[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
and enjoying themselves for the most part, regardless of ball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, tennis, swim and
how the game is going. track meets, marathons, road races, skiing, snowboarding,
NEWS MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT PHOTOGRAPHY 133
skateboarding, surfing, boxing, martial arts, golf, and more. Sports Photographers travel heavily in their work, partic-
They attend games and training and practice sessions ularly between March and June. They work days, evenings,
throughout the year and photograph in all types of weather. and weekends in a variety of capacities. They may be
They photograph national events such as the Super Bowl and employees, stringers, or freelancers for newspapers or mag-
World Series and international events such as the Olympic azines. They may work for companies that sell sports photo-
Games and the Tour de France. Some Sports Photographers graphs to the media or for companies that produce sports
specialize in certain sports, such as track and field or foot- cards. They may also be employed as press photographers
ball, and become known for their expertise in those arenas. with a specialization in sports, or they may work for profes-
Sports Photographers work closely with editors and sional sports leagues or teams in the capacity of official
reporters. They use digital cameras with long telephoto photographer.
lenses, laptops, and satellite phones and are able to transmit
images immediately to their editors via a range of wireless
Advancement Prospects
technologies. In fact a growing number of stadiums have set
Advancement comes primarily through rising toward the
up permanent high-speed networks that Sports Photogra-
top of the field and photographing high-profile games and
phers can access for the fastest transmissions. With this
players and major sporting events. Sports Photographers
technology, pictures can be posted onto sports Web sites
who have excellent writing and reporting skills and some
within five minutes or less.
experience in journalism can move into other areas of sports
coverage. They can become sports announcers or sports
Salaries writers. They can start their own sports Web sites or maga-
zines and hire other photographers to cover specific sports.
Sports Photographers annual salaries vary between $20,000
Depending upon their agreements with the publications for
and $50,000 or more, depending upon the size and circula-
which they have photographed, they can sell and license
tion of the publication or company for which they work.
their images to stock photography agencies.
Large newspapers and major publications normally pay
higher salaries, particularly to experienced photographers.
Some companies allot certain amounts of money to Sports
Education and Training
Photographers for cameras and equipment, but many pho-
A two- or four-year degree in photography, or communica-
tographers who are new to the field will initially have to
tions with training in photography, is recommended. Many
cover these expenses themselves and provide their own
Sports Photographers photographed sports and events for
equipment. While the salaries may be modest, Sports Pho-
their college newspapers and yearbooks. Training in digital
tographers do enjoy such benefits as access to major sports
photography and photographic design software is critical to
events, often the best seats at games, the continual opportu-
the position. Photographers can also take sports photogra-
nity to be accidentally tackled by their favorite players and
phy workshops, often offered by individuals already in the
stars, as well as travel to different parts of the country and
field.
the world. Depending upon their contracts with companies,
Sports Photographers can also augment their salaries by
Experience, Skill, and Personality Traits
selling their images to stock agencies and licensing their
Sports Photographers often develop a love for this field
work.
from their college-day experiences photographing games
and athletes for their school newspapers and yearbooks.
Employment Prospects
Photographers who are passionate about sports and deeply
Sports photography is an incredibly competitive field
knowledgeable about the games and players they are cover-
because many people want this job. Very few staff Sports
ing are more likely to take better action shots. Once the
Photographer positions exist, and there are hundreds of
game starts, they need to be completely tuned into what is
applicants for those few opportunities that happen to arise.
going on. They have to follow the ball or the puck, the runs,
Newspaper mergers, consolidations, and closures have
the scores, the baskets, the flags on the field, all of it. This
made the quest for employment more challenging. Accord-
job requires complete immersion, focus, and the ability to
ing to the Department of Labor, employment of reporters
know the right moment to take the shot. Some publications
and other related positions is expected to grow more slowly
and companies may also require Sports Photographers to
than the average for all occupations through 2012. Employ-
write captions to accompany the images, so strong writing
ment of Sports Photographers draws a close parallel to that
skills will be beneficial. Sports Photographers work indoors
of newspaper and magazine reporters. Sports Photographers
and outside, so they must be flexible and prepared both
will have good chances of finding freelance work and
physically and equipment- and gear-wise to deal with all
opportunities, however, at online newspapers and magazines
types of conditions. Additionally, Sports Photographers
and at suburban newspapers and publications.
freelancers in particular must be able to purchase all of the
134 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
equipment and gear they need to do this job effectively and paper, sports magazine, or Web site or with a wire
deliver quality images at professional standards. service such as Associated Press. Be patient, flexible,
and keep a positive attitude. Your work may be entry
level, but you will have the unique opportunity to be
Unions and Associations
at games and observe firsthand how the job is done.
Staff Sports Photographers for metropolitan newspapers and
2. Subscribe to and read the magazines and newspapers
national magazines may be required to become union mem-
that publish sports photographs. Subscribe to Robert
bers in unions such as the Communication Workers of
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]