I guess all school's are different. So it was a good original question.
I shoot at a public high school. There's security at every field entrance and only people with media passes or school issued field passes (aside from players, coaches, and cheerleaders) are allowed on the field for football. Other field sports are open.
I talked to a guy on the sidelines last week that told me he paid his $3 to get in then open the gate to the field & walked right in with his camera. Nobody said anything to him.
**If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
Dave
Just show up. Where I live (Arizona) the schools charge $5.00 to get in but once you are in you can stand on the sidelines if you want with a camera. I carry a big 300mm f/2.8 on a monopod so I look "official". Schools let me in with no questions asked - they assume I am with the opposing school or with the local sports organization. (In actuality, I have been hired by some schools to shoot their games.)
If this is a public school then you have every right to be there taking pictures as long as you are not interfering with the game or the safety of the player or yourself. For example, lacrosse officials will not let anyone behind the goal line because the LAX ball comes at you so fast that you won't have time to get out of the way if it comes your way. So I have to stay on the sidelines.
I've shown up at all kinds of events at high schools, public parks, colleges, etc and no one has ever questioned my presence.
This is REALLY BAD advice. Regardless if its a private or public school, you do not have a right to be on the sidelines. Maybe the standards are less restrictive where you live, but making a blanket statement to just show up and head to the sideline will get someone in trouble if they take your advice. If you are not representing a media outlet, who will back you in case there is an accident? If you don't have liability insurance, they are going to come after you. If a cheerleader trips over you or your gear, its you they come after.
Hi,
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out what what to do if kids appear in the pictures online whose parents signed forms that said their kids photos should not be published.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
Do they check all of the parents too? I don't mean that to be sarcastic, just wondering is parents with obviously longer glass are questioned when it comes to those types of rules.
Chad - www.brberrys.com
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
This is REALLY BAD advice. Regardless if its a private or public school, you do not have a right to be on the sidelines. Maybe the standards are less restrictive where you live, but making a blanket statement to just show up and head to the sideline will get someone in trouble if they take your advice. If you are not representing a media outlet, who will back you in case there is an accident? If you don't have liability insurance, they are going to come after you. If a cheerleader trips over you or your gear, its you they come after.
I am a little surprised to hear about the liability issue. I suspect that if a shooter does not have insurance or a lot of personal money, the injured player would be advised by his personal injury attorney to go after the school for letting the shooter be there in the first place. Most aspiring photographers don't have a lot of money, so it would be fruitless to come after them. I am insured via my media outlet when shooting pro games, and have a large umbrella policy for personal suits. However, I have never heard of an injury lawsuit directed toward a photographer who wandered in to shoot a HS game. Of course it *could* happen, but does it? Maybe I just live in isolation...
I am a little surprised to hear about the liability issue. I suspect that if a shooter does not have insurance or a lot of personal money, the injured player would be advised by his personal injury attorney to go after the school for letting the shooter be there in the first place. Most aspiring photographers don't have a lot of money, so it would be fruitless to come after them. I am insured via my media outlet when shooting pro games, and have a large umbrella policy for personal suits. However, I have never heard of an injury lawsuit directed toward a photographer who wandered in to shoot a HS game. Of course it *could* happen, but does it? Maybe I just live in isolation...
You are assuming the aspiring photographer doesn't have money. The "aspiring" photographers I run into on the sidelines are wealthy hobbyists who have better equipment than those who have media credentials. I'm also not talking about just football players either. You have cheerleaders that could trip over you or your equipment. I have also almost swung my equipment around and hit a small kid who happened to be close to me on the sideline while I was making a move to follow the action.
In our lawsuit happy society, I'm surprised you are surprised. If it didn't happen, then why would we need insurance?
You are assuming the aspiring photographer doesn't have money. The "aspiring" photographers I run into on the sidelines are wealthy hobbyists who have better equipment than those who have media credentials. I'm also not talking about just football players either. You have cheerleaders that could trip over you or your equipment. I have also almost swung my equipment around and hit a small kid who happened to be close to me on the sideline while I was making a move to follow the action.
In our lawsuit happy society, I'm surprised you are surprised. If it didn't happen, then why would we need insurance?
Well, if they have money they probably also have an umbrella policy; if not, they deserve what they get. In any case, I have never heard of it. have you?
As an aside, I know of several small businesses that deliberately stopped carrying liability insurance--and stopped getting sued as a result.
Well, if they have money they probably also have an umbrella policy; if not, they deserve what they get. In any case, I have never heard of it. have you?
As an aside, I know of several small businesses that deliberately stopped carrying liability insurance--and stopped getting sued as a result.
Depends on what you mean by "never heard" of it. Personally, none of the photographers I know have had an issue. However, I have heard of stories and read of stories of accidents caused by photographers who got sued.
Depends on what you mean by "never heard" of it. Personally, none of the photographers I know have had an issue. However, I have heard of stories and read of stories of accidents caused by photographers who got sued.
Doesn't surprise me...I guess as a rule one should have an umbrella policy if one's net worth is enough to make a personal injury lawyer interested in pursuing a case. One can get sued for almost anything these days. Still, I would think that shooting a HS game would be one of the less litigigenic activities one could pursue.
That is what I was saying - I have never seen a single actual case. Everyone "knows of someone" but no one ever points to anything.
Players, cheerleaders, etc. are covered by the schools liability policy (remember the "activity fee" from when you played?) which would pay and then have rights against the photog. Coaches and staff are covered by the schools comp policy which would pay and may have rights against the photog. Both policies would have first take at anything that any of them won through a tort suit.
