Questions About Press Passes

special kid · January 31, 2005

Not quite sure about freelancers obtaining press passes. Did a quick search on google and came up with some sites http://www.nationalpressassociation.org/
Don't know if this is a scam or not. I am looking to get into sporting events and things like that. I have allready covered 1 event but i talked my way into it. Any help would be great.

wxwax · January 31, 2005

Don't waste your money. To get a press pass to any large event, you actually have to be a working member of the media. Typically, the assignment desk will call up and ask for x number of passes and give the names of the folks who will be using them. Then someone swings by to pick them up from the PR ofice or its equivalent.

There are many variations of the above scenario. But I reckon it would be very difficult to get into a major event if you don't work for a media company in some capacity, and have them get the pass for you.

Calling up and telling the event organizers that you are an accredited photographer with the National Press Association won't cut it. They'll want to know which publication is hiring you.

Now, if you can cultivate a relationship with the folks in the PR dept....

fish · January 31, 2005

I have to agree with waximony.

Some more resources:
http://www.gonzo.org/fun/presspass.html
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/PressPasses (for wacko liberals)
http://horseracing.about.com/cs/miscellaneous/ht/credentials.htm

Good luck!

tmlphoto · January 31, 2005

Press Pass?
Do you think this will get me into the Super Bowl?

luckyrwe · January 31, 2005

Write to the White House and ask for press passes for the (now past) inauguration. Go on Ebay for press passes for older events like Madonna concerts. Then hang them all from your camera bag and go to your event. When they ask for your pass, start looking through then and say "It's here somewhere!" I give you a 50/50 chance.

wxwax · February 1, 2005

tmlphoto wrote:

Do you think this will get me into the Super Bowl?

Not with hazel eyes.

wxwax · February 1, 2005

luckyrwe wrote:

Write to the White House and ask for press passes for the (now past) inauguration. Go on Ebay for press passes for older events like Madonna concerts. Then hang them all from your camera bag and go to your event. When they ask for your pass, start looking through then and say "It's here somewhere!" I give you a 50/50 chance.

You do?

special kid · February 1, 2005

Thanks for the links. Has the hanging several old press passes from the camera bag been done or just an idea. I think i could make that work. I got into a kickboxing tournament for free and ringside with nothing more than a Model release contract with my name on the top. Not a huge accomplishment i know but i saved myself $25. I was looking to try and get into a freestyle motorcross show. I think it will be harder than just hanging old press passes off my bag.

wxwax · February 4, 2005

The smaller the event, the easier it is to bluff, I guess.

Big events actually look at your pass and make sure it's one that they've handed out, and that you're trying to enter a part of the facility that they're given you permission to enter.

luckyrwe · February 5, 2005

Some places will accept you as press if you send them a letter on letterhead. Nowadays you can have a website and that can work.

cletus · February 7, 2005

wxwax wrote:

...and that you're trying to enter a part of the facility that they're given you permission to enter.

I shot a football game at the University of Oklahoma. Our paper (the University of Missouri student newspaper) was given three passes - 1 writer, 2 photogs. The writer couldn't get on the field with his pass, and we couldn't get into the press box with ours.

If you just want to get the "on the field" experience, here's a thought:

Find the closest college or university with an active athletics department. Keep an eye on their home schedules. Any time they host a team from a good distance away, try and find out if the visiting team's school has a student newspaper. Contact the paper and ask if they are sending a photog. If they're not sending a photog, tell them that you are an amateur photographer looking to improve your sports photography. Offer to shoot the event for them if they provide you with a press pass. If I was doing this, I wouldn't ask for any money and I wouldn't make any demands in terms of ownership rights on the image - other than asking that I be able to put the images in my porfolio, or place them on a personal website, etc... In addition I would ask that if any of my images got used that I receive a copy of the paper with my image in it.

You'll need some examples of your sports photography available so the paper can see your work. Even if you have good quality stuff that the paper likes, I'd be ready to hear "No" a lot more then "Yes".

wxwax · February 7, 2005

Cletus, that's a really great suggestion! I wish I'd thought of that.

Questions About Press Passes

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