I am looking to take photos at some local High School football games and was wondering how to go about getting credentials. Is this normally reserved for newspaper photographers?
HS football is not usually like college or pros - at least during regular season. There usually isn't a credential issued. Newspaper photogs will have their press pass on display rather than a credential. I would suggest a call to the athletic department of the hosting school (not an email) and talk to the athletic director. Explain why you want to be on the sidelines. An email will probably be ignored.
There is almost always (at least around NE Ohio where I live/shoot) any number of people on the sidelines at HS games - no one has credentials until playoff time. Then, the state athletic commission takes things over and people on sidelines have to be issued credentials.
When I first got into this a few years ago I contacted the AD for my local school. His response was thanks for asking but you don't need any. Out of professional curtesy you will want to check if somebody is allready working your High School events. Bottom line - don't do it for the money or you will be dissappointed.
I am not doing it for the money as I found out early from taking photos at soccer games that it was very hard to sell. People mostly wanted them to post on their Facebook accounts.
Depending on the popularity of the event, I have had no problem getting a press credential for pro games. Most teams like to have a lot of photogs present, as it makes the event look more important! HS should be fairly easy, and most likely you can just show up and shoot.
High school sports can be photographed by anyone from the stands. Now if you want to go down on the field you need one of two things. Credentials from the school saying you are shooting for them, or the same from a local newspaper. There has to be a reason you NEED to be on the field or you won't get credentials.
I guess I shouldn't be too hasty to give advice...I mostly shoot HS sports at my kids' school, though not initially in any events in which they were participating. I just went up and introduced myself to the coach and asked if it would be OK to shoot from the sidelines. No problems ever. I also routinely shoot soccer games at the local sports complex without even asking (just for practice, though I send an email to the school, offering the pix for free) and this has never been an issue. YMMV
I would like to get on the side lines if possible.
If you plan on shooting in North Carolina then you probably need to get in contact with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. They should be able to guide you in the right direction. In some states the Athletic Director can grant sideline access.
In the media business credentials and sideline access are two different things. The media issues credentials and the governing body or person issues sideline access.
I am looking to take photos at some local High School football games and was wondering how to go about getting credentials. Is this normally reserved for newspaper photographers?
Insured to stand on a HS sideline and take pictures of your kids?
Absolutley ... the most forgotten aspect of being on any sidelines - high school, youth, college, pro ... it doesn't matter.
This is the scenario: You're on the sidelines shooting and the play, literally, comes at you and for whatever reason you can't get out of the way and wind up IN the play (I've seen it happen more times than I can remember!). One of the players gets hurt BECAUSE of the collision with you. Guess who gets sued by the kid's parents - or the athlete themselves? You do !! Again, I've seen it happen .....
You've GOT to have liability insurance if you're in a position where the above is even remotely possible .... I think every high school administration should require this for everybody on the sideline - and if you can't produce an insurance certificate proving that your covered, then you're not on the sidelines. It should be that simple .....
I may have worded that poorly. The OP stated that he was not shooting for money. Commercial liability insurance generally wouldn't insure you for taking pictures of your kid and getting in the way - it's a non-commercial use of the camera equipment. I looked into a couple of policies, and just like my current gear insurance won't cover commercial use, the commercial liability policies would not cover my running around after my kids because I don't shoot commercially.
Chad - www.brberrys.com
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
Depending on the popularity of the event, I have had no problem getting a press credential for pro games. Most teams like to have a lot of photogs present, as it makes the event look more important! HS should be fairly easy, and most likely you can just show up and shoot.
How would I go about getting credentials for a pro football game?
How would I go about getting credentials for a pro football game?
Sorry, should have been more specific about what kinds of pro games I shoot, which is mostly soccer. I have never shot football (the American variety) but there are two ways to get in: finding a friend who can connect you to the local paper, and ask them for a press pass; or simply telling the media head at the team that you are a free-lancer and want to shoot the game. Be prepared to give him some decent but true story about yourself, and webpage where he can see your work. You may also try signing up for any of the services that sell sports photos to the press, such as Getty or US Presswire. That will build some cred.
