What’s Your Preference?

amy_bb · #1 (**permalink**) 06-17-2011, 06:29 PM

I'm a hobby photographer who specializes in sports photography. I'm the mom who always has the camera, who takes action shots of all the kids on the team and shares them with the families. I do not sell my work to the parents nor do I compete with professional photographers who are contracted to be at larger events. I limit myself to the sports that my kids play (soccer, baseball, LAX, ski racing, gymnastics) and am not asked to do this, I only do it for pleasure and to improve my skills.

Over the past 2 years, I have begun submitting my shots to the local town newspaper just for fun. When I first started submitting the pictures, the editor would occasionally put them in but not give me photo credit (I did not ask and was just happy to have been published). Over the past several weeks I have sent batches of 3 or 4 photos of local kid's sporting events each week and he has published about 2 a week for the past 4 weeks and has given me photo credit and used my captions word for word. I always send him a thank you email after each publication and the parents are very excited to have their kids pics in the paper.

So here's my question....the paper has a freelance photographer who has worked for them for years. He's a local guy who is recognized and respected for his work for this paper. His photos are, in my opinion, adequate and capture what is necessary but are often,again, in my opinion, of mediocre quality.

Would it be appropriate, in my next email submission to him (the editor) to say that I would be interested,in being hired, when needed to take other photos of other events that the paper deemed newsworthy (things that I would not normally be attending). I'm happy to keep taking snaps at my kids sporting events and submitting them and in no way would I ask to be paid for that (I'm sure he just uses them as filler as these events are just local and rec league stuff). I am fortunate that I am not looking to do this to make a living, only to explore where I can go with this hobby and perhaps to use any pay for upgraded equipment.

If I was to say this, how should it be worded? Should I take photos of these other events first and show him that I'm capable of covering this as well? Could this request completely put him off from publishing the sports shots? Should I just be happy to be published, continue to submit, continue to educate myself and decide on another entry tactic for local photojournalism?

Here is the link to what types of shots he's published so far: Advertiser Submissions - a set on Flickr (note that I have reedited some of these prior to submission but you'll get the idea).

Thanks in advance for you advice on this.

RELum · #2 (**permalink**) 06-17-2011, 07:01 PM

Those are some nice shots. I particularly like the ones of the third baseman missing the catch, and the first soccer one where the kid is making a quick turn. Excellent timing.

As far as your question go's, I absolutely think it would be appropriate. I also think, though, that if they are using ANY of your shots that you should already be getting compensated. I don't know how big your town and paper are, but I remember the first shot I ever submitted to the paper and got published back when I was younger. I was ecstatic to see it a couple days later, and then even more ecstatic to see the check in the mail a couple weeks later!!!

Russell

Jim Bryant · #3 (**permalink**) 06-17-2011, 07:10 PM

Just ask him, what do they pay per assignment or per photo and you'd like to be added to their freelance photographer lists. After viewing your photos, you need to crop tighter to put more emphasis on the action, shoot from a lower angle (on your knees or butt) and use the lowest depth of field you can, so that the distracting stuff in the background is more out of focus. And watch out for the tilted horizons.

amy_bb · #4 (**permalink**) 06-17-2011, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RELum

Those are some nice shots. I particularly like the ones of the third baseman missing the catch, and the first soccer one where the kid is making a quick turn. Excellent timing.

Russell

Thanks for the compliments, Russell. Those are my favorites as well. A lot of local moms/dads submit these types of shots and he is happy to print them. I don't think he'd want to get into a policy of paying for every rec. league photo especially if others will still submit them for free. I would like to be assigned some work outside of my normal submissions, however.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Just ask him, what do they pay per assignment or per photo and you'd like to be added to their freelance photographer lists. After viewing your photos, you need to crop tighter to put more emphasis on the action, shoot from a lower angle (on your knees or butt) and use the lowest depth of field you can, so that the distracting stuff in the background is more out of focus. And watch out for the tilted horizons.

I always appreciate your expert opinion, Jim. I had cropped tighter for the actual submission to elimate some of the distractions. I must remind myself to get out of my sports chair and leave my chatty friends and get some more, real down low shots. I bet I'd get a lot better shots this way :-). This may improve my tilted horizons problem as well.
As far as aperture, my "good" lens goes down to 2.8 but I seem to have problems keeping enough action figures in focus in anything down more than 4.0. I'm guessing this is just something I need practice with.
I like to wording you suggested regarding "getting on the freelance list. That is just the type of advice I was looking for.

Jim Bryant · #5 (**permalink**) 06-17-2011, 07:46 PM

good deal.........the only players or action you need to have in focus is the peak action only involving the ideal subjects. Everything or everyone else outside of the peak action is distracting. Most of the times I always shoot at f2.8 and whatever my shutter speed dictates, which is ideally more than 2500 of a second for day games and at least 800 - 1000 for night games, unless it's high school football or soccer. Then, I set the camera on manuel, flash at high speed 1/8, ISO 1000, f-stop f2.8 and shutter speed at 250th.

slh · #6 (**permalink**) 06-17-2011, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

good deal.........the only players or action you need to have in focus is the peak action only involving the ideal subjects. Everything or everyone else outside of the peak action is distracting. Most of the times I alway shoot at f2.8 and whatever my shutter speed dictates, which is ideally more than 2500 of a second for day games and at least 800 - 1000 for night games, unless it's high school football or soccer. Then, I set the camera on manuel, flash at high speed 1/8, ISO 1000, f-stop f2.8 and shutter speed at 250th.

This man is a wealth of information!