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04/13/2006 08:41:11 PM · #26 |
Originally posted by mandyble:
So, I've seen a few websites that ask for money in return for a "valid" Press pass. Is this a complete waste of money, or valid? |
they are a complete waste of money. start reading here. it's not impossible, but it's not automatic. you might get lucky with a few shortcuts here and there, but in the long run, bottom line, if you want to do this stuff, you have to earn it. |
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03/05/2007 12:06:47 AM · #27 |
| Did you know this post is #4 on google if you type 'How to get a press pass' :) |
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03/05/2007 12:47:47 PM · #28 |
Originally posted by Brad:
Getting an "official" press pass may also require having a security background check done, often through the local law enforcement agency. At least that is what is happening out here on the left coast.
Getting media credentials for a local paper can be a much simpler process, often requiring little more than a letter from the editor, as was my case this past year, shooting High School sports. A copy was sent to the governing body for the State Foundation (CIF), and in turn, they assigned a me a laminated, numbered media pass, allowing full acces to any and all High School Sports activities in CA for the season. |
I'm in CA, as well, and I took out a DBA for my news agency, even though this is not my primary occupation. I went through LegalZoom.com and never had to leave my study.
I also designed my letterhead and press card and went to the county sheriff's department to request (in writing) their credential.
It was granted in no time and arrived by post.
Currently I possess not only my own press credential , but one issued by the sheriff's deparment. It was the best $150 I have spent in a long time. Those $150 included the DBA, as well. There was no charge for the sheriff's credential.
Maureen |
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03/05/2007 05:40:33 PM · #29 |
Originally posted by Axleuk:
Did you know this post is #4 on google if you type 'How to get a press pass' :) |
Now it's #2!
SEE!
Message edited by author 2007-03-05 17:52:17. |
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03/05/2007 05:48:19 PM · #30 |
Dammit ... I just wanna hijack this thread long enough to say ...
whoever called the west coast "out here on the left coast" ... I love the comment.
Perhaps it is not new to some but I love it and being a Calgarian living in Belgium for about 8 years now, I appreciate the reference.
I have NEVER heard it put that way but it makes SO much sense if you have a map.
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03/05/2007 05:58:08 PM · #31 |
Originally posted by Greetmir:
Dammit ... I just wanna hijack this thread long enough to say ...
whoever called the west coast "out here on the left coast" ... I love the comment.
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03/05/2007 06:09:37 PM · #32 |
Originally posted by Greetmir:
Perhaps it is not new to some but I love it and being a Calgarian living in Belgium for about 8 years now, I appreciate the reference.
I have NEVER heard it put that way but it makes SO much sense if you have a map. |
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03/05/2007 06:21:45 PM · #33 |
Don't make me come over there, Paul! ;)
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03/15/2007 05:53:37 AM · #34 |
sorry, if this is kind of off topic, but it seems as though a lot of people on here are pretty knowledgable about press passes. i was just wondering if anyone had experiences with press passes outside the US, specifically south america and asia. is the same respect(haha) and access shown to those who have an american press pass in other countries? do you need the same level of recognition as you sometimes need in the states? i don't plan on shooting for a major publication. i was curious about the international standards, as i have no experience or reference with them. i would really appreciate any feedback that anyone could give, or even links to other sites with more info!
-Stacey
s_qualls@hotmail.com |
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11/25/2007 08:02:26 AM · #35 |
Hey I'm new here but the post is interesting enough for me to make a couple of contributions. When I started my career as a press photographer, I would typically go to the event planner/organizer and show my portfolio and my equipment and they would give me a pass on the spot. That was my way in. I would then shoot the event, go to the local rag and present my work to the photo editor and he bought nearly all of my pre-selected/edited images. Someone earlier said that it is essential that you are reliable. That means you go when and where they want you to go. It is often necessary to rearrange your schedule to get the job done. Reliability will get you places you little expect...maybe even land you a staff position (if that's what you're after). for me, being reliable is vital to my business and freelancing is where its at...no boss looking over my shoulder.
