Pro tog stories

Eighth Avenue

Eighth Avenue

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Name
Iain
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Hi all,

I've been visiting this section of the website more and more lately and I don't know if this has been done before but was wondering about the professional photographers sports stories - how they started off, when their break came, how they got with agencies, if anyone along the way helped them get a break etc.

Anyone care to share? :wave:
 
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Ack come on Tobers, we just want some bedtime reading, we're not trying to extract valuable secrets from you that would enable us to instantly become a professional sports photographer.........honest!......:D
 
Hmmmm ok then :)

Back in July 2008 i went to a local non league teams pre season friendly with a mate who works in the Media Department for my local Championship side, during the game i mentioned how i would like to try shooting football. He arranged for me to shoot a few youth team games then during the 08/09 season i started to cover 1st team and Reserve team games. I started off with a 400D and 70-200 borrowing a 1DSMKIII and a 24-70.

Very slowly started to improve with much headbanging, a few months in when i was struggling i joined another forum where i bumped into Jamesb84, Kipax and another photographer who helped me out plenty with grasping the basics and general advice.........

Fast forward to a few months into the 09/10 season and i bumped into a Photographer from one of the "Big 5" who i had talked to at a few 1st team games and he put me in touch with one of his mates who runs an agency, eventually started shooting for him December 09 and had a baptism of fire, a nice commission as my first ever photography job :eek: had thick fog across the pitch, freezing cold and having never wired live or even after a game twas tricky.....Then in January 10 i met a photographer at a 1st team game who runs his own agency and started shooting Championship football for him, got lucky after my first game and had a glut of usage :D then a few more spread over the rest of the season.

Now to the 10/11 season and i'm shooting Premiership :)

Its very hard work and i don't think i could not have progressed without other financial income but by putting the effort in, showing an interest in learning the trade and gettting to know the pro's in your area then you stand a good chance of getting your first lucky break. Of course you need to invest in the right kit too. Getting someone to give you a chance is the hardest part after that its sink or swim.
 
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I tossed a coin.. heads for belly dancer... tails for sports photographer.... thank god it came down tails.. and the rest is history..


next? :)
 
KIPAX said:
I tossed a coin.. heads for belly dancer... tails for sports photographer.... thank god it came down tails.. and the rest is history..


next? :)
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I've heard you still do belly dancing after your sunday night white wine :naughty:
 
Eighth Avenue said:
Thanks Rovers Andy and thanks Kipax... kinda :shrug::D
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Sorry .. You ask at the worse time weekend..busy busy..keep poppin in here but supposed to be sorting pics for paper and processing this afternoons womens game for BRFC.. Most pro togs are out all weekend.. betetr response midweek mate :)
 
stoppit!!!! :)
 
KIPAX said:
Sorry .. You ask at the worse time weekend..busy busy..keep poppin in here but supposed to be sorting pics for paper and processing this afternoons womens game for BRFC.. Most pro togs are out all weekend.. betetr response midweek mate :)
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:D makes sense, enjoy the editing

phil8139 said:
Iain, once you get to know Kipax, you will realize that's pretty much how he does things. It seems to work for him too :cautious: but he's a big softie really :LOL:
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Don't worry, I realise Kipax has a unique way of answering things :razz:
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Fast forward to a few months into the 09/10 season and i bumped into a Photographer from one of the "Big 5" who i had talked to at a few 1st team games and he put me in touch with one of his mates who runs an agency, eventually started shooting for him December 08 and had a baptism of fire, a nice commission as my first ever photography job :eek: had thick fog across the pitch, freezing cold and having never wired live or even after a game twas tricky.....Then in January 08 i met a photographer at a 1st team game who runs his own agency and started shooting Championship football for him, got lucky after my first game and had a glut of usage :D then a few more spread over the rest of the season.
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Me (sic) is moochos confused.
 
Then Jan 09

Ok I see dee light man.... :clap:
 
i'd prefer a few stories about things they've seen players / managers / people in the crowd do that would entertain us mere mortals.. come on spill the beans! :clap:
 
leftcurl

That's what I thought this thread would be about - bring it on.

Maybe start a new thread.
 
Eighth Avenue said:
Hi all,

I've been visiting this section of the website more and more lately and I don't know if this has been done before but was wondering about the professional photographers sports stories - how they started off, when their break came, how they got with agencies, if anyone along the way helped them get a break etc.

Anyone care to share? :wave:
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Sounds more like how did people get started :shrug:

I don't really have any good "stories" yet :)
 
snapzz said:
I got a cup of coffee thown over me by a Millwall fan the other week! I suppose that may be amusing to some :thinking:
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he must have been one of the new breed... it would have been a broken bottle back in the day :bonk:
 
What kind of coffee was it?
 
Because he's a Millwall fan. That is the reason.

You are making the classic mistake of assuming that they are intelligent lifeforms! :D
 
I had a bottle of water thrown at my head by at Norwich fan at Millwall the other week... Does that count as an amusing story??? Mind you I wasn't that amused at the time.
 
toffees and sweets thrown at me by kids..

city of manchester stadium many yrs ago had a full england A game.. behind the goals each seat had a red or white card attached to it so when the teams come out fans could hold the cards up to make a st george... so litrally thousands of potential folded aeroplanes which wasnt a problem as they didnt get as far as the pitchside togs...

However the elastic bands that held the cards to the seats did.... ping, whack, whoosh... thousands of em.. became a national pastime for an hr to see who could hit a cameraman. me and a few other togs sat there with litrally thousands of lacky bands at our feet.. not good
 
hjwatso1 said:
I had a bottle of water thrown at my head by at Norwich fan at Millwall the other week... Does that count as an amusing story??? Mind you I wasn't that amused at the time.
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It depends on whether the water was frozen or not! :D
 
Eighth Avenue said:
Obviously it's amusing :LOL:

But why did he throw it? (Other than being a Millwall fan)
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It was when the opoising side scored their second goal after Millwall lead 1-0 at H-T.

KIPAX said:
city of manchester stadium many yrs ago had a full england A game.. behind the goals each seat had a red or white card attached to it so when the teams come out fans could hold the cards up to make a st george... so litrally thousands of potential folded aeroplanes
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Yep had that too at a Middlesbrough home game but their fans are closer to you.


One of the worse thing is the bibs you have to wear which have "Press" on the back so guess what the fans think is really funny!!!!!
 
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My first "break" came when I took some pictures at a big polo event at a polo club in Surrey. I went in a couple of days later to see if they'd be interested in any of them. They said "yes". I asked if they had an official photographer - they said "no". I asked if they wanted one - they said "yes". That was me "in" and though I never made much money, it got me into the polo magazines and onto the social event photography circuit (lots of parties in the polo set), and off I went.

Cant think of many funny stories from polo other than taking a picture of the Queen driving herself without her seatbelt on at Guards polo club which netted be a grand from various publications around the world, and probably lost me any chance of a knighthood.
 
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