Seating and working media space is limited and will be assigned by the "event" using the following general guidelines:
Media organizations staffing a majority of the participating institution’s home games as confirmed by each school’s sports information director.
Primary local-based media organizations.
National and regional print media organizations with full-time sports staff.
Television stations with a daily sports broadcast.
Web-based media organizations and other media outlets.
Radio stations with a full-time sports director.
Photographers
Field Photo credentials are limited to accredited TV, newspaper, wire service and sports magazine photographers. No freelance photographers will be allowed on the field.
Photographers will receive a Field Photo credential to enter the venue and an armband to access the field. The arm band must be visibly worn at all times. All photographers not wearing a Field Photo arm band will be removed from the sidelines. NO EXCEPTIONS. In addition, photographers must work from behind the press corrals on the sideline.
The above is pretty much the rules for obtaining credentials for football sidelines - and this can be either college or the NFL. The bottom line here is you must be a working shooter, working for an accredited media outlet (newspaper, magazine, wire service, etc).
Now, to be a "working shooter for an accredited media outlet" is a whole 'nother can o' worms ....
...finding a friend who can connect you to the local paper, and ask them for a press pass
That would have to be a GOOD, GOOD friend to do that. And that paper would still have to apply to the team for a credential for a game just like every other media outlet - no guarantee there ....
You may also try signing up for any of the services that sell sports photos to the press, such as Getty or US Presswire.
You don't "sign up" for these media outlets. You "apply" and the media outlet, newspaper, wire service, etc. will approve you based on whether they think you're good enough. And then they have to apply for credentials just like everybody else ....
OK, just want to bring this back to reality. The OP isn't talking pro sports or college - let's leave that out of it for now. i can't speak to other states, but in Ohio, during regular season there simply isn't the issuing of "sideline" passes. It isn't controlled that tightly. At playoff time, it's different. Then sideline passes are issued. But during regular season the schools do not issue passes. And there are always any number of people shooting that do not have a press pass.
Now, it is certainly another thing to mention the whole liability issue. The sad fact is - in today's society people try to turn accidents into money making opportunities. So, if you're on the sideline and not representing the school or another employer (who would be sued instead of you since they have more money), there is always the risk you can get sued. The OP is an adult - they've been warned and can decide for themselves if they wish to take the risk. Likelihood is low, but heck a broken leg can result in thousands of dollars in medical expenses - that's without pain and suffering. So, in the unlikely event an accident does happen, you better have $10,000 lying around to pay for a simple lawsuit.
But, getting on the sidelines, at least in Ohio, is just not that complicated. The hosting school controls access not the athletic commission. And most schools are pretty lax about enforcement. Now, the better schools are more stringent. One of the programs - St. Ignatius is a perennial nationally ranked team. Lots of people want to shoot their games. So they're a little more stringent on who is on the sidelines. Again, start with the athletic director of the school.
Thank you Johng. I am waiting for a call back from my insurance company to verify my liabilty insurance coverage. I should be good as I increased my insurance a couple of years ago when I was taking photos of our local league. My friend's son is on the football team that I will photographing and is she checking with the head coach to see if I can get on the sideline.
I think it has been dsaid a few times - Call the AD. There are lots of reasons why that is the right person. I got a buck he says no problem, and now your hooked up and in for every sport year round.
That would have to be a GOOD, GOOD friend to do that. And that paper would still have to apply to the team for a credential for a game just like every other media outlet - no guarantee there ....
Nothing simple about that - it plain won't work. UNLESS you're a relative of the "media head" or the "media head" is another GOOD, GOOD friend ....
You don't "sign up" for these media outlets. You "apply" and the media outlet, newspaper, wire service, etc. will approve you based on whether they think you're good enough. And then they have to apply for credentials just like everybody else ....
