The TP "Official" guide to sports stadiums

DemiLion said:
Which agency/licencee do you know that still processes pitchside and dumps the chem onto the grass/track? Any? At all?
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There was a guy with a MF camera at the Olympics! (but in answer to your question, none)
 
purpleclouds said:
Parking

There is absolutely NO wiring or editing to be done at pitchside.. remember this when picking your spot. It's a long way to go from the far end to the photographers room at half time ;) Worth leaving your laptop in the photographers room to guarantee a plug :)
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Is this still the case? Why?
 
It's many years since I was there Chris!, (they where in the 1st division, (prem), then) :), but I drive past the ground a bit & you must get there early to find parking!. I'm sure someone will chip in for WIFI:) etc?.

PS nice to see you back(y)

Kind regards Graham.
 
Weston Homes Community Stadium - Colchester United

Parking

Car parking is available to accredited media at the ground. Just phone the club beforehand to reserve a space in the media parking area. £6 afterwise. Entry to the ground is via main reception where there is a Press stand inside the front door.

Food

Your normal tea and coffee facilities. Not a lot else.

Lighting

Floodlights are pretty poor. Had to be turned down due to residents complaining about a mile away. Normal shooting is 1/1000 2.8 4000-ISO. There can be significant drops of light from a corner to the middle of the pitch - about a stop. Shooting from one end of the pitch to the other isn't ideal. Recycle rate of lights also not that ideal.

Hints and tips for good locations (or bad)

Good size photographers wire room situated on the 2nd floor (accessible by lift) but requires coming down stairs of main stand to the pitch - don't carry too much with you as steep stairs. Good 3g signal - never had a problem - and Wi-Fi is available from the main stand but not always made available. Free to sit wherever you like (as long as not near the dugouts) in front of advertising boards
 
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Rovers_Andy said:
Update:

Shot the Middlesbrough Vs Norwich City league game yesterday.

Don't bother with the wire room, go though the door next too it walk down past the food stalls and into the press room, you get looked after in there, good food, plenty of hot drinks and squash.

One thing to note, if you get given a Yellow Bib it means you can only go behind the goals, it also means that at no time are you allowed along the touchline with the dugouts, not even BEFORE the game for the manager shots, some of the stewards are quite rude and unhelpful. I was stood next to the barriers by the dugout and one of them got arsey stating i couldn't come past the barriers, my feet were maybe 2 inches across the line. This is the sort of pedantic rubbish you can expect.

Also your not allowed to walk past the dugouts, even to change ends at half time.

Having said that there were some Stewards there that were helpful and friendly:)
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Wifi at the Riverside is a joke

Its available, free.... BUT I found FTP wont work through the free option

YOu can pay for the wifi, its £10 per game or £15 for the season. I use use the 3g when there. no issues so far
 
Fleetwood Town

Parking

Street parking only but there are no restrictions. I was lucky and got parked fairly close even though there was a big crowd.

Facilities

Collect your ticket from the kiosk which is straight in front of you when you enter through the main gates. Access is through the main entrance from where you can get out onto the pitch. You will need to find the fella to get your bib and the team sheet. He was near the press box in stand the day I was there. I bought my own programme but some of the other TOGS seemed to have been given them. I wired from the car after the game as other than the press box in the stand there didn’t seem to be anywhere else.

Food/Refreshments

As with the programme I bought my own.

Shooting Locations

You can shoot from almost anywhere but you are very close to the pitch so it's best to bear this in mind when choosing your spot. The away fans are located to your left as you enter the pitch

Lighting

The game I did was a 3pm kick off in late January. It was a bright day and didn’t get really dark although the lights were on in the second half. By the end of the game I was at ISO 2000 to get 1/800 at f/2.8
 
ChrisDonnelly said:
Bradford City anyone?
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See below. Incidentally, the day you asked about I was supposed to be with you but it was postponed.

Parking
No press parking. I parked in a secure area off Manningham Lane (the main road past the ground) which cost £3.00. There is street parking along Manningham Lane but not a lot.

Facilities
I asked a steward where the press entrance was and he tried to confiscate my monopod because he said it could be used as a weapon!!