Another point off topic. I shoot Nikon D70 and D200 with my eyes on the D300 and the D3x. I recently noticed a J. D. Power report that was very eye opening. Take a look //www.jdpower.com/electronics/ratings/digital_camera/dslr |
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11/25/2007 09:28:05 AM · #36 |
Originally posted by drewbixcube:
Originally posted by Axleuk:
Did you know this post is #4 on google if you type 'How to get a press pass' :) |
Now it's #2!
SEE! |
It's now Number ONE!
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11/25/2007 10:38:45 AM · #37 |
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11/25/2007 10:55:10 AM · #38 |
Originally posted by wowlookbuy:
Hey I'm new here but the post is interesting enough for me to make a couple of contributions. When I started my career as a press photographer, I would typically go to the event planner/organizer and show my portfolio and my equipment and they would give me a pass on the spot. That was my way in. I would then shoot the event, go to the local rag and present my work to the photo editor and he bought nearly all of my pre-selected/edited images. Someone earlier said that it is essential that you are reliable. That means you go when and where they want you to go. It is often necessary to rearrange your schedule to get the job done. Reliability will get you places you little expect...maybe even land you a staff position (if that's what you're after). for me, being reliable is vital to my business and freelancing is where its at...no boss looking over my shoulder.
Another point off topic. I shoot Nikon D70 and D200 with my eyes on the D300 and the D3x. I recently noticed a J. D. Power report that was very eye opening. Take a look //www.jdpower.com/electronics/ratings/digital_camera/dslr |
Note 1: date of registration same as date of this post, his first and only post.
Note 2: look at the username; wowlookbuy.
Note 3: look at the JD Powers report linked above, and see that Nikon cameras receive top ratings across the board and Canon receives below-average across the board.
************
Question 1: can we presume he's in the business of selling Nikons?
Question 2: would it be rational to wonder if the report is even accurate? Why are the results so far out of line with what the community in here seems to feel?
R.
Message edited by author 2007-11-25 10:57:22.
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11/25/2007 11:24:15 AM · #39 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Question 2: would it be rational to wonder if the report is even accurate? Why are the results so far out of line with what the community in here seems to feel?
R. |
J.D. Powers isn't in any way a reliable source, IMO. When you look at what autos get top ratings, it's clear that they are far from unbiased.
IMO, the DSLR market is a tight one, and very little separates the top cameras from the also-rans. Their results fly in the face of reality. |
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11/25/2007 12:26:16 PM · #40 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Question 2: would it be rational to wonder if the report is even accurate? Why are the results so far out of line with what the community in here seems to feel?
R. |
J.D. Powers isn't in any way a reliable source, IMO. When you look at what autos get top ratings, it's clear that they are far from unbiased.
IMO, the DSLR market is a tight one, and very little separates the top cameras from the also-rans. Their results fly in the face of reality. |
Right, that's my point. I got no problem with Nikon getting a stellar rating, bit I got a real problem with Canon getting a below-average rating. It ought to be a push, if real-world experience means anything. Both camera lines are excellent.
R.
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11/25/2007 02:02:56 PM · #41 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Question 2: would it be rational to wonder if the report is even accurate? Why are the results so far out of line with what the community in here seems to feel?
R. |
J.D. Powers isn't in any way a reliable source, IMO. When you look at what autos get top ratings, it's clear that they are far from unbiased.
IMO, the DSLR market is a tight one, and very little separates the top cameras from the also-rans. Their results fly in the face of reality. |
Right, that's my point. I got no problem with Nikon getting a stellar rating, bit I got a real problem with Canon getting a below-average rating. It ought to be a push, if real-world experience means anything. Both camera lines are excellent.
