# On site sports photography



## goalie123456 (Apr 28, 2013)

Hello, 
I was wondering what fellow photographers think of selling youth sports photos at the event using a sort of kiosk experience. I was wondering what you would need to set up a situation similar to one seen at other sporting events? Has it been successful for you? Please help.
Thanks,
Goalie123456


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## goalie123456 (Apr 28, 2013)

Anyone? Please


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## Rafterman (Apr 28, 2013)

Two things:


Give people time to reply. You bumped this topic in < 2hrs. 
Don't start another thread with the exact same question, it just irritates people and makes them not want to help. You put up a 2nd thread on the same subject just 1-minute after bumping this thread.


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## goalie123456 (Apr 28, 2013)

Do you have any input on the subject or are you just correcting me for the heck of it? I accidentally posted a second forum which is now deleted. 
Thanks


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## Rafterman (Apr 28, 2013)

goalie123456 said:


> Do you have any input on the subject


Yes, here's my input: be patient.


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## goalie123456 (Apr 28, 2013)

Thanks so much for your help!!


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## KmH (Apr 28, 2013)

The money in shooting youth sports is in selling T&I packages (Team & Individual) to every player in a league.
Memory Mates are very popular. A Memory Mate has a team shot, the individual shot, the team name and generally uses the team colors too.
Sports & Events: Overview

All the T&I shots are typically taken in a single day, and delivered a week or 2 later.

Some additional money can be made shooting action shots and it certainly helps if you give people an opportunity to buy on impulse by printing on site.


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## The_Traveler (Apr 28, 2013)

Well sure it's doable and there is lots of software and specific printers that are made for this - all of which can be found using web searches

 Whether you are successful in amortizing your investment depends on the crowd, their willingness to buy pictures (over and over), whether you can take good pictures that can be sold without much processing. Expecting a parent to buy a 'snapshot' of their child playing some sport more than once or twice is doubtful.


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## goalie123456 (Apr 28, 2013)

Thank you for your input. Does anyone know what you would need to operate one of these? How would you process the payments/ display the items?


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## KmH (Apr 28, 2013)

For a kiosk you would need electricity, a phone line, print supplies (paper/ink).

A couple of dye sub printers, a couple laptop computers, at least 1 assistant, a contract with the league, cover for the printers/computers and an a credit card app for a cell phone - https://squareup.com/

By using good marketing, smart pricing, good business practices, and effective salesmanship skills it should only take 2 years or so to break even on the start up costs for all the hardware. In year 3 you'll start making some actual income for the time you spent in year 1.

Smart pricing for example would be:  $12 for one 4x6, $22 for 2 - 4x6 ($11 each), $30 for 3 - 4x6 ($10 each), and $35 for 4 - 4x6 ($8.75 each).


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## orljustin (Apr 28, 2013)

Try google.  All the answers are out there.


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## hirejn (Apr 28, 2013)

First, your images have to have sales appeal, so they must be compelling and the edits should be minor. If you're selling at the event, you won't have time to fix mistakes. Second, it's not a bad idea, but I've never heard of anyone doing it at all, much less successfully, and I don't know anyone personally who does it. For it to work, you need great images and a way to display those images that makes it easy for people to see them, find their player, and want to buy, and the sales experience must be quick and easy. If you make prints on speculation, you'll lose money. I would recommend doing a digital display. Have your sales system mastered before you go. Third, you have to check the rules of the league you're shooting. Some athletic associations don't allow the right to sell images unless you're an official photographer of their exclusive studio. Also OK it with the school. They're public events, but that doesn't mean the school will be happy you're there selling images. 

Another way to approach this is to put out flyers or somehow get people to know that you're offering pictures, but sell through a website instead of at the event. I know some photographers and publications sell their images of sports, but it's usually through a website, not at the event. If you have additional questions, PM me. The chances of it being worth your while to shoot and sell at the event are small. That doesn't mean it can't work. Even if your images are compelling a slip up in marketing or customer service may make it moot. You also need to price for profit. Many moms and dads will be happy with the blurry, mediocre shots they take themselves, so again having a compelling experience is essential.


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## goalie123456 (Apr 28, 2013)

Thanks guys. So do you think it would be a successful thing to do?


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## orljustin (Apr 28, 2013)

Yes.  Or no.


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## KmH (Apr 28, 2013)

goalie123456 said:


> Thanks guys. So do you think it would be a successful thing to do?


That is entirely up to you. Others have made money doing it.

Frankly. That you had to ask the very basic questions you asked makes me think you're not enough of a self starter, don't yet know enough about photography, and lack sufficient business acumen to make it happen successfully.


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## vintagesnaps (Apr 28, 2013)

I'd posted in the other thread which was changed to ask about what lens to use for baseball; that makes me think you'd need to start by taking photos, getting some experience, and then putting together a portfolio or some samples of your work. Eventually you'd need to talk to the event organizers and get permission and I'd think they'd want to see your work and find out how you'd operate this type venture - they'd probably want to know what you can offer. 

I've seen this done at large tournaments and there are usually a number of photographers and as mentioned, someone needed to run the slideshow, make prints, take orders, etc.


