bruce_elliott

sorry I should have clarified...... "If you go for verbal agreements you'll be fine for your website, but I wouldn't ever rely on it for anything more." Fine in the sense that if they don't want it posted you can remove it. Not that you can post it and ignore their request to have it removed.

UK based as well. You take a shot of anything and the copyright is yours unless and until you choose to sell it or give it away. That doesn't give you the right to use the photo as you will. Identifiable people... get a model release for complete freedom, pets... get a property release. Do it when you're there... the Getty one linked in one of the responses above should be perfect for your needs. If you go for verbal agreements you'll be fine for your website, but I wouldn't ever rely on it for anything more.

 

Shooting for free..... I understand it, but I wouldn't recommend it. As was said above, they're unlikely to come back and pay later. That said I'd be surprised if there's much repeat business in the pet market. I'd be thinking more in terms of word of mouth. If you absolutely insist on going free I would make it time limited, I would offer one print mounted and that's it. If they want more prints they pay market price for it and when you give them the shots include in the package their copy of the release they signed along with a receipt which details your full creative/attendance fee, processing & print costs and then list the discount which brings it down to the cost of the additional prints. That way when their friends ask where they got their photos from and how much they cost, they don't just hear that you're free, they have your pricing structure.

 

Good luck!

I'd first of all search the photo.net archives where I'm sure you'll find plenty on the subject or there are plenty of pricing guides online try searching for something like 'photos stock pricing calculator' or variations on that through your favourite search engine. first one I saw was http://www.ozimages.com.au/stockpricing/calculator.asp Certainly points you in the right direction. Would also suggest reading something like http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/ for plenty of sensible advice.

 

Regards,

 

Bruce

I shot a lot of cricket last Summer. Same principle as for Baseball I would imagine. I got fed up with trying to get the ball in shot. In the end I had my cam on a monopod, prefocused on the batsman, then looked over the top of my cam to watch the bowler bowl and clicked when I could see the ball would be arriving. Sounds strange but it made a big difference to the quality of shot I was able to get.

If you do ever strike out on your own as a retoucher remember that you're unlikely to be able to use the work you've done at this studio in your portfolio without breaching copyright laws.

 

Might be worth shooting and working some images in your own time for your records.

Strongly suggest flash, preferably off camera. Start with your banker shots. Just practice and practice. As you get more confident start to play. I don't know what lens you're using but go for wide-angle and get in closer to your rider. Once you're happy with your flash results and angles mix it up again. Set your flash to rear-synch, slow your shutterspeed down and pan as you shoot. See what you get.

 

Have fun.

I'm based in the UK and shoot for a local Rugby club both at Senior and Junior levels. If I'm planning to shoot Under 18s I e-mail the Child Protection Officer at the club a week in advance. She then contacts the home coach and the away coach to advise that I'll be present. They in turn advise the parents. Notices are posted at the ground on the day. If anybody is unhappy I won't shoot their child it's as simple as that.

 

I had a job last year covering a dance and gym show for a girl's school. It turned out that the parents of one of the girls were going through an acrimonious divorce with restraining orders etc and the Mother didn't want her daughter's photo taken in case it ended up in the public domain and her ex husband found them. This is the clearest reason I can see that professional photographers ought to have some sort of agreement in place before shooting any event that involves children. If a parent is shooting from the sidelines, fair enough. They're unlikely to do anything more than order prints of what they've taken, but how can you call yourself a professional if you just roll up and don't work with the agreement of the organisers of an event?

I do a similar thing with my local rugby club here in the UK. I have no legal experince and I'm aware that there are significant differences between the US & UK legal system.

 

I initially contacted my local rugby club and asked if it would be ok. Once they confirmed that they were happy I e-mailed the club's child protection officer a week in advance of any match I wanted to cover. She would then e-mail the Home & Away coaches of the teams involved and ensure that they in turn contacted the parents to let them know I would be there. If anyone has a problem they are asked to contact either myself or the CPO and let us know (it hasn't happened yet). Notices are also up at the games reminding people that a photographer is there and finally when I post the photos online I leave a comment on the folder to the effect that if anyone is unhappy with their child's image being posted online I'll remove it immediately. I'm sure that if someone really felt like it I could be sued on some grounds or another but I feel that I'm doing as much as I practically can to keep everybody happy.

 

Regards,

 

Bruce

If you're on the sidelines keep strolling and try and keep around 20 - 25 metres ahead of play... use your 80-200mm. At the end of the pitch you'll need something nearer 400mm.... currently saving for an 80-400mm which should be perfect (coverage from going over for the try at the 80mm end through to defending at the other end at the 400mm)! I found last season my best stuff was coming from the end, but that I was missing big chunks of the action waiting for play to come into range, waiting for the try. This season I've been strolling down the sides and getting better shots.

If you're going to get a safe make sure it's securely attached to something! My folks were unlucky enough to be burgled last year. That said they had their valuables stashed in various places around the house. One room was trashed, and then they found the safe..... They somehow managed to lug the thing down the stairs and out of the house and took it away. They ran out of time for anything else so my folks got off lightly. The only thing in the safe was the deeds to the house..... a pain to replace but not financially painful.

 

A safe is a good idea alongside decent insurance just in case.

 

Regards,

 

Bruce

Where are you?

 

The simple (and not very helpful) answer to all of your questions is 'it depends'. What do you plan on doing with your photos? Do you need a model release? Not if you're just selling them prints and then doing nothing with your images. If you want the freedom to use them elsewhere later on then you need a release. Who holds the copyright? You do. Always. Unless you specifically choose to give it away or sell it (which you want to avoid wherever possible). I believe you can also register copyright on individual photos in the US but you'd need to research that. You don't need a business license in the UK but I can't speak for elsewhere.

 

Hope it goes well for you.

 

Regards,

 

Bruce

I do a very similar thing in the UK for fun rather than business. Most Sport's clubs seem to have a Child Protection Officer now. I shoot for my local Rugby Club. I e-mail the CPO a week before I plan to shoot each time and she e-mails all of the parents of the kids playing and the coach of the opposing side to let them know I'll be there. She asks that if anyone has a problem they let her know. Also they put up notices at the entrance to the Sport's ground on the day to advise parents that a photographer is on site and that if they're unhappy to speak to the coach or myself. Using this system we've had no problems last season at all..... although I certainly wouldn't take this as legal advice! It's just the common sense approach that works where I am for the Sport I shoot. Good Luck!

"Is perfection perception? If someone loves the photo does that make it good?"

 

It doesn't make it good. It just makes it good enough. Seeing issues with your own work is really positive. It means you're open to learning and that when you occasionally get a shot like this that isn't quite as you'd like, you'll be better placed to get the shot you want next time. It's always best to get it right in camera, but don't be afraid to play with whichever photo-editing software you might have to get the result you want.

 

I'd be inclined to square crop this one and lose some of the dead space in the background. Attached. Hope you don't mind.

 

Regards,

 

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