I guess I just got lucky.... I managed to shoot my first pro game (MLS) courtesy of a friend at a major newspaper, who got me a press pass through one of his colleagues (a sportswriter) as a favor. That gave me a set of images I could use to go to others--both teams and media outlets--and move forward. In addition, I managed to get a season press pass *just* by asking the media relations guy at this MLS team--nothing more. That gave me even more images to show.
Not sayin' it's easy or even likely, but I can say that you definitely won't get a press credential if you don't ask. I imagine more popular games like American football are much more difficult. But at least for MLS, they want all the publicity they can get, and having a string of photogs at each game looks good on the tele.
This is just a hobby for me, albeit one on which I spend too much time. In my day job, I network all the time to get places. It never hurts to use existing connections; and when they run dry, just shoot off an email or a call, along with directions to your portfolio, and see what happens.
Just ask the school. Maybe offer shots to them for yearbook. I see extra folks shooting on the sideline with me all the time. Some of the time I wonder why the hell they are out there when I'm doing the media thing & making sure schools know I'm coming but they just seem to walk on.
**If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
Dave
One resource that has not been mentioned, but which is an excellent way to get access to the sidelines of high school games, is the high school team's booster club.
Most of the time a little searching via Google will lead you to a web page hosted by the team's booster or touchdown club. If they don't already have someone shooting games for them, they generally are happy to have someone volunteer and can assist you in getting "approved" to be on the sidelines.
Also, I second the need to be insured when working the sidelines. Being aware of where you are and where the play is going will help to keep you from being involved in an incident, but you better be insured if you are.
Kent "Not everybody trusts paintings, but people believe photographs."- Ansel Adams Web site
After a couple of phone calls, one to the AD and the other to the Sports editor of our local paper, I received sideline credentials to last Friday night's High School football game. Going forward, the Sports Editor of the paper wants me to photograph as many of our High School sports events that my schedule permits.
Seems like OP solved his problem but, as a current student manager for a High School team, here's a cheatsheet to obtaining field access to a high school game:
1. Go to the school's website and find the name of the head coach of the football team (Varsity, JV, or Freshman - as some teams have different head coaches) as well as the email address for the principal, vice-principal(s), and the department head for the school's athletics department (it may be the coach).
2. Send an email to the Coach at least 6 days prior to the game. Make sure you Cc: it to the persons listed in step 1. This is essential as it allows transparency, the administrative office to know what's going on, and more people will see your email which may lead to more responses.
Teachers check their school email addresses daily and, if you don't receive a reply within 48 hours, it isn't that they're ignoring you it's just that they're busy and overlooked your email. A head coach may also be the department head for the school's athletics (cross county, track, basketball, PE, etc.), so its a given that they're super busy. The head coach probably also teaches a subject instead of just coaching.
Never call a teacher during work hours. If you call them during work hours, you'll have to call the main office, the office will have to buzz the room, the teacher will have to drop everything to answer the phone/intercom, students may be in the room listening to the conversation over the PA system, etc. It irritates the teachers and you'll most likely get told "no" right there.
3. If you do not recieve a reply within 48 hours, call the school's main office and ask for the principal or vice principal(s) of the school. 99% of the time these people will allow you to go onto the field without even asking the coach if its OK with them. Just let them know why you're taking the photos, how they'll be distrubuted, etc. If you're taking pictures for a friend and you're going to post them on Facebook or something, say that you're taking photographs of the players for their families and friends to see. Some persons are often unsure about social media and find it intimidating - which can lead to you receiving a "NO!"
Don't worry about disturbing the coaches because, most of the time, they'll be too preoccupied with the game to even care if you're there. Just don't go out on the field.
You should tell school faculty that the photos may be put up on SmugMug, Facebook, an online portfolio, etc. There's no real reason not to do it and, if something were to happen, at least you could say that you did tell faculty members. Alerting school faculty isn't a requirement though.
Never take photos which are going to be put on a portfolio, SmugMug, or something without talking to the head coach. This could get you in serious trouble.
If I took the photos, I should be able to post on my SmugMug for people to view but not purchase..
