The field of sports photography includes sports team photography, athletics photography, adventure sports photography, and creative sports photography. Sports photographers may specialize in a certain location, certain sport, certain gender, prefer black and white over color, or be a generalist and have experience photographing a variety of sporting events from tee ball to polo, from high school swimming to winter X-Games.
Sports photography is an exciting but stressful field since the best shots are generally those that catch live action at its peak. When seeking a professional to capture shots of your sporting event, prior experience is key. Before you get started, consider the following pointers:
1. Know the type of sports photography you need so you can focus on finding an athletics photographer with the applicable background.
2. Calculate your budget and know your deadline, since photographers can be quite expensive and their schedules can be quite full.
3. Decide whether you want to be involved in the shoot, or if you will let the photographer have free rein based on your stated requirements.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Get off the bench and search through lists of sports photographers
Sports photography is a specialized but large field of work, so narrowing down your options should be the first goal. Professional sports photography services can assist you in your search but contract rates may be higher than finding a photographer on your own.
I recommend: You can search region, state, and international listings for sports photographers at
PhotoLinks. Look through
Y-Coach's listing of sports teams photographers for a professional youth sports photographer. The
Photography Pros directory has national and international listings of sports photographers seeking work.
Use professional associations to find professional sports photographers
An experienced sports photographer will have a sizable portfolio, come highly recommended, and will be attached to a fee ranging from hundreds of dollars to thousands. A well-known sports photographer specializing adventure or extreme sports will charge more than the local youth athletic team photographer.
I recommend: The member listing of sports photographers through the
National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) can be narrowed down to those willing to travel to your specific location. Use the free search tool through the
Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to be referred to sports photographers fitting your criteria.
Select a freelance sports photographer for your small budget team
Freelance photographers abound and can be found through word of mouth, local sporting events, and even through freelance job boards. Use all avenues to find potential candidates. Make sure to check out their websites and look through any portfolios you can find.
I recommend: Post your project requirements and receive bids, or do your own search on
iFreelance from sports photographers who would like your business. You can locate a sports photographer through
FreelanceDesigners. The
International Freelance Photographers Organization (IFPO) maintains a list of freelance sports photographers by last name and location.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Find sport photographer information in magazines you enjoy reading. Just look at the photo credits and perform a Web search or contact the magazine's editorial staff for the photographer's contact information.
- Follow up with a sports team photographer if you see a sports photo on display that captures your attention. The contact information should be on the front or back of the photo.
The official source of Sports Photographers is the Sports Photographers page at Business.com
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