R. |
fwiw, i've never really shot with a nikon (other than having a nikon one-touch film camera about 15 years ago...), so i can't really compare the two.
however, the richmond times-dispatch started migrating from being all-nikon to being all-canon almost two years ago. they still have a couple people shooting with nikons, but they'll be switched over in the coming year. during their transition, i've heard various comments from the staffers about the differences they've noticed. top comments had to do with "whites really being white AND having detail, incredible detail in the whites, detail that just never came through with the nikons," "can you believe the noise--i mean the LACK of noise?!," "the autofocus is just over the top." still, even though i'm ignorantly biased, i enjoy the unsolicited independent 3rd-party validation from other professionals ;-)
Originally posted by jdpowers:
DSLR camera owners take nearly 400 images per month |
what a crock of 5#!+ i shoot that much an hour ;-)
---
as a follow up to the original post, i'll add to the point i made about how you carry yourself once you've gotten access to a venue. i've been involved in a handful of incidents where someone else's perception as to what i was doing for my assignment and the reality of what i was doing created 'situations' that, had i not handled them professionally, probably would gotten me blacklisted from the venues. you can get a lot further by learning the art of diplomacy than you can by trying to be clever...
Message edited by author 2007-11-25 14:06:37. |
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12/05/2007 11:59:24 AM · #42 |
| I'm a high school teacher so getting into high school events probably wouldn't be any type of issue for me.... my question is this: has anybody had an issue w/ flash photography at sport events? i.e. if somebody is going in for a layup and a big flash clicks off how distracting is that to atheletes (especially high schoolers)? High school gyms tend to have really poor lighting. |
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12/05/2007 12:18:12 PM · #43 |
There's usually going to be a policy regarding the use of flash, one way or the other. Oftentimes, that policy would be dictated by whatever league you're shooting. And it could come from the school itself. Be sure to research it ahead of time.
Originally posted by tpbremer:
I'm a high school teacher so getting into high school events probably wouldn't be any type of issue for me.... my question is this: has anybody had an issue w/ flash photography at sport events? i.e. if somebody is going in for a layup and a big flash clicks off how distracting is that to atheletes (especially high schoolers)? High school gyms tend to have really poor lighting. |
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12/05/2007 03:15:04 PM · #44 |
sometimes, it depends on the sport (for instance, flash is NEVER allowed at a gymnastics meet). if you know what you're doing (that is, you know how to dial the flash in to get a nice fill without blinding someone), there shouldn't be any objections for sports such as basketball or wrestling. however...
i saw some photos last week where it looked like the players were missing passes because some idiot was standing on the baseline, shooting in Automatic mode with his 300D! talk about redeye, the players were so blown out all you could make out was their outlines!!
one tip, though, about getting permission: it's very easy to set yourself up to get shot down by either asking the wrong person or the wrong question. don't walk up to a coach right before the game and ask, "can i use my flash?" you might find an easier go of it to find the school's athletic director and start a conversation with, "boy, it's pretty dark in here...have you ever seen anyone use a flash to shoot the games?"
Originally posted by alanfreed:
There's usually going to be a policy regarding the use of flash, one way or the other. Oftentimes, that policy would be dictated by whatever league you're shooting. And it could come from the school itself. Be sure to research it ahead of time.
Originally posted by tpbremer:
I'm a high school teacher so getting into high school events probably wouldn't be any type of issue for me.... my question is this: has anybody had an issue w/ flash photography at sport events? i.e. if somebody is going in for a layup and a big flash clicks off how distracting is that to atheletes (especially high schoolers)? High school gyms tend to have really poor lighting. |
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12/14/2008 07:30:01 PM · #45 |
excellent, I just landed a press pass by calling up the organiser, explaining who I am and my credentials and what I've done in the past, said I'd love to come down and take some shots but i'd need to be there early to catch the guys before the show and set up lights etc and if he liked the pics then we could come to an arrangement regarding their usage.
Score.
Also, last month I got a press pass from a sports organisation that cost me $15 that was returned to me at the end of the 2 days shooting, but i had to give them 5 shots of my choosing and out of 900 shots I have more than enough great ones to spare.