Yeah, I'm not sure what the "serious trouble" is here. And, for that matter, if you took the photos you can sell them on smugmug too - the coach has no bearing on that. Just be honest with whoever you talked to about the access. If the AD knows you're selling the images to family, that's perfectly fine. You don't need special permission from the coach himself.
I edited that out of my post (so it isn't misleading).
That's what I've always done. There isn't a real reason, in my opinion, to not tell the coaches the purpose(s) of your photographing. I mean, ff something does happen, at least you can say that you did tell the faculty of the school.
Hi,
I just thought I'd chime in, with some slightly different points of view.
I have been shooting my local high school's sports for a few years. I now have a media pass that's given out by the regional interscholastic federation that regulates all of the rules, guidelines, playoffs and everything for this county. On the media pass it says "No sales of photos for commercial purposes are permitted". So read your media pass if you get one from that kind of group in your state. Then determine what "commercial purposes" means.
Also, the football coach at our school has a very strict rule that no pictures of injuries, or people being helped off the field, are allowed. So if your coach has that same mind set, don't put them online if you want to go to more than one game. It's good to find out.
One other issue that the school was going to figure out what what to do if kids appear in the pictures online whose parents signed forms that said their kids photos should not be published. I got called into the Vice Principal's office about that. They were going to check their rosters to make sure that no one on any of the teams had that form filled out. I just left it up to them to figure out what to do.
Anyway, lots of people at the school will (or might) care about what you do with the pictures, and what pictures you take.
Anna
One other issue that the school was going to figure out what what to do if kids appear in the pictures online whose parents signed forms that said their kids photos should not be published. I got called into the Vice Principal's office about that. They were going to check their rosters to make sure that no one on any of the teams had that form filled out. I just left it up to them to figure out what to do.
Anyway, lots of people at the school will (or might) care about what you do with the pictures, and what pictures you take.
Anna
This just happened to me this past weekend, shooting at a public soccer complex. One of the parents of the opposing team asked me what I was planning to do with the photos; and specifically, if I planned to post them on a public site. As a practical matter, they are posted on my website but they are not easy to find. In any case, I asked for her daughter's number and told her I would delete all shots of her. I also offered to send her the link to the gallery and keep it password protected until she had a chance to take a look at it and ask me to delete any that I missed. This seemed to make her happy.
I used to think parents like this were being overly cautious, but sometimes there is a lot more going on than meets the eye, and some real dangers are out there for kids with abusive parents who have restraining orders. I try to make every effort to accommodate the parent's requests.
Comments
There is almost always (at least around NE Ohio where I live/shoot) any number of people on the sidelines at HS games - no one has credentials until playoff time. Then, the state athletic commission takes things over and people on sidelines have to be issued credentials.
---
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If you plan on shooting in North Carolina then you probably need to get in contact with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. They should be able to guide you in the right direction. In some states the Athletic Director can grant sideline access.
In the media business credentials and sideline access are two different things. The media issues credentials and the governing body or person issues sideline access.
Are you insured in case something bad happens?
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
Absolutley ... the most forgotten aspect of being on any sidelines - high school, youth, college, pro ... it doesn't matter.
This is the scenario: You're on the sidelines shooting and the play, literally, comes at you and for whatever reason you can't get out of the way and wind up IN the play (I've seen it happen more times than I can remember!). One of the players gets hurt BECAUSE of the collision with you. Guess who gets sued by the kid's parents - or the athlete themselves? You do !! Again, I've seen it happen .....
You've GOT to have liability insurance if you're in a position where the above is even remotely possible .... I think every high school administration should require this for everybody on the sideline - and if you can't produce an insurance certificate proving that your covered, then you're not on the sidelines. It should be that simple .....
Atlanta, Georgia
Photos at SportsShooter
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
How would I go about getting credentials for a pro football game?
Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
Sorry, should have been more specific about what kinds of pro games I shoot, which is mostly soccer. I have never shot football (the American variety) but there are two ways to get in: finding a friend who can connect you to the local paper, and ask them for a press pass; or simply telling the media head at the team that you are a free-lancer and want to shoot the game. Be prepared to give him some decent but true story about yourself, and webpage where he can see your work. You may also try signing up for any of the services that sell sports photos to the press, such as Getty or US Presswire. That will build some cred.
- Media organizations staffing a majority of the participating institution’s home games as confirmed by each school’s sports information director.
- Primary local-based media organizations.
- National and regional print media organizations with full-time sports staff.
- Television stations with a daily sports broadcast.
- Web-based media organizations and other media outlets.
- Radio stations with a full-time sports director.
PhotographersField Photo credentials are limited to accredited TV, newspaper, wire service and sports magazine photographers. No freelance photographers will be allowed on the field.
Photographers will receive a Field Photo credential to enter the venue and an armband to access the field. The arm band must be visibly worn at all times. All photographers not wearing a Field Photo arm band will be removed from the sidelines. NO EXCEPTIONS. In addition, photographers must work from behind the press corrals on the sideline.
The above is pretty much the rules for obtaining credentials for football sidelines - and this can be either college or the NFL. The bottom line here is you must be a working shooter, working for an accredited media outlet (newspaper, magazine, wire service, etc).
Now, to be a "working shooter for an accredited media outlet" is a whole 'nother can o' worms ....
That would have to be a GOOD, GOOD friend to do that. And that paper would still have to apply to the team for a credential for a game just like every other media outlet - no guarantee there ....
Nothing simple about that - it plain won't work. UNLESS you're a relative of the "media head" or the "media head" is another GOOD, GOOD friend ....
You don't "sign up" for these media outlets. You "apply" and the media outlet, newspaper, wire service, etc. will approve you based on whether they think you're good enough. And then they have to apply for credentials just like everybody else ....
Atlanta, Georgia
Photos at SportsShooter
Now, it is certainly another thing to mention the whole liability issue. The sad fact is - in today's society people try to turn accidents into money making opportunities. So, if you're on the sideline and not representing the school or another employer (who would be sued instead of you since they have more money), there is always the risk you can get sued. The OP is an adult - they've been warned and can decide for themselves if they wish to take the risk. Likelihood is low, but heck a broken leg can result in thousands of dollars in medical expenses - that's without pain and suffering. So, in the unlikely event an accident does happen, you better have $10,000 lying around to pay for a simple lawsuit.
But, getting on the sidelines, at least in Ohio, is just not that complicated. The hosting school controls access not the athletic commission. And most schools are pretty lax about enforcement. Now, the better schools are more stringent. One of the programs - St. Ignatius is a perennial nationally ranked team. Lots of people want to shoot their games. So they're a little more stringent on who is on the sidelines. Again, start with the athletic director of the school.
I guess I just got lucky.... I managed to shoot my first pro game (MLS) courtesy of a friend at a major newspaper, who got me a press pass through one of his colleagues (a sportswriter) as a favor. That gave me a set of images I could use to go to others--both teams and media outlets--and move forward. In addition, I managed to get a season press pass *just* by asking the media relations guy at this MLS team--nothing more. That gave me even more images to show.
Not sayin' it's easy or even likely, but I can say that you definitely won't get a press credential if you don't ask. I imagine more popular games like American football are much more difficult. But at least for MLS, they want all the publicity they can get, and having a string of photogs at each game looks good on the tele.
This is just a hobby for me, albeit one on which I spend too much time. In my day job, I network all the time to get places. It never hurts to use existing connections; and when they run dry, just shoot off an email or a call, along with directions to your portfolio, and see what happens.
Dave
Most of the time a little searching via Google will lead you to a web page hosted by the team's booster or touchdown club. If they don't already have someone shooting games for them, they generally are happy to have someone volunteer and can assist you in getting "approved" to be on the sidelines.
Also, I second the need to be insured when working the sidelines. Being aware of where you are and where the play is going will help to keep you from being involved in an incident, but you better be insured if you are.
