I shot the UCLA and USC games on the same day

[Jason in LA]

I shot both games this past Saturday. I shot the first half of the USC game, then drove to the Rose Bowl for the UCLA game. My brother, who shoots for AP, shot the Dodgers game that day. The only game we missed that day was the Kings game, which he was trying to get a pass for. Here are some of the photos.

[Jason in LA]

Here's the USC pictures.

[CBF1]

Nice job, Next time invite me to the UCLA game and I will carry your camers and batteries

[Needa Pass Rush]

A lot of talent in that shutter finger of yours, Jason! Thanks for sharing. Keep em coming!

[Jens1893]

I´d love to get paid for taking pictures at sporting events.

[freak6]

Cool stuff man!

[DeusExManning]

Awesome Jason, thanks, if you need some help, let me know.

[Jason in LA]

Just to let all the "LA doesn't support their teams" people know, on that day, over 230,000 people attended the four games on Saturday. Three of the games were sellouts.

[Derger_Louis]

Nice pics - to bad you didn't get to shoot the 2nd half of the USC game, you could have gotten some pics of the Huskies getting screwed!

[Steve Sewell]

LA fans are notorious front-runners...that's why USC and UCLA are selling out now. We all know how empty the Coliseum was in the 90's...

[Jason in LA]

Originally Posted by Steve Sewell

LA fans are notorious front-runners...that's why USC and UCLA are selling out now. We all know how empty the Coliseum was in the 90's...

That's the misconception about LA. Look at the Lakers, for example. The past two years the attendence has been the same as it was during the 3-peat. You can also look at the Dodgers, who are always 2nd behind the Yankees in attendence, whether they make the playoffs or not. The Clippers attendence did not change much even though they were a playoff team all year long.

230,000 fans in one day is a lot. Not too many other markets can do that.

[minibronco]

That's fantastic man!

[DenverSportsFan4]

How do you get that job?

[Jason in LA]

Originally Posted by DenverSportsFan4

How do you get that job?

I'll give you the short version. If you are really interested, I'll give you the longer version.

You are going to have to buy your own equipment. I'm a Canon guy, so I'll tell you the Canon gear. If you are just starting out and want to save money, then get a 1D. You can find them for about $1000 used. They are better than the 20D, which a lot of people have, for sports. The 1D shoots 8 pics per second. The 20D 5. It does make a difference. You can rent the lens, but you should look into buying one. A 300 mm at 2.8. That's going to cost you. You'd be lucky to find one for under $3000, used. Renting can be a problem if you have to put a deposit down for the price of the lens. I have the hookups at a place where I don't have to do that.

Next, talk to high school coaches and they'll let you shoot their games. Shoot practices too. Just for the practice, and to build a portfolio.

Another thing that you can do is get a job with a company that shoots youth sports. They are always looking for people who will just show up and shoot a game, and they can train you very fast with their equimpent. I learned how to shoot in half an hour. It took a while to get really good at it, but learning what to do doesn't take long. Most of the work is on Saturdays.

Once you know how to shoot, and own your own gear, go to a community newspaper, who can get you passes into all the big games. That's how I'm getting in. Just give them photos, and they'll run them. Most likely won't pay you. I get paid as a staff writer, I don't get paid extra for the photos that I give them. But you'll get published, and you'll get to know the other media people in your area. When you get published a lot, and get really good, then you have to buy really good equipment. You'll need a Mark II 1D, which runs about $4,000 new. You can find used ones for about $2000. And you'll need two of them for football. You'll need to own a 300mm lens, and a 70-200mm lens, both 2.8. The 70-200 comes in really handy for football, and that's what you'll use to shoot basketball.

Then you can hook up with some wire services who'll sell your photos and give you a good percentage. If you're good, you can get with AP or Getty, who pay $230 per game or event. If you get into their rotation, you can work 5 days a week. Especially in a city where there is a lot happening. Most months there are sporting events in LA almost every night of the week (and people say LA is a bad sports town.)

