|
Looking like a photographer is more about attitude than equipment.* I take about 5000 photos a year that end up in calendars, on web sites, on refrigerators, in journals, on posters, etc.* I use an old Sony 8 mpix camera, so I probably don't look like a pro to you Canon and Nikon owners.
So, back to attitude.* Here's what you do.
1. At sports events, always walk on the sidelines like you own the place.* Don't worry about police or security ... you're a pro!* Remember that!
2. Always joke with the other photographers.* You can say, "Hey, my other camera is a Nikon, but with all this sand around here ... I didn't want to use it."
3. Make sure you congratulate the coaches about how well their team is coached.* *Do this even if the team got clobbered.
4. Make sure you introduce yourself to the refs before the game and thank them afterwards.* Then they don't mind that you run on the field to get that all important close-up.
5. If you are photographing the same team over and over be sure to give out free prints for a little while.* This is very endearing.
6. When photographing women, be very complimentary and re-take bad shots.* Never let anyone see themselves as they truly are.
7. Offer to take photos with the cameras of others.* This is particular useful because folks think you take great photos because you have a great camera.* You know that you can use any ol' piece of crap and still turn out great work.* So prove it to them.
8. Don't be afraid to pose people ... especially those you don't know.* And don't be afraid to tell the folks hanging around in the background to get out of the picture.* You're a pro, so direct that human traffic!
|