934_z.jpg



Mar 12, 2014 at 10:19 PM
Nukehed
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I have been "into" photography since High School yearbook and newspaper days. I'm pushing 50. A glob of years ago I got a little more involved with photography. I played rugby for a small local team in my mid to late 20's. I was still involved with the team, so I started taking pictures at the home games.

I post on Flickr, soon on my new website, and I have sold a few pictures to the individual players. I provide photos to the team for Facebook, Twitter, Promotional material as a favor to the club and a way to help out. I do not want to be on the board, or coach, or hold clinics, or ref.

I VERY MUCH enjoyed playing rugby and this helps keep me in touch with the game and my local team.

I shot the Men's Div I-AA and Div II Rugby College playoffs in Madison in 2012. The men's and women's finals are coming to Madison again and I am trying to get permission to shoot there again.

I recently volunteered with the Special Olympics and will be shooting some events from them later in the spring.

Like one of the previous posters I am a big introvert and I have no desire to fling myself into weddings or portraits which require LOTS of interaction and the ability to be charming.



Mar 14, 2014 at 11:22 PM
Jefferson
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Why do you take sports pictures?


... Money ... Women ... Lifestyle ...

You can make s small fortune in photography ... just start with a large fortune $$



Mar 15, 2014 at 09:43 AM
colinmphotos
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Why do you take sports pictures?



Pure joy. I started because I enjoyed the sport that I participated in and wanted to share the moments with everyone!



Mar 16, 2014 at 02:07 PM
kbanes
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Why do you take sports pictures?


I wanted to be a sports reporter/photographer in high school, but the photography side was too expensive at the time, (film, darkroom). I also are not a very gud righter...

35 years later, I kicked my kids out of the house, bought a camera, and started going to every high school football game that I could get to. That was about 75 games ago (5 years).

I had an early intention to try to make a little money on the side, and I did at first, but I found that I don't really want to do T&I, and I'm too lazy to try to sell the action photos, especially, since no one is interested. I don't care. I'm only worried about "THE" picture. I gotta shoot it. Gotta wait for it, gotta work for it, gotta find it.

I'm going to go to another 15 games again next year, in the hopes of getting that one photo that I am sure is "Sports Illistrated worthy". I don't care if I never get it.


kbanes



Mar 18, 2014 at 09:13 PM
1      
2
       3       end




FM Forums | Sports Corner | Join Upload & Sell

1      
2
       3       end
    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.