Walk up the “steep” hill to left of the ground as you look at it from Manningham Lane. The entrance is through a large set of maroon double doors just after the social club. You sign in and collect your ticket here. You will be directed to a press lounge where there are some tables and sockets. Team sheets and programmes are available here.

There was WIFI available but be aware you’ll only have 15-20 mins after the end of the game before they want to lock up and go. My advice is to wire from your car. To access the pitch you come out of the press area and turn left, enter the stand and walk down the steps to the pitch. The away fans are to your right.

Food/Refreshments

There was tea and biscuits available in the press area. Chocolate biscuits that is.

Shooting Locations

Behind the goals at both ends. At the away end (you are behind the boards but at the home end you sit on the track.

Lighting

Don’t know as it was a Saturday afternoon in August so it was daylight throughout other than the deluge that lasted for ten minutes or so.
 
I managed to get a ticket for the champions league final at Wembley, I'll be in the top tier around the half way line.

I'm keen to take some photos to remember the event, I've a canon 600d with the basic 18-55mm and 55-250mm kit lenses.

I know I won't be able to get good pictures of the action of the pitch, but am more keen to get crowd photos, and take a few shot to make panoramic pictures after.

Is the Wembley lighting in the evening suitable for basic lenses? I've only used pocket cameras in stadiums previous, not sure if it is worth carrying around the slr.

Thanks!
 
stanic said:
I managed to get a ticket for the champions league final at Wembley, I'll be in the top tier around the half way line.

I'm keen to take some photos to remember the event, I've a canon 600d with the basic 18-55mm and 55-250mm kit lenses.

I know I won't be able to get good pictures of the action of the pitch, but am more keen to get crowd photos, and take a few shot to make panoramic pictures after.

Is the Wembley lighting in the evening suitable for basic lenses? I've only used pocket cameras in stadiums previous, not sure if it is worth carrying around the slr.

Thanks!
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Please read the sticky at the top of this section.
 
DemiLion said:
Please read the sticky at the top of this section.
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Why bother? It's got nothing to do with the Premier or Football League. It's UEFA rules on Champions League final day, which clearly state:

Ticket Holders shall not take, record and/or transmit any sound, image and/or description of the Stadium or the Match (as well as any result and/or statistics of the Match) other than for private and domestic use. It is strictly forbidden to disseminate over the Internet, radio, television or any other current and/or future media, any sound, picture, image, data, description, result and/or statistics of the Match in whole or in part, or to assist any other person(s) conducting such activities.
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Source: http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/Ticketing/01/91/51/16/1915116_DOWNLOAD.pdf

Snap away Stanic!
 
DemiLion said:
Fair enough! :D

You can take them, you just can't show anyone online!!
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No you can show them online too, the final sentence of that quote was relating to giving images to anyone involved in commercial activities, which I cut out :)
 
Thanks, yeah I had checked out the UEFA rules and other forums saying there should be no issues bringing a camera into Wembley.

Any advice on my query if my lenses would be suitable for general shots at night?
 
Spotland, Rochdale

Parking

Street parking only but there are restrictions. I've been lucky twice and parked in Mons Avenue which is right next to the ground.

Facilities

Collect your pass from the main reception usually a young lady sat at a desk in the foyers. She will also issue you with a bib. You enter the ground via the players entrance which is to your right when you come out of the reception. This entrance leads into the tunnel and from there on to the pitch. The press area is behind the dug outs but snappers tend to sort themselves out pitchside.

Food/Refreshments

Buy or take your own.

Shooting Locations

You can shoot from almost anywhere but you are very close to the pitch so it's best to bear this in mind when choosing your spot. The away fans are located opposite the tunnel and the dugouts.
Lighting

Okish down the middle of the pitch 1/640 at f/2.8 ISO 4000. Down the flanks is a different story underexposed by 2/3 at ISO 6400.

The Stewards and other staff are some of the most helpful and friendliest I've come across.
 
nigpd said:
Anyone got the low down on shooting at Hull City?

Thanks in advance
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Free parking in the Walton St carpark then a 5 min walk to the ground through the West Park, when through the park follow the ground anti clockwise (right) and past the main reception, just after is the Media enterance, food was only soup and roll when i went, sign in in media room and pick up bib and prog/teamsheet, exit to pitchside is to right of desk at front of room, turn right to the end, turn right again down corridor and you might have to ring the buzzer at the door for stewards to let you through, pirchside is just to the left.

