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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
NFL field etiquette for photographers
Herbert Kratky, Photographer
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Vienna | Austria | Austria | Posted: 3:40 PM on 10.06.10 |
->> Hi everyone, I'm a part time freelancer based in Austria, Europe where I cover - among other stuff - a lot of american football games. I just got the news that I will be covering the upcoming 49ers vs. Broncos game at Wembley stadion in London.
Since this will be my first NFL game, I'd like to ask the resdient pros if there is a special etiquette for photographers to follow. Here in Europe things are very relaxed, photographers are allowed to move around during the game as long as the stay away from the sidelines and the team areas. Will it be the same at a NFL game or do you have to pick you place and stay there? Are you allowed to be on the field when the teams come in and during the national anthem? Any other things that I should know?
Any specific answers or general hint would be greatly appreciated :-)
Thanks and all the best,
Herbert |
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John H. Reid III, Photographer
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Gates Mills | OH | USA | Posted: 3:51 PM on 10.06.10 |
->> Herbert,
This tends to vary by venue. I have seen many stadiums where people were on the field as the teams were introduced, not so much at the national anthem (which tends to be after the intros.) If the anthem is first, the shooters tend to be waiting at the area of the intros. You can't shoot from behind the bench, but can shoot the bench area along the diagonal line that defines the bench area. Once the game starts you have to stay behind the dotted lines. Here in the US there are two sets of lines, white for network TV and NFL films and such, yellow (behind the white) for us lowly still shooters and local TV. You can move around during the game, and you can be on the sidelines as well as behind the end zones. The end zones tend to make for cleaner shots, as the sidelines can get crowded with chain crews, ball boys and the like. Many years ago I shot an NFL game at the old Wembley Stadium, and it was pretty much like shooting in the US (although the fans were far more interested in the kicking parts of the game than here in the US.)
Good Luck!
John |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 4:28 PM on 10.06.10 |
| ->> Might want to also check the SS.com archives for shooting football. |
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Thomas E. Witte, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Cincinnati | OH | USA | Posted: 8:02 PM on 10.06.10 |
->> Shooting the NFL at Wembley is pain the ass - at least for me. As John said it's sort of venue by venue and Wembley is brutal.
It's been just a little different the last three years I shot there (not coming this year) which also makes it tough. The first year they treated it exactly like a football match and we all had to stay behind the endline. It wasn't until maybe the third quarter with the help of league officials intervening were we allowed up the sidelines. ... But that brought about another problem.
The football pitch is significantly wider than the American football field - almost by 20-25 yards I believe - and we had to stay behind the signage, while the cheerleaders were allowed in their normal position right along the sideline on all four corners between the 30 and 10 yard lines. I wouldn't have minded being so far back, but being blocked by the cheerleaders was maddening.
Unlike football, American football does not stretch the field as much. The start of each play is going to take place in the center 1/3 of the field, so when you combine that along with the ~20 yard distance to the sidelines, you're going to ideally need something in the 600mm range to get nice tight images of the quarterback.
A lot of the local shooters treat it like a football match, and will bring their chairs and what-not and not move. You don't need to do that, you're free to move all along the endline at will. It's up to you to try to move up the sideline, and if the Bronco's are the home team, you're in for a treat with their cheerleaders if they bring their little cow girl outfits or their furry coats. Drool.
I'm not sure how it's set up for other events, but for the NFL, credential pickup will be on the ground level to the far left as you're walking up to it from the station. All "NFL experience" and "tailgating" events are on the right. |
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Mike Carlson, Photographer
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Bayonet Point | FL | USA | Posted: 11:10 PM on 10.06.10 |
->> I shot last year's Patriots v Buccaneers game at Wembley and can confirm that it is a significant pain in the ass. Pregame was actually OK for me since as a team shooter I had the run of the field with my green NFL vest. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear that the green vest would also allow me to shoot INSIDE the ad boards, up the the sidelines like at a regular NFL venue.
That lasted 5 minutes into the game before several guards came up and escorted me (and the other team guys from the Pats and Bucs) around the ad boards again.
The reasoning was that we were blocking the advertising on those boards. Oddly enough, our cheerleaders were also asked to leave the field and to stay behind the ad boards until their usual end-of-quarter performances. The only non-team, non-referee people allowed on the actual field was network TV and NFL Films...and the six or so person camera crew that was filming NFL Films working...so, yes, shooting from the sides was virtually impossible.
To properly shoot NFL football at Wembley a 600mm would be ideal. Most of the shooters there, however, shot the NFL game as they would a regular soccer match...camped out in one spot, brought a chair, and plugged a laptop into the power/ethernet ports that ring the ad boards. Comfortable and somewhat practical, but obviously quite limiting compared to a regular game. |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 11:55 PM on 10.06.10 |
| ->> People shoot American football at Wembley while sitting in chairs? Herbert, I'd absolutely advise that you not use a chair if you're within 10 meters of the photo line. It's okay to kneel or crouch, but you will need as much mobility as you can (do not sit on the ground if the players are within, say 50 meters of you). These athletes are significantly bigger/stronger and sometimes faster than footballers you're used to, and the players sometimes spill off the field of play into the photo positions. |
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Thomas E. Witte, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Cincinnati | OH | USA | Posted: 1:46 AM on 10.07.10 |
| ->> Robert- it's all good actually. They're seated behind three foot tall rigid ad boards that are waaaaay back from the lines were used to here in the states, so A: The players have puh-LENTY of time to slow to a crawl and B: probably couldn't hurdle the boards anyway. |
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John H. Reid III, Photographer
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Gates Mills | OH | USA | Posted: 9:59 AM on 10.07.10 |
| ->> Things have obviously changed! I shot at (old) Wembley Stadium in 1989, and it was the same as a US game then. I remember shooting a game at the Sky Dome in Toronto in the 90's where we had to stay behind the ad boards. It was a long way away! (They did open the roof, though!) |
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Sean Ryan, Photographer
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Southampton | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Posted: 7:00 AM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> Herbert, I agree with all that Thomas and Mike say. I'll be there again this year, working for NFL. I have an all access pass and I still get hassled. The stadium security are not used to having people moving around during a game. We all sit down during an England football match. You will not be allowed on the field at any stage before or after the game. Bring the longest glass you have and if you need any other info leading up to the game, ask away. |
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Herbert Kratky, Photographer
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Vienna | Austria | Austria | Posted: 12:24 PM on 10.08.10 |
->> Thanks everybody for their comments and help - I think I now know a lot better what to expect in London.
One question though: Here in Austria my main american football lens is the 400/2.8, because (a) I can move freely along the sidelines and behind the endzone and (b) in most stadiums the floodlights don't deserve their name, so 2.8 ist a must. I could bring my 500/4 to London (or rent a 600/4), which ISO would I have to use to get at 1/640 or 1/800? |
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Robert Scheer, Photographer
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Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 1:55 PM on 10.08.10 |
| ->> Thomas, excellent, didn't realize that! Make mine a Lazy-Boy then! Have fun Herbert! |
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Sean Ryan, Photographer
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Southampton | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Posted: 6:18 AM on 10.10.10 |
| ->> Herbert, Last year it was 1600iso 1/500 f4. I'm at Wembley on Tuesday night for an England match. I'll see what it is then. |
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Herbert Kratky, Photographer
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Vienna | Austria | Austria | Posted: 7:31 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> Thanks again to everybody who replied and gave his advice. It was a great experience and - above all - great fun.
This year's picture are here: http://photokratky.com/index.php/menugalerien/?g2_itemId=26250 and I'm looking forward to go to London again next year :-) |
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