Getting a press pass is easy as hell over here- you call them up, say what you're all about and as long as you dont sound like a hot-shot asshole then you should be good to go... provided you have something to back up your claims with though. In UK it was mighty hard to get a prass pass if you weren;t actually affiliated with the press or a photo agency of some description as freelancers were typically seen as the guys that come in, take the shots and dont give anything back... which is what i do here, except with a press pass. |
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12/14/2008 07:33:01 PM · #46 |
Originally posted by Axleuk:
Did you know this post is #4 on google if you type 'How to get a press pass' :) |
oh and without the paying results this is now #1
[previously hidden posts removed]
Message edited by L2 - Please do not quote posts that were hidden as spam. Thanks!. |
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12/14/2008 07:45:29 PM · #47 |
with a bit of modification this lever works fine. |
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12/16/2008 06:20:28 AM · #48 |
| Or you can just simply go to one of those websites like //templeofearth.com/ and become an ordained minister for free. In the process you are also sent an official photojournalist press pass as well as being actually officially affiliated. It's free and you get it instantly... There are others on the net similar to this one but I use this one. Plus you are ordained so go start marrying people. |
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12/16/2008 06:42:29 AM · #49 |
| I was thrown out of the 'press pit' of a 'Carter USM' gig in 1992 because the security 'monkey' didn't want me to be there. I was authorised, approved and invited by the band's management but there's no accounting for the 'idiots in black' who take it upon themselves to impose their own laws. |
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06/03/2010 06:12:55 PM · #50 |
I agree with Skip, but do know a trick for getting access that I̢۪ve used many, many times.
First, I should explain I've worked for many years as a part-time, full-time and freelance journalist for various newspapers. I've professionally published hundreds of articles and photos. That's not as impressive as it sounds--if you wrote and took photos for newspapers for many years, you'd do that too. :-)
Here̢۪s a trick I used even when I was not employed by a publication, and you can use it too. Wear a camera around your neck; stick a reporter's notebook (which you can get at a stationery store) in your back pocket, camera case or purse; and have a couple of pens handy. Walk in with confidence, knowing you have a good reason to be there, and orally identify yourself--do not show a pass or business card (I have more on that below).
Immediately grab the reporter̢۪s notebook and open it (or do that first), grab a pen and start asking questions and writing answers right away. Or instead you can sometimes take a couple shots first, grab the notebook and pen and write a couple notes and then orally identify yourself. Most places that don̢۪t have high security will let you shoot photos and ask questions without showing identification.
Believe it or not, but in all my years as a journalist, I was only asked to see my press pass in an area that wasn't highly secured twice. Once was, ironically, when I was doing nothing more than person-on-the-street interviews in front of a supermarket. That one was rather silly--you don't need a press pass to talk to and take photos of people outside a supermarket! The other was when an old theater was on fire, and I stepped over the police tape and starting snapping photos without first identifying myself. In that case, I showed a rookie police officer a pass I had gotten from either a police or fire department; I don't remember which (I had both).
But how can you identify yourself if you aren̢۪t working for a publication? You can tell the truth and still cover yourself. Make or buy some business cards that have your name and say photographer and/or writer on them, and identify yourself as a freelancer. Always carry several of these--but do not show one right away unless you're asked. Say something like, "I'm (your name), and am a freelance photographer who's working on a submission for (fill-in-the-blank) magazine." You could be working on a submission for any publication that accepts freelance work; you don̢۪t need permission from the publisher.
I would advise not showing your business card (or even press pass) until they either ask you for identification or you're finished--then give them a business card, but don't show your pass. They may accept you without it, and you can keep it as an ace-in-the-hole in case their supervisor asks to see it. If you are acting confident and doing what I suggest above, even a skeptic will already believe you're probably legitimate. If you show them your ID after they've already seen you acting professional, that will often verify your legitimacy in their eyes. But if you show a business card first, their first thought may be, "Anyone can make up a business card."
Without showing a pass or a business card, I̢۪ve gone past security guards, police, government officials, firefighters and medical personnel. Although I doubt anything short of advance arrangements will get you backstage at a Rolling Stones̢۪ concert.
Alden Loveshade
loveshade dot org
Message edited by author 2010-06-03 18:16:02.
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