Wi-fi has always been excellent when ive been there
 
My contribution, as I couldn't find that anybody else had done it. Hope this is useful if you ever have the displeasure of photographing at Rodney Parade (where the men are separated from the boys...)

Rodney Parade - Newport County AFC (also Newport Gwent Dragons but never shot them myself so info may not be 'transferrable')

Getting there - Parking

Centrally located but a bit fiddly getting to as the main road across Newport Bridge doesn't allow a right turn into road which runs alongisde the ground. Parking is mostly street, the club does utilise a school at the top end of the ground for players parking etc so press can park here as well. Otherwise it's the Kingsway Car Park which is just a short walk in the city centre (there's a footbridge across the river). Parking is £2 for up to 5 hours for a weekend or £1 for evening matches.

Getting in / Accreditation

A bit fiddly if parking in the city centre or the school car park, as it's the opposite end of the ground. Rodney Parade is essentially double the length of a normal stadium as there is a full size training pitch at the North end of the ground. If coming from the South end there's an entrance about half way up, otherwise you need to walk around to the main entrance. Media accreditation is located in the Club Shop, walk in & stick to the right, you'll see ticket booth facing against a wall, this is where you sign in.

Food / Facilities

Media "facilities" are located at the southern end of the ground. Enter next to the club shop and walk along underneath the main stand, you'll need to get a steward to let you through the segregated area and the media room is in the old hospitality boxes behind the temporary stands. This room is usually locked until somebody asks for it to be opened, so best bet is ask one of the stewards in the away end whether it's open, they'll be able to direct you then and open the room, you are usually booted out of there pretty quickly after full time (last match I was told 15 minutes after final whistle - I'm currently trying to get the club to do something about this - so may have updates soon!). Once in, there are limited power points and slow WiFi, don't expect a tea or coffee, but you do get a hot drinks voucher in your press pack, to be used in the Hazell Stand (opposite the main stand). Food is plentiful but at a cost, burgers, hot dogs are £3+ from the many food outlets. If you don't fancy the trek to the media room and don't need power, there's a little undercover section just beyond the main foyer where the hospitality lounge above the stand provides shelter.

Photographing postions

As it started life as a rugby ground, Rodney Parade has large areas behind each end but the sidelines are pretty narrow. Officially there is no photography along sidelines, but it depends on how the stewards feel about moving you on the day. You can usually get a half before somebody moves you. Being along pitchside pre-match is fine & you can generally change ends during play as long as you walk along the main stand side.

Lighting

Not good, daytime KO's are OK generally, the sun comes from behind the Hazell Stand so lights the area in front of the main (Bisley) stand. Shadow from Hazell stand can be quite severe and in autumn winter the pitch is usually 50/50 sun & shade. Night time is a different animal, floodlights run along each of the stands on the side and each side has a different colour temp, there is drastic drop off & shadows on the Hazell side of the pitch, the main stand is slightly better but still a big drop off along the side lines. I tend to go with 1/640 ISO5000 @ f2.8 for night, but that's only really correct in the middle of the pitch.
 
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I was at Newport last night, parked in the school and the staff were very helpful all round. Floodlighting is poor as you said, especially on the dugout side. The local arsonist didn't help with clouds of smoke drifting across the pitch for a large part of the game. Didn't get booted out at the end, I think the turning off of the lights was my hint to clear the pitch.
 
Martin64uk said:
I was at Newport last night, parked in the school and the staff were very helpful all round. Floodlighting is poor as you said, especially on the dugout side. The local arsonist didn't help with clouds of smoke drifting across the pitch for a large part of the game. Didn't get booted out at the end, I think the turning off of the lights was my hint to clear the pitch.
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It was probably me who you spoke to then pre-match Martin, small world! They only tend to boot out of the "media room", I use that term loosely as the rugby employed stewards seem to have a real aversion to accommodating football photographers. You're usually OK in the ground for a good while as the gates are practically always open. Hope you enjoyed your trip and the experience didn't put you off Newport for life!
 