So there is no good reason for a PI atty to fool with the case unless it is a devastating injury and there is a strong likelihood of recovery. The commercial carriers would not sue the photog because it is generally not worth their time and the local school board would not (if they self insured as most do) because it is politically silly and not worth their time.
So while anything can happen, I would love to see an actual case, with an actual payout brought against an uninsured photog.
Chad - www.brberrys.com
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
That is what I was saying - I have never seen a single actual case. Everyone "knows of someone" but no one ever points to anything.
Players, cheerleaders, etc. are covered by the schools liability policy (remember the "activity fee" from when you played?) which would pay and then have rights against the photog. Coaches and staff are covered by the schools comp policy which would pay and may have rights against the photog. Both policies would have first take at anything that any of them won through a tort suit.
So there is no good reason for a PI atty to fool with the case unless it is a devastating injury and there is a strong likelihood of recovery. The commercial carriers would not sue the photog because it is generally not worth their time and the local school board would not (if they self insured as most do) because it is politically silly and not worth their time.
So while anything can happen, I would love to see an actual case, with an actual payout brought against an uninsured photog.
I agree with you somewhat as I have not know anyone personally who has had an accident on the sideline. However, it has been my experience there are people on the sidelines that are not affiliated with the school nor would be covered with any policy by the school. I have almsot hit a kid with my equipment when I turned to follow the action. A D3s and Sigma 120-300 could cause some damage to someone hit in the head. While the "aspiring" photographer may not have money, they could lose their equipment to fund medical bills.
The chances are small anything will ever happen. If it does...
I live in a small rural community in TX where we all know everyone. All I had to do was walk in like I knew what I was doing & no one said anything. Most know I take a lot of photos & share what I take. So I'm blessed in that rarely do I go anywhere that I'm not welcomed or invited in to take pics. In my experience, if you just get to know folks, they're usually pretty receptive to you being there.
Comments
I shoot at a public high school. There's security at every field entrance and only people with media passes or school issued field passes (aside from players, coaches, and cheerleaders) are allowed on the field for football. Other field sports are open.
Land sports: http://scippix.smugmug.com/
Dave
This is REALLY BAD advice. Regardless if its a private or public school, you do not have a right to be on the sidelines. Maybe the standards are less restrictive where you live, but making a blanket statement to just show up and head to the sideline will get someone in trouble if they take your advice. If you are not representing a media outlet, who will back you in case there is an accident? If you don't have liability insurance, they are going to come after you. If a cheerleader trips over you or your gear, its you they come after.
Do they check all of the parents too? I don't mean that to be sarcastic, just wondering is parents with obviously longer glass are questioned when it comes to those types of rules.
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
I am a little surprised to hear about the liability issue. I suspect that if a shooter does not have insurance or a lot of personal money, the injured player would be advised by his personal injury attorney to go after the school for letting the shooter be there in the first place. Most aspiring photographers don't have a lot of money, so it would be fruitless to come after them. I am insured via my media outlet when shooting pro games, and have a large umbrella policy for personal suits. However, I have never heard of an injury lawsuit directed toward a photographer who wandered in to shoot a HS game. Of course it *could* happen, but does it? Maybe I just live in isolation...
You are assuming the aspiring photographer doesn't have money. The "aspiring" photographers I run into on the sidelines are wealthy hobbyists who have better equipment than those who have media credentials. I'm also not talking about just football players either. You have cheerleaders that could trip over you or your equipment. I have also almost swung my equipment around and hit a small kid who happened to be close to me on the sideline while I was making a move to follow the action.
In our lawsuit happy society, I'm surprised you are surprised. If it didn't happen, then why would we need insurance?
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
If you can cover a potential accident out of pocket, more power to you...
Well, if they have money they probably also have an umbrella policy; if not, they deserve what they get. In any case, I have never heard of it. have you?
As an aside, I know of several small businesses that deliberately stopped carrying liability insurance--and stopped getting sued as a result.
Depends on what you mean by "never heard" of it. Personally, none of the photographers I know have had an issue. However, I have heard of stories and read of stories of accidents caused by photographers who got sued.
Doesn't surprise me...I guess as a rule one should have an umbrella policy if one's net worth is enough to make a personal injury lawyer interested in pursuing a case. One can get sued for almost anything these days. Still, I would think that shooting a HS game would be one of the less litigigenic activities one could pursue.
Players, cheerleaders, etc. are covered by the schools liability policy (remember the "activity fee" from when you played?) which would pay and then have rights against the photog. Coaches and staff are covered by the schools comp policy which would pay and may have rights against the photog. Both policies would have first take at anything that any of them won through a tort suit.
So there is no good reason for a PI atty to fool with the case unless it is a devastating injury and there is a strong likelihood of recovery. The commercial carriers would not sue the photog because it is generally not worth their time and the local school board would not (if they self insured as most do) because it is politically silly and not worth their time.
So while anything can happen, I would love to see an actual case, with an actual payout brought against an uninsured photog.
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
I agree with you somewhat as I have not know anyone personally who has had an accident on the sideline. However, it has been my experience there are people on the sidelines that are not affiliated with the school nor would be covered with any policy by the school. I have almsot hit a kid with my equipment when I turned to follow the action. A D3s and Sigma 120-300 could cause some damage to someone hit in the head. While the "aspiring" photographer may not have money, they could lose their equipment to fund medical bills.
The chances are small anything will ever happen. If it does...