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## The_Traveler (Apr 29, 2013)

KmH said:


> Smart pricing for example would be:  $12 for one 4x6, $22 for 2 - 4x6 ($11 each), $30 for 3 - 4x6 ($10 each), and $35 for 4 - 4x6 ($8.75 each).



In these days of ubiquitous cameras and the knowledge that CVS makes a 4x6 for 30 cents, how many crazy people do you think you can depend on meeting who will pay $12 for a 4x6 unless it is a perfect shot of a one time moment?


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## goalie123456 (Apr 29, 2013)

Can anyone suggest a printer for this matter?


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## Steve5D (Apr 30, 2013)

The_Traveler said:


> In these days of ubiquitous cameras and the knowledge that CVS makes a 4x6 for 30 cents, how many crazy people do you think you can depend on meeting who will pay $12 for a 4x6 unless it is a perfect shot of a one time moment?



Depends on the shot.

Personally, I don't know that there's any shortage of overly proud parents willing to shell out bucks for a picture of their precious little Timmy in his uniform down at the hot corner. I don't think there's any shortage of _those _people at all...


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## The_Traveler (Apr 30, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> The_Traveler said:
> 
> 
> > In these days of ubiquitous cameras and the knowledge that CVS makes a 4x6 for 30 cents, how many crazy people do you think you can depend on meeting who will pay $12 for a 4x6 unless it is a perfect shot of a one time moment?
> ...



Those are the operative words and not a good basis for a business plan.
I shoot young people's soccer and adult bicycle racing routinely and there are always many parents and other onlookers with cameras.
An inexperienced shooter going to games with the expectation of amortizing his/her costs is totally unrealistic.


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## gsgary (Apr 30, 2013)

I did this for a few years when times were good since the down turn people look at the shots but dont buy like they used to, it has got very over saturated thats why i got out plus it used to bore me ****less


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## Steve5D (Apr 30, 2013)

The_Traveler said:


> Steve5D said:
> 
> 
> > The_Traveler said:
> ...



I was speaking rhetorically. It's like saying "I don't know that Shania Twain could ever be not sexy". Okay, it's not _exactly _like that, but you know what I'm saying. I also never offered it as a "business plan". But it would be stupid to dismiss the reality of it. The fact that people _will _buy should not be dismissed, _especially _if the goal is to _sell_.

We don't know that he's "inexperienced" as a photographer. What we know is that he's seeking out some information regarding shooting in a particular venue, and how to capitalize on that. _That's_ what we _know_. It's silly to jump to the conclusion that, because he's asking that question, that he's an inexperienced shooter. 

I don't shoot baseball. I've just never had the opportunity nor the desire. But I'll tell you this: Put me at a game with my camera, and I'm confident that the quality of what I come away with will far surpass that from a Mom or Dad who are out there every week with their Digital Rebel and Quantaray glass. The inexperience of shooting baseball is a minor thing which will be quickly surmounted. After that, it's about the proficiency of the photographer and, in this case, we simply don't know enough about the OP's proficiency to call him an "inexperienced shooter"...


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## The_Traveler (Apr 30, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> I was speaking rhetorically. It's like saying "I don't know that Shania Twain could ever be not sexy". Okay, it's not _exactly _like that, but you know what I'm saying. I also never offered it as a "business plan". But it would be stupid to dismiss the reality of it. The fact that people _will _buy should not be dismissed, _especially _if the goal is to _sell_.
> 
> We don't know that he's "inexperienced" as a photographer. What we know is that he's seeking out some information regarding shooting in a particular venue, and how to capitalize on that. _That's_ what we _know_. It's silly to jump to the conclusion that, because he's asking that question, that he's an inexperienced shooter.
> 
> I don't shoot baseball. I've just never had the opportunity nor the desire. But I'll tell you this: Put me at a game with my camera, and I'm confident that the quality of what I come away with will far surpass that from a Mom or Dad who are out there every week with their Digital Rebel and Quantaray glass. The inexperience of shooting baseball is a minor thing which will be quickly surmounted. After that, it's about the proficiency of the photographer and, in this case, we simply don't know enough about the OP's proficiency to call him an "inexperienced shooter"...



I don't know that the Flying Spaghetti Monster won't swoop down and buy all the guy's pictures and give him diamonds in return.
There is a name for the kind of ventures that go into a situation without knowing or trying to know the potential market; they are called 'failures.'
The unfortunate reality is that while your camera, lens and product might be better, that's probably not obvious to the average customer, particularly on a 4x6 print.


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## Steve5D (Apr 30, 2013)

The_Traveler said:


> I don't know that the Flying Spaghetti Monster won't swoop down and buy all the guy's pictures and give him diamonds in return.



Apparently, reasonable conversation is not your forte.

Good day...


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## The_Traveler (Apr 30, 2013)

Seeming to give advice by talking about things you don't know about is a passive aggressive move.
You say you don't know if there isn't a market is implying that there possibly is.

A good business planner is based on the evidence that there is a market not the lack of evidence that there isn't.


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## bentcountershaft (Apr 30, 2013)

The_Traveler said:


> A good business planner is based on the evidence that there is a market not the lack of evidence that there isn't.



Unless you're in the religion business.


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