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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2009-04-09
Early Bird Workshop Kicks Off At SSA VI
Sports Shooter Academy VI gets under way in Orange County.
By Susánica Tam
Photo by Robert Hanashiro / Sports Shooter
Colorado-based freelance photographer Dave Black (center) and Lucas Gilman talk about the business of freelance during the early bird session of the Sports Shooter Academy Wednesday in Irvine, Calif.
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As many newspapers and veteran employees face a year of transition, photojournalists now are looking to outshine their competition. This year's graduating class, as well as those trying to establish a business, face an especially challenging job market. The anxiety has permeated many job fairs throughout the country, and left shooters scrambling for a foothold on their competition. It was a point driven across by speakers at this year’s Sports Shooter Academy, who used a sports analogy to liken the job race to a sports match.
"You folks (sports photographers) out of any workshop I go to, should understand this. It's competition. If I was talking to studio portrait photographers, they wouldn’t know what I was talking about. You gotta beat them," speaker Dave Black said, referring to capturing better action and trying innovative techniques to create images that other people don’t have.
This year at Sports Shooter Academy VI students were offered a tuition-free experience. Thanks to Nikon’s sponsorship, they have the opportunity to attend a workshop that better prepares them for their burgeoning careers.
"It was really interesting, especially about freelancing, the way the industry is going, these days, I'm trying to get information," said SportsShooter.com member Mark Malijan, a student from Bellingham, Washington who attends Western Washington University. Matt Hill, a student from Brooks Institute, said he hoped to get a feel for the "dollars and sense," side of the business, adding that he felt Dave Black imparted some useful tips that would also help his shooting.
A new, well-received topic for this year was the business strategy and practices workshop taught by Black and Lucas Gilman. Black began by challenging students to develop their shooting skills as a business strategy.
"If you are taking average pictures, you won’t even be able to get average pay," Black said. “When you are one-of-a-kind, you become valuable. Your skill becomes valuable. One-of-a-kind, that’s worth something, he said, stressing the importance of being innovative, and raising standards. Lucas Gilman emphasized the importance of doing homework.
"In this economy, being educated is going to make the difference between who succeeds and who fails," Gilman said. The session ended with a valuable Q&A that allowed students to ask specific questions about contracts, submission, and pricing.
In the packed Crowne Plaza Avalon Ballroom on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, Sports Shooter Academy VI participants gathered to listen to this year’s early bird workshops. More than forty students arrived early and learned about setting up remotes, running a business, and digital workflow.
Fullerton student Rafael Delgado said he found the presentations "much more informative when brought to you by a person, rather than a book," and said that the ideas he learned are practical, and will be implemented as soon as he walks out the door.
Matt Brown and Nikon’s Ron Taniwaki kicked off the day with a comprehensive how-to for different remote setups. Students learned how to assemble affordable versions of their own remotes, and got a preview of the different types of shots that their remotes can provide. Jordan Murph wrapped up the day with his trademark workflow class, a crucial component for academy participants.
"No matter how good a photo you have, it doesn’t matter if you can’t get it to your client on a timely basis," Murph said.
The early bird workshops allowed students a preview of the week to come. Sitting in the front row, first-time participant and SportsShooter.com member Mike Greener from the Daily Republic of Fairfield, Calif., said he found the first day was helpful and that he looks forward to more.
"It’s like the calm before the storm," he said.
"This lays a great foundation for the week," said Sports Shooter founder Robert Hanashiro.
Fifty-three SSAVI participants from across the United States and Canada will be shooting various sports this week under the cooperation of the NCAA, Big West Conference, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, Long Beach State, Santa Anita Race Track, La Habra Boxing Center, and the Velodrome at the Home Depot center.
Related Links:
Sports Shooter Academy
Susánica's member page
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