Since you have all that equipment, start shooting anything you can to make extra money.

I think that's the short version.

[DenverSportsFan4]

Originally Posted by Jason in LA

I'll give you the short version. If you are really interested, I'll give you the longer version.

You are going to have to buy your own equipment. I'm a Canon guy, so I'll tell you the Canon gear. If you are just starting out and want to save money, then get a 1D. You can find them for about $1000 used. They are better than the 20D, which a lot of people have, for sports. The 1D shoots 8 pics per second. The 20D 5. It does make a difference. You can rent the lens, but you should look into buying one. A 300 mm at 2.8. That's going to cost you. You'd be lucky to find one for under $3000, used. Renting can be a problem if you have to put a deposit down for the price of the lens. I have the hookups at a place where I don't have to do that.

Next, talk to high school coaches and they'll let you shoot their games. Shoot practices too. Just for the practice, and to build a portfolio.

Another thing that you can do is get a job with a company that shoots youth sports. They are always looking for people who will just show up and shoot a game, and they can train you very fast with their equimpent. I learned how to shoot in half an hour. It took a while to get really good at it, but learning what to do doesn't take long. Most of the work is on Saturdays.

Once you know how to shoot, and own your own gear, go to a community newspaper, who can get you passes into all the big games. That's how I'm getting in. Just give them photos, and they'll run them. Most likely won't pay you. I get paid as a staff writer, I don't get paid extra for the photos that I give them. But you'll get published, and you'll get to know the other media people in your area. When you get published a lot, and get really good, then you have to buy really good equipment. You'll need a Mark II 1D, which runs about $4,000 new. You can find used ones for about $2000. And you'll need two of them for football. You'll need to own a 300mm lens, and a 70-200mm lens, both 2.8. The 70-200 comes in really handy for football, and that's what you'll use to shoot basketball.

Then you can hook up with some wire services who'll sell your photos and give you a good percentage. If you're good, you can get with AP or Getty, who pay $230 per game or event. If you get into their rotation, you can work 5 days a week. Especially in a city where there is a lot happening. Most months there are sporting events in LA almost every night of the week (and people say LA is a bad sports town.)

Since you have all that equipment, start shooting anything you can to make extra money.

I think that's the short version.

wow, thanks.

Is college required to get a job like that? I just finished high school and I have no clue what I'm going to do but this sounds pretty interesting. I still live with my dad so if I were to seriously persue this I could afford to not make a whole lot or even any money at first. Buying the equipment sounds pretty expensive but it can be done if I really wanted to get into this. Right now it's just an idea but it does sound like something I would like to do.

[Jason in LA]

First I'll give you the responsible answer. You should go to college. There are many great things that can be learned at college. And it opens a lot of doors.

Now, the real answer is, if the door you want opened has something to do with photography, no, you don't have to get a college degree. I did not learn a single thing about photography in the art department at UCLA. It was a big joke. I had photography professors who did not know anything about photography. They were "artist", so they were able to get away with that crap.

I have not had to present my degree for any photography job that I've had, and I know a number of people who are now shooting who did not go to school for photography. They just bought some good equipment and learned on their own. That's the beauty with digital cameras, you can learn on the fly because you can see your mistakes instantly. With film you had to wait, and pay, and then you wouldn't know what settings each photo was taken at. With digital, I look at the camera, and know that if the photo is off, I either need to lighten it or darken it, in most cases. That's pretty simple.

While in college, I got a weekend job shooting youth sports. My boss taught me how to shoot in about 30 minutes, then over time I became really good at it. For sports, you don't have to go to school, you just have to understand basic photography principles, and shoot a lot to get really good at it, and it's very helpful to have the right equipment.

Junior colleges have very good photography programs, well, atleast the ones here in LA. I would have been better served spending two years at Santa Monica JC than five years at UCLA. There are alot of things about photography that I don't know, because I was never taught. I'm not very good when it comes to lighting. But for what I do, mostly sports, I can knock it out. I've also shot some events, which I was decent at. But studio photograhy, I'd have to go and take a class to learn, or be somebody's assistant and learn that.