Just edited my Newport bit as the info on booting out was a bit misleading - clarified to state this is the media room not the ground in general.
 
Anyone have any info on shooting at Morecambe / Globe Arena?

Also, is it suitable for a remote camera behind the goal? Considering giving it a try for the first time - not expecting anything great, just keen to try it out.

Thanks
Rich
 
Anyone got any info on Everton, doing a job there for someone with some borrowed gear, its a night match so lights info would be useful as well
 
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Gary Coyle said:
Anyone got any info on Everton, doing a job there for someone with some borrowed gear, its a night match so lights info would be useful as well
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Good luck with the stewards..... https://BANNED/simonstacpoole/status/569536760696451072
 
Tobers said:
Crystal Palace - Selhurst Park

Getting There/Parking
Bit of a nightmare by road. Getting into that part of London from just about anywhere is a nightmare. I come in from the M25 up the A23, into Croydon and out the other side along Whitehorse Road/Lane. It's very congested on match days. I've done the trip on a motorbike 3 times and without it I'd have been well late. It's also horrendous trying to get away again. Parking nearby in a car is very tricky so best avoided - park a bit away and walk in. For motorbikes, youget waved in past Sainsburys and can park on the cobbled pavement opposite Sainsburys about 10 feet from the ground :D.

Collecting your accreditation
Go down past Sainsburys on your left. Go through the gates. There's a couple of portacabins stacked up past the little club shop portacabin. There's a press/media window there to collect your ticket.

Getting into the ground - go to the corner of the ground that you'd see on the right if you were looking at the ground from the portacabin where you just collected your pass. A steward should let you in there between the two stands.

You can sit anywhere along the far touchline - nowhere else - not at the ends or anything. No bibs issued.

Connectivity

I saw a BT Openzone hotspot but was unable to get onto it. Vodafone is excellent with 3G+ reception at about half strength. O2 was EDGE only so pretty slow.

Lighting

Bit patchy at the ends. From memory last season I was up at ISO2500 to get 1/640th at f/2.8. Better in the middle of the pitch.
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I'm off to Selhurst Park at the end of May to photograph the team I shoot regularly (Dundee) in Julian Speroni's testimonial - where are you allowed to shoot from and are their any problems with height of advertising boards or blocking crowd views?
 
Hartlepool last night.. Got to say probably the best floodlights in league two... Not constant accross the park but very good lighting...
 
davidy233 said:
I'm off to Selhurst Park at the end of May to photograph the team I shoot regularly (Dundee) in Julian Speroni's testimonial - where are you allowed to shoot from and are their any problems with height of advertising boards or blocking crowd views?
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You are down the side away from managers, in front of the boards. Photographers room is in the stand opposite and is a total dump.
 
KIPAX said:
Hartlepool last night.. Got to say probably the best floodlights in league two... Not constant accross the park but very good lighting...
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They are fantastic for the level they are at and are leagues ahead of Middlesbrough.
 
Crystal Palace on Tuesday night treated me fantastically - Got an access all areas pass and photographers got use of the main media centre rather than the 'total dump' photographers room as it was a testimonial - media centre provided best steak pie and chips I've ever eaten in my life - wifi was fast and worked all round track - I wired from in front of the Dundee fans at the opposite corner of the ground to the media centre. Floodlights were decent (though I've seen better). Stewards were helpful and one of them actually moved to let me shoot from where I wanted.

Their media staff were really friendly - polar opposite to shooting at Dundee United on Sunday where they didn't have my pass (third time that's happened in last four visits there) - photographers room tucked away down stairs at bottom of away support stand and freezing - no wifi and not even a cup of tea provided.

Palace were absolutely brand new, even better than Sheffield United in pre-season, the previous best for welcome received.
 
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Does anyone have the low down on Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground, please? I've got the chance to shoot the Twenty20 match between England and New Zealand in a couple of weeks. Evening match.

Parking info, bring your own food/drink?, media room facilities etc info would be good.

Also, would a 400 f2.8 be ok (with or without x1.4) or should I take my 600 f4 instead?

Thanks in advance for your help :)
 
Portsmouth on a saturday afternoon anyone ?
 
pit.jpg



The deep smelly photogrpahers pit at portsmouth.. stood on cold concrete for an hr ...
 
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