Kent
"Not everybody trusts paintings, but people believe photographs."- Ansel Adams
Web site
Kent
"Not everybody trusts paintings, but people believe photographs."- Ansel Adams
Web site
1. Go to the school's website and find the name of the head coach of the football team (Varsity, JV, or Freshman - as some teams have different head coaches) as well as the email address for the principal, vice-principal(s), and the department head for the school's athletics department (it may be the coach).
2. Send an email to the Coach at least 6 days prior to the game. Make sure you Cc: it to the persons listed in step 1. This is essential as it allows transparency, the administrative office to know what's going on, and more people will see your email which may lead to more responses.
Teachers check their school email addresses daily and, if you don't receive a reply within 48 hours, it isn't that they're ignoring you it's just that they're busy and overlooked your email. A head coach may also be the department head for the school's athletics (cross county, track, basketball, PE, etc.), so its a given that they're super busy. The head coach probably also teaches a subject instead of just coaching.
Never call a teacher during work hours. If you call them during work hours, you'll have to call the main office, the office will have to buzz the room, the teacher will have to drop everything to answer the phone/intercom, students may be in the room listening to the conversation over the PA system, etc. It irritates the teachers and you'll most likely get told "no" right there.
3. If you do not recieve a reply within 48 hours, call the school's main office and ask for the principal or vice principal(s) of the school. 99% of the time these people will allow you to go onto the field without even asking the coach if its OK with them. Just let them know why you're taking the photos, how they'll be distrubuted, etc. If you're taking pictures for a friend and you're going to post them on Facebook or something, say that you're taking photographs of the players for their families and friends to see. Some persons are often unsure about social media and find it intimidating - which can lead to you receiving a "NO!"
Don't worry about disturbing the coaches because, most of the time, they'll be too preoccupied with the game to even care if you're there. Just don't go out on the field.
You should tell school faculty that the photos may be put up on SmugMug, Facebook, an online portfolio, etc. There's no real reason not to do it and, if something were to happen, at least you could say that you did tell faculty members. Alerting school faculty isn't a requirement though.
If I took the photos, I should be able to post on my SmugMug for people to view but not purchase..
That's what I've always done. There isn't a real reason, in my opinion, to not tell the coaches the purpose(s) of your photographing. I mean, ff something does happen, at least you can say that you did tell the faculty of the school.
I just thought I'd chime in, with some slightly different points of view.
I have been shooting my local high school's sports for a few years. I now have a media pass that's given out by the regional interscholastic federation that regulates all of the rules, guidelines, playoffs and everything for this county. On the media pass it says "No sales of photos for commercial purposes are permitted". So read your media pass if you get one from that kind of group in your state. Then determine what "commercial purposes" means.
Also, the football coach at our school has a very strict rule that no pictures of injuries, or people being helped off the field, are allowed. So if your coach has that same mind set, don't put them online if you want to go to more than one game. It's good to find out.
One other issue that the school was going to figure out what what to do if kids appear in the pictures online whose parents signed forms that said their kids photos should not be published. I got called into the Vice Principal's office about that. They were going to check their rosters to make sure that no one on any of the teams had that form filled out. I just left it up to them to figure out what to do.
Anyway, lots of people at the school will (or might) care about what you do with the pictures, and what pictures you take.
Anna
Land sports: http://scippix.smugmug.com/
This just happened to me this past weekend, shooting at a public soccer complex. One of the parents of the opposing team asked me what I was planning to do with the photos; and specifically, if I planned to post them on a public site. As a practical matter, they are posted on my website but they are not easy to find. In any case, I asked for her daughter's number and told her I would delete all shots of her. I also offered to send her the link to the gallery and keep it password protected until she had a chance to take a look at it and ask me to delete any that I missed. This seemed to make her happy.
I used to think parents like this were being overly cautious, but sometimes there is a lot more going on than meets the eye, and some real dangers are out there for kids with abusive parents who have restraining orders. I try to make every effort to accommodate the parent's requests.