If I were you I'd take find out if the local JCs have good programs, and take their classes. If you are not interested in getting a BA, then just take the photography classes and then find some work. Save up and buy some good equipment. You can find a lot of used stuff for pretty cheap. If you get with a wire service, they'll sell your photos and give you leads.

I don't know where you live, but if you live in a big city, there is always work. If you live in a small city or town, you are going to have to hustle more. Learning how to shoot weddings is not all that hard, and you can make a lot of money doing it. Shooting youth sports can also make a lot of money. Living in LA is very helpful for me because there are always a number of events happening nightly.

So buy some decent equipment. I've seen the canon 10D for about $600. That's a pretty good camera for somebody starting out. The 20D I've seen used for around $1000. I have the original 1D, which is about $1000, but it only has 4.2 mp (I'd still get this over the 10D and 20D, if you plan to shoot sports). The Mark II 1D is the big dog, and I'm planning on getting one pretty soon. You'll also need a 550 or 580 flash, which will run you about $400.

It seems like a lot right now, but if you piece it all together over the next few years, you'll be making good money doing it, while a number of your friends will still be in college.

As for not making much money at first, that's how it is. My brother shoots for AP. For about three years he shooting the Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Angels, UCLA, and USC for free. He was getting published in a community paper, and then got on with AP. He makes about $40,000-$50,000 off of them, but then he makes another $30,000 or so from shooting other stuff.

I'm not really going his route. There is a lot more money shooting youth sports. I've made a decent amount of money doing it in a short period of time since I branched out on my own, and it's about to really take off. By next year I plan on making well over $100K just from shooting youth sports.

I was able to get the shot from the UCLA and USC games because I am a staff writer for a community newspaper, so I apply for passes for different events. I have a season pass to the Lakers, and spoke to Kobe Bryant last week. I'll be sitting court side for their games. My paper doesn't even pay me for the photos, just the articles. But if I wanted to get with AP or Getty, I could because a number of my photos have been published in the paper that I work for. But like I said, there is a lot more money shooting youth sports.

I know this was long winded, but I hope that gives you some more insight.

[DenverSportsFan4]

Originally Posted by Jason in LA

First I'll give you the responsible answer. You should go to college. There are many great things that can be learned at college. And it opens a lot of doors.

Now, the real answer is, if the door you want opened has something to do with photography, no, you don't have to get a college degree. I did not learn a single thing about photography in the art department at UCLA. It was a big joke. I had photography professors who did not know anything about photography. They were "artist", so they were able to get away with that crap.

I have not had to present my degree for any photography job that I've had, and I know a number of people who are now shooting who did not go to school for photography. They just bought some good equipment and learned on their own. That's the beauty with digital cameras, you can learn on the fly because you can see your mistakes instantly. With film you had to wait, and pay, and then you wouldn't know what settings each photo was taken at. With digital, I look at the camera, and know that if the photo is off, I either need to lighten it or darken it, in most cases. That's pretty simple.

While in college, I got a weekend job shooting youth sports. My boss taught me how to shoot in about 30 minutes, then over time I became really good at it. For sports, you don't have to go to school, you just have to understand basic photography principles, and shoot a lot to get really good at it, and it's very helpful to have the right equipment.

Junior colleges have very good photography programs, well, atleast the ones here in LA. I would have been better served spending two years at Santa Monica JC than five years at UCLA. There are alot of things about photography that I don't know, because I was never taught. I'm not very good when it comes to lighting. But for what I do, mostly sports, I can knock it out. I've also shot some events, which I was decent at. But studio photograhy, I'd have to go and take a class to learn, or be somebody's assistant and learn that.

If I were you I'd take find out if the local JCs have good programs, and take their classes. If you are not interested in getting a BA, then just take the photography classes and then find some work. Save up and buy some good equipment. You can find a lot of used stuff for pretty cheap. If you get with a wire service, they'll sell your photos and give you leads.

