Does anyone here do little league/soccer/pop warner Photos? How?
HiSPL
Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
If you have a contract with a kids' sports league in your area, I would like to ask how you got the gig? Did you approach the league yourself, or were you contacted by them? Any pointers to getting a high volume T&I type gig?
We are interested in learning more about this aspect of the business and would like to know how to approach league officials.
TIA.... :thumb
We are interested in learning more about this aspect of the business and would like to know how to approach league officials.
TIA.... :thumb
0
Comments
Last year we were asked to do team and individuals of my daughters soccer team. The people with the actual league contract were not delivering a quality product, so our coach asked if we could do this for her team. We said yes but we didn't charge anything. We let the parents print the pics from smugmug at 1 penny above cost. This way they were paying for their own printing and we didn't make anything on it. We didn't want to step on any toes with the contracted photographer.
This year, though we want to make a run for the contract since so many people were disappointed in the quality of this out-of-town photog. I was hoping someone here could help us out with any tips they've found helpful in such endeavours....
Well, I see two issues here.
#1. Putting Team and individual pictures up for one cent over printing cost IS stepping on the contracted photographer's toes. Not that there is necassarily anything wrong with that.
#2. Getting the contract.
I just sent in my first quote for Team and Individual photos for our new middle school. This is how we got there.
We first went to our county Park and Recreation department and got permission from the director to photograph youth sports. We shoot on spec and give a slice back as a concession commision. We got tons of exposure and it led to lots of T & I.
By the time school opened and the sports programs got going we had a decent body of work to display. We then went to see the athletic director at the highschool and got permission to shoot action photos there. He gave us permission for action shots but the T & I were contracted to lifetouch. The parents loved us and word got back to the AD.
So just before the new middle school opened we got a call from the president of the basketball club saying she wanted us to do T & I and action for four basketball teams. She said we came highly recommended from the AD and the Rec department. She also said she looked at our Smugmug Gallery, saw some pictures of her kids and would be placing an order soon.
I say all the above to get to my tip.
If some one else has the contract for now use that time to establish two things.
First, that you can take pictures well enough to do the job. Action photos worked for us.
Second, establish relationship with Athletic directors, Rec park, league officials and parents. Again action photos kept us in close contact with all of them.
Then when it is time to talk about contracts the decision makers know some important things about you.
That may seem like a round about way of getting there but it is working for us.
Thanks, Marty
My local sports non-profit sets up the photographer with exposure to the teams. They typically will establish a time and location for team pictures. However; each team coach can decide if he wants to participate or make other arrangements. Increasingly most of the club coaches are opting to make their own arrangements.
You might want to ask some of the coaches what the program is where you live. It seems to vary quite a bit from town to town.