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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Being denied SEC football credentials left and right....
Michael Ip, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 6:43 PM on 09.02.10 |
->> So I just moved down to the Nashville area recently and a New York-based agency who I've been contributing to wanted me to continue shooting for them down here. They wanted me to shoot some SEC football and had me just make my own schedule to shoot.
Well I've been contacting some of the SIDs down here for credentials and I've been getting denied left and right. Is this a new trend, or am I simply being denied because they aren't familiar with the agency I'm shooting for.
I was simply told "XXXX is not issuing credentials for the games you requested." Which I find a bit comical since the sidelines are always full of GWCs.
I know the SEC has made a new policy for credentialing, but flat out not issuing credentials? I find that hard to believe.
What are you experiences with SEC schools?
Very frustrating. Any thoughts? |
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Michael McNamara, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Phoenix | AZ | USA | Posted: 7:15 PM on 09.02.10 |
| ->> Have your agency request the credentials for you. |
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Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 7:52 PM on 09.02.10 |
| ->> Ditto. That's standard procedure. Sports shooting 101. |
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Alan Look, Photographer
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Bloomington/Normal | IL | United States | Posted: 8:44 PM on 09.02.10 |
| ->> Wasn't there a thread last year about the SEC tightening up creds? I looked but all I could find were a couple that talked about video and streaming media for social sites. |
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Thomas Campbell, Photographer
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Houston/San Antonio | TX | USA | Posted: 9:09 PM on 09.02.10 |
| ->> Try contacting Scott Kelby. I heard he could help you out. |
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Michael Ip, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 9:52 PM on 09.02.10 |
| ->> I guess that's what I'll have to do. I figured I'd save them the trouble, but I guess it backfired. |
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Louis Lopez, Photographer
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Fontana | CA | USA | Posted: 12:16 AM on 09.03.10 |
->> you may have made it more difficult for yourself now. Your agency will now send in a request with your name on it and they will see that they have denied a credential with the same photographers name. I would suggest in the future, have your assignment editor submit the requests for you.
Almost every college will not issue credentials to unattached freelancers. |
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David Manning, Photographer
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Athens | GA | | Posted: 12:51 AM on 09.03.10 |
| ->> As someone who covers the SEC on a weekly basis, i can only pray they tighten up who they issue credentials to. |
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Frankie Creel, Photographer
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Boiling Springs | SC | USA | Posted: 12:48 PM on 09.03.10 |
->> David-
AGREED!! |
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Nick Morris, Photographer
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San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 1:41 PM on 09.03.10 |
| ->> +2 David. Michael as said NEVER approach a SID solo. The answer is NO |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 1:43 PM on 09.03.10 |
| ->> Yes, good luck Michael. Remember, nothing says "legit" like letterhead. |
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Yamil Sued, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Peoria | AZ | USA | Posted: 10:20 PM on 09.03.10 |
->> Luis said:
"Almost every college will not issue credentials to unattached freelancers."
Luis, that is not 100% correct. I'm a freelancer and I have been getting creds for 5 years on two different colleges.
Nick said:
"NEVER approach a SID solo"
I have Nick, maybe I was lucky or the credibility of 25 years in the business helped a little.
Not all Colleges are the same.
Bottom line is that going with a letterhead or recommendation is better than none at all. And going to a game with a paid assignment beats the living snot out of going on spec. At this time, I'm not touching a job unless it pays enough for every little expense or variable out there!! But that is a topic for another thread.. |
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Delane B. Rouse, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | US | Posted: 10:40 PM on 09.03.10 |
->> Yamil...he qualified his statement with "ALMOST", and he's right. Especially for a powerhouse football conference like the SEC.
Can you get a credential based on being in the business for 25 years? Sure. Is it the best way...probably not...especially if you just moved to an area and these SID's don't know you from a hole in the wall...
-dbr |
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Yamil Sued, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Peoria | AZ | USA | Posted: 11:38 PM on 09.03.10 |
| ->> Actually Delane, I moved pretty much across the country in 2007 and I used one SID as a reference and I got the Creds!! reputation is everything as you well know. You behave professionally you can pretty much get everywhere, at least it has worked fairly well for me. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 2:51 AM on 09.04.10 |
->> Yamil, not to discount anything like personal references, professionalism etc, but many a times the official policy is quite simply "we do not credential freelancers"
If your not there on assignment for an outlet or publication, which is required to request on your behalf, your not shooting.
Are there exceptions that have happened ? Sure, but in this day and age they are just that, exceptions.
Lets face it, how packed are the sidelines already and how much more crowded would they be if anyone and everyone who called themselves a freelancer was granted credentials.
Now Michael isn't what I would call a true freelancer as he's shooting on behalf of an agency, but in that case its the agency that should put in the request.
I work closely with a number of SID's and the sheer number of request they get for football (even more this year with OSU's #2 ranking) is just mind boggling. Literally hundreds of people all calling and emailing with their reasons why they should be given credentials.
In that type of situation how do you tell who's honestly making their own request for their agency and who's just some guy with camera who wants to be on the sidelines and even though he's never moved a single image calls himself a "freelancer" ? |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 11:13 AM on 09.05.10 |
| ->> Yamil, I would have to go with what Jeff and Delane have said. Sure you could probably get credentials from many very small colleges or conferences with your "rep". But I think you would be mostly out of luck at any of the major conferences in this day and age. Sure, you could probably score a pass from one of the schools where there isn't much interest in football. I cover a lot of Duke football and almost anyone with a camera and a pulse can get a credential (and the sidelines are still not crowded). Sure it's the ACC but sideline passes are a little harder to get at some of the other schools. Just saying "I'm a professional and have been shooting for 25 years" is not the track I would recommend to anyone attempting to obtain credentials. |
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