I don't know where you live, but if you live in a big city, there is always work. If you live in a small city or town, you are going to have to hustle more. Learning how to shoot weddings is not all that hard, and you can make a lot of money doing it. Shooting youth sports can also make a lot of money. Living in LA is very helpful for me because there are always a number of events happening nightly.

So buy some decent equipment. I've seen the canon 10D for about $600. That's a pretty good camera for somebody starting out. The 20D I've seen used for around $1000. I have the original 1D, which is about $1000, but it only has 4.2 mp (I'd still get this over the 10D and 20D, if you plan to shoot sports). The Mark II 1D is the big dog, and I'm planning on getting one pretty soon. You'll also need a 550 or 580 flash, which will run you about $400.

It seems like a lot right now, but if you piece it all together over the next few years, you'll be making good money doing it, while a number of your friends will still be in college.

As for not making much money at first, that's how it is. My brother shoots for AP. For about three years he shooting the Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Angels, UCLA, and USC for free. He was getting published in a community paper, and then got on with AP. He makes about $40,000-$50,000 off of them, but then he makes another $30,000 or so from shooting other stuff.

I'm not really going his route. There is a lot more money shooting youth sports. I've made a decent amount of money doing it in a short period of time since I branched out on my own, and it's about to really take off. By next year I plan on making well over $100K just from shooting youth sports.

I was able to get the shot from the UCLA and USC games because I am a staff writer for a community newspaper, so I apply for passes for different events. I have a season pass to the Lakers, and spoke to Kobe Bryant last week. I'll be sitting court side for their games. My paper doesn't even pay me for the photos, just the articles. But if I wanted to get with AP or Getty, I could because a number of my photos have been published in the paper that I work for. But like I said, there is a lot more money shooting youth sports.

I know this was long winded, but I hope that gives you some more insight.

Ok, thanks a lot. I live in an Indiana suburb of Louisville, KY right now, only about a 5-10 minute drive from Louisville. I plan on moving to Denver whenever I figure out what I'm going to do and start to build some money and all. Unfortunately Louisville has no pro sports and honestly I don't ever see them getting any eventhough they continue to think they are going to get an NBA team which I honestly don't think is going to happen anytime soon because there are too many other cities that would get one first (Las Vegas, Kansas City, etc.) The good side is there is the University of Louisville's sports and plenty of youth and high school sports in both Southern Indiana and the Louisville area so I guess that will be enough to get me going.

Right now I honestly think this is a good idea for me and like I said before I am in a good position to pay my dues and not make a whole lot of money at first so I'm seriously considering giving this a chance. I haven't been interested in too many other things other than sports and I've been thinking of ideas to get a job that is sports related.

I do have a couple of questions if you can answer them It would be very appreciated.

A) For you personally do you pretty much set your own work times and shoot whichever games you like or are you assigned games to go to? It seems like you are pretty much self-employed and you just go to different events and then submit your photos to different publishers.

B) A follow-up to the first question, I would assume if you were to work for AP or Getty or one of these youth sports companies you would be assigned places to go and when you will work. Could you give me a basic idea of the day-to-day work schedule and how many hours each day you would be shooting events? I would guess most of it would be in the evenings and weekends since thats when most sporting events take place.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to explain all of this to me. It has really given me a good idea and I am seriously considering persuing this. When I posted how you get a job like this I expected you to either not even respond or just give some answer that didn't explain too much but I really appreciate you taking the time to help me get a better idea of what a job like this would be like.

[Jason in LA]

http://www.sportsshooter.com/index.html

That link is to a website that will give you more information, and you'll be able to see a lot of work from great sports photographers. They also have a message board that will give you a ton of advice. You can do a search in the member's index and find photographers in your area. I saw a number of them in Louisvelle. Try to get in contact with them and they'll most likely be happy to help you out. Maybe one will let you assist them (probably won't pay you, but it's still worth it).

The first thing that you should do is find a company that shoots youth sports. Either do a websearch, contact the local youth leagues and ask them if anybody shoots them, or just go down to the park where they are playing games. Football and soccer are going on right now. You can look up local soccer leagues on the AYSO website.

