What's required for media accreditation (not the usual question)

[MFlip]

Hi guys

I've been getting more involved with motorsport photography this year attending more meetings (by my standards) and spending more time viewing other people's work and it's raising some questions for me as to what's required from someone with media accreditation.

It's not the normal question, i.e. how do I get on the other side of the fence, it's more about delivering once you're there.

As far as I can see output speed is key (pretty sure the current rate I can manage at home with a toddler on my lap periodically fighting for control of the mouse isn't going to cut it.) My questions are more around technical quality, quantity and perhaps brief, although I suspect I may as well be asking how long a piece of string is. For example what is required in terms of sharpness, pin sharp at 1:1, bearable at a certain resolution? What resolution are images generally supplied at?

My main visibility of people's work is via Instagram. Whilst many pro's are posting what appear to be great shots the limitations of Instagram mean it is pretty much impossible to tell how sharp they are at any reasonable size. On top of that I assume they only post their best stuff. On the other hand I can see some people with media accreditation posting stuff that doesn't even look sharp or particularly well processed on Instagram.

Do I want to get media accreditation? I'll be honest I'm not sure at this stage, there are some tracks where I think being on the other side of the fence would make a significant difference but I'm also aware being the wrong side has its benefits. However I would like to know what's required and work towards a point where I think I'm up to the job anyway.

Cheers
Mark

 

[andrewc]

As soon as you are accredited it is assumed you are working for someone, and therefore you will be working to their specifications. Your contact / picture editor will be able to advise the size and format of the images you are being requested to supply. A local paper or a website will have different requirements to somebody whose pictures may be used on billboards (viewed from a distance) or large posters (viewed at comparatively close quarters)

As the artist you have to decide whether a shot is technically perfect or whether a less technically perfect but a shot telling a better story is to be submitted, although the picture editor / newsdesk will probably whittle a shortlist down and probably choose your least favourite shot, and then crop it or do something to it...

People post all sorts of stuff to Instragram - ranging from finished shots (usually after client has used them) to behind the scenes shots and I wouldn't consider necessarily representative of their submitted work.

Output speed depends on the client and when they close for press. The main (car) motorsport weeklies need their copy by early Monday morning. Monthlies and newspapers have their own publishing deadlines. Some outlets like a website gallery to be published almost immediately which means processing at circuit between races.

 

[MFlip]

Thanks for the thorough reply Andrew, it’s appreciated.

I had a feeling the answer might be along those lines. I guess I’ll just keep practising and maybe set myself some different challenges for each event.

Cheers