Offering images to the local press

[Trevor]

I need some advice plus your honest opinion.

One of my favourite subjects is shooting at local football matches, local football is also one of my main hobbies so the two go together quite well.

What is the best way to offer my pictures to the local press? I'm not looking for payment, though that would be great if they offered, my main aim is to highlight the sport, not earn a living, attendaces in general are falling and if through my photography I could encourage just a few more to turn up at local games that would be payment enough for me. Press coverage of this sort of football is only at the local level and often only in the free papers. I do not follow one particular club therefore most weeks I would be offering my work to different papers even though they are owned by the same printer they each have their own editor and sports desk.

Are my photos good enough? I have a gallery at http://trevor786.fotopic.net/ Please take a look at the football collections and tell me what you think. There are only two football collections there with about fifty images between them. I am playing about with a website at http://www.wix.com/trevorlitchfield/Site-1 but this is neither the finished site or where it will stay if I decide to keep it.

My apologies if I've wasted your time but I'd like some answers and feedback on the images

[ollie123_4]

Hi,

I like the pics. Some of them capture the moment very well :kewlpics:

I'm not talking from experience but I would probably email or talk to the sports desk and maybe ask if they want any local matches covered, you would be available?

Don't mention fees/free but if they say no, then mention you would do it for free. They might suddenly change their mind.

But if they mention fees then thats a bonus I guess?!

[Dotty.c]

yep agree with Ollie, contact the sports desk

[ollie123_4]

Dotty, just a quick question... Is there anyway I can private message other members on here? Or do I have to upgrade.
Thanks in advance

[lostmysnorkel]

Probably the first step is to go knocking on doors.

Start with the clubs themselves and talk yourself onto the touchline and into the dressing rooms. This will put you in better positions for the photos and the clubs would welcome the extra exposure.

Also, approach the Sports desks at as many of the local papers as you can, find out what matches they might be interested in and cover them.

It's very difficult to sell an editor on images of a mid-table scrap when he's got pics of the top-of-the-table clash already so I think it's a case of finding out exactly what they might be looking for on any given weekend, and fill that need.

Once you're name is in their heads, then you might find you start to get the calls "Can you get to the game on Saturday, we need some pics?"

Also, do charge for your work. The papers may not take you seriously enough if you are free. When approaching them, use phrases like 'at your usual rates' or 'your normal fees' if you don't know what the going rate is.

At the very least, expenses should be covered.

Good luck!

[Trevor]

Probably the first step is to go knocking on doors.

Start with the clubs themselves and talk yourself onto the touchline and into the dressing rooms. This will put you in better positions for the photos and the clubs would welcome the extra exposure.

This is not hard for me, whether its a good or bad thing I am bit of a celebrity in local non league football amongst the supporters and there are very few clubs that have refused me taking photos in the past with one notable exception, the club in my hometown


Also, approach the Sports desks at as many of the local papers as you can, find out what matches they might be interested in and cover them.

It's very difficult to sell an editor on images of a mid-table scrap when he's got pics of the top-of-the-table clash already so I think it's a case of finding out exactly what they might be looking for on any given weekend, and fill that need.

Once you're name is in their heads, then you might find you start to get the calls "Can you get to the game on Saturday, we need some pics?"

Also, do charge for your work. The papers may not take you seriously enough if you are free. When approaching them, use phrases like 'at your usual rates' or 'your normal fees' if you don't know what the going rate is.

At the very least, expenses should be covered.

Good luck!

I am in the process of contacting my local sports desk editor, he also oversees other sports desks in the region so hopefully the one contact will cover several papers. I have not heard anything back yet but as Wednesdays is print day I'm hoping to hear something from him later today or perhaps in tomorrow. I left all mention of fees out other than request what their usual restrictions are on photos they accept. I'm hoping any mention of fees (if any) will be in his answer.

I am also on speaking terms with another newspapers sports editor but they have an in house togger that I often see at games they wish to cover but I will contact him and see what he has to say.

I've had photos accepted by clubs for websites and programmes, I just reasoned this would be the next logical step. You see very few toggers at this level with most photos taken by supporters on either a point and shoot or a mobile phone which doesn't do the game any justice in my view. The players may be non league standard but why should photos of them be of non league standard.

[Adam J Binnie]

You should be careful if the paper has its own photographer, you don't want to step on anyone's toes.

[Trevor]

You should be careful if the paper has its own photographer, you don't want to step on anyone's toes.

I have no intention of doing this either, I will be offering any images to a different newspaper group but the sports editor of that paper is a friend and I'm sure he will offer advice if I ask him.

[Jan]

Check the byline of the photographs in the papers you want to contribute to. If there are different togs in the same paper each week, it probably means that they don't have a regular staffer. If it's the same tog, then there's a possiblity that they don't have enough paid togs to cover all the matches. That way you can target your approach accordingly. I'm in London and the local newspaper doesn't pay freelancers at all, (in fact they still owe me money they agreed to pay from about 5 years ago). But they are happy to give writers and photographers a byline.

Another thing I find with my local paper, is that they sell the photos taken by the staff tog to the public, there's always a reference number by the photos, so it's unlikely you would get in on any of the matches that would result in after match prints and consequently profits for the paper.

You could also let the picture desk see some of the photographs you've taken as a taster. Don't send them a link, they are too busy to follow links. Embed 3-4 low res samples into an email, saying you can supply them at high res (300dpi is the industry standard), and you can send a link to other samples if they want to see more.

Hope some of this helps.

Jan

[Trevor]

Thanks Jan, I will bear this in mind

As an aside to all the above, I receved a phone call this morning asking if I would go to a club and do some around the ground shots (stand, dressing room, club room etc), squad and single player photos in return for free entry to games. This is the sort of payoff I really like.