When you find a company, just apply for a job to shoot. They'll hire you, even if you've never shot. The toughest thing for companies is to find somebody who will just show up every Saturday and shoot the game. They'll train you and give you a lot of games to shoot. While you are shooting, after you've shot all the players that you needed to shoot, pop in your own memory card (or roll of film) and take some shots for your portfolio. Don't tell them that you did that, I surely didn't tell the guy that I shot for that I did.

If you can buy your own equipment, call up some community newspapers and tell them that you'll give them all the shots that you take if they can get you a pass into games. Where you are at it seems like Louisville is the only thing to shoot. Well, shoot everything at that school. They have all the major sports, so you'll have a lot to shoot. Because it's a small city, you can probably just contact Louisville and tell that you are learning to shoot, and they might give you a pass. It's probably not as crazy as 90,000 people at the Coliseum, and every local photographer wanting to get on the field. If you talk to the right person, you can probably get on the field. Then you can talk to the other sports photograhers there, and they'll give you some more info.

I do get some freedom with my schedule, but since I am a full time staff writer at the paper that I work for, I do have to put in 40 hours a week. As the sports writer, I cover all the local sports, so it keeps me busy.

Now if I was just a photographer, and I got a job with AP to shoot sports, I'd work mostly nights outside of football season. AP photogaphers normally show up two hours before a game, and stay an hour after the game working on the photos and sending them where ever they need to go. If you get in with a wire service, or with AP or Getty, and you get in their rotation, they'll keep you busy. Especially if you live in a big city. I'd imagine that there isn't a lot going on where you are, so when you get good and are ready to make that step up, you're going to have to think about moving, which is seems like you are already going to do. You'll be able to stay busy in Denver. You'd stay busy in Cinncy.

It's easier to get with a wire service. All you do is apply to one, and if nobody is shooting in that area, you're the guy. They don't pay you a salary, so it doesn't cost them anything to have you shoot. You make a percentage of what the photos sold for. After you've worked for them and gotten really good, and bought some really good equipment, then you can look to get a job with AP or Getty, who pay per event.

To get to the level of shooting big time games all the time, you're going to have to have a lot of equipment. You'll be looking at two Mark IIs, a 300mm 2.8 lens, a 70-200 2.8 mm lens, and a good labtop computer. That's about $12,000 worth of equipment. You don't need all that right now, but keep in mind, that if you go down the right path to do this, you'll need all that a few years down the line. So keep your credit clean, and build good credit so you can buy all that stuff.

I don't want to get too far ahead. Start out shooting youth sports. You'll shoot mostly Saturdays, and it's a long day. Shooting youth sports is an all day thing. I've had days where I showed up on the field at 7 am and didn't leave until sunset. A company should pay you a good $15 per hour, but it's only seasonal, and mostly on weekends. Mostly Saturdays.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask. And let me know how things go.

[DenverSportsFan4]

Originally Posted by Jason in LA

http://www.sportsshooter.com/index.html

That link is to a website that will give you more information, and you'll be able to see a lot of work from great sports photographers. They also have a message board that will give you a ton of advice. You can do a search in the member's index and find photographers in your area. I saw a number of them in Louisvelle. Try to get in contact with them and they'll most likely be happy to help you out. Maybe one will let you assist them (probably won't pay you, but it's still worth it).

The first thing that you should do is find a company that shoots youth sports. Either do a websearch, contact the local youth leagues and ask them if anybody shoots them, or just go down to the park where they are playing games. Football and soccer are going on right now. You can look up local soccer leagues on the AYSO website.

When you find a company, just apply for a job to shoot. They'll hire you, even if you've never shot. The toughest thing for companies is to find somebody who will just show up every Saturday and shoot the game. They'll train you and give you a lot of games to shoot. While you are shooting, after you've shot all the players that you needed to shoot, pop in your own memory card (or roll of film) and take some shots for your portfolio. Don't tell them that you did that, I surely didn't tell the guy that I shot for that I did.

If you can buy your own equipment, call up some community newspapers and tell them that you'll give them all the shots that you take if they can get you a pass into games. Where you are at it seems like Louisville is the only thing to shoot. Well, shoot everything at that school. They have all the major sports, so you'll have a lot to shoot. Because it's a small city, you can probably just contact Louisville and tell that you are learning to shoot, and they might give you a pass. It's probably not as crazy as 90,000 people at the Coliseum, and every local photographer wanting to get on the field. If you talk to the right person, you can probably get on the field. Then you can talk to the other sports photograhers there, and they'll give you some more info.

I do get some freedom with my schedule, but since I am a full time staff writer at the paper that I work for, I do have to put in 40 hours a week. As the sports writer, I cover all the local sports, so it keeps me busy.

Now if I was just a photographer, and I got a job with AP to shoot sports, I'd work mostly nights outside of football season. AP photogaphers normally show up two hours before a game, and stay an hour after the game working on the photos and sending them where ever they need to go. If you get in with a wire service, or with AP or Getty, and you get in their rotation, they'll keep you busy. Especially if you live in a big city. I'd imagine that there isn't a lot going on where you are, so when you get good and are ready to make that step up, you're going to have to think about moving, which is seems like you are already going to do. You'll be able to stay busy in Denver. You'd stay busy in Cinncy.

It's easier to get with a wire service. All you do is apply to one, and if nobody is shooting in that area, you're the guy. They don't pay you a salary, so it doesn't cost them anything to have you shoot. You make a percentage of what the photos sold for. After you've worked for them and gotten really good, and bought some really good equipment, then you can look to get a job with AP or Getty, who pay per event.

To get to the level of shooting big time games all the time, you're going to have to have a lot of equipment. You'll be looking at two Mark IIs, a 300mm 2.8 lens, a 70-200 2.8 mm lens, and a good labtop computer. That's about $12,000 worth of equipment. You don't need all that right now, but keep in mind, that if you go down the right path to do this, you'll need all that a few years down the line. So keep your credit clean, and build good credit so you can buy all that stuff.

I don't want to get too far ahead. Start out shooting youth sports. You'll shoot mostly Saturdays, and it's a long day. Shooting youth sports is an all day thing. I've had days where I showed up on the field at 7 am and didn't leave until sunset. A company should pay you a good $15 per hour, but it's only seasonal, and mostly on weekends. Mostly Saturdays.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask. And let me know how things go.

Thanks a lot. You have been a big help. I'm heading to a nearby job fair this Thursday to look for a decent part-time job and I'm going to start saving to buy some of the equipment I will need when I first start out. There is no doubt in my mind that I will move away from here whenever I get some experience and some money in the bank and I'm sure Denver is the right place for me so hopefully things will work out.

I am going to look into some of these youth companies and start saving for equipment and hopefully I can get going pretty soon. I've always been pretty interested in photography and obviously sports so I think this is a great thing for me to try to get into.

I appreciate all of your help and I will definitly let you know how things go in the near future. I am also going to join the sports shooter site and get some info from there too.

Thanks and again I really appreciate all of your help.

[Pezman]

FYI DenverSportsFan4, you'll need sponsorship to join the Sportsshooter site. But its well worth it to find a sponsor!

[DenverSportsFan4]

Originally Posted by Pezman

FYI DenverSportsFan4, you'll need sponsorship to join the Sportsshooter site. But its well worth it to find a sponsor!

Ok thanks for the heads up.

[Jason in LA]

Originally Posted by Pezman

FYI DenverSportsFan4, you'll need sponsorship to join the Sportsshooter site. But its well worth it to find a sponsor!

I forgot to mention that.

The thing for you, DSF4, to do is get in contact with one of the members from your area. I think there were about 10 or so close to you. Tell that that you are interested in shooting. They'll tell you everything that you need to know. They'll tell you where to buy equipment, and who you need to network with. One of them will probably sponser you when you get started.