# Olympic photographers?



## TheKenTurner (Aug 8, 2012)

Okay, so I have a couple questions about Olympic photographers - 1. I've seen photographers at the olympics in big pits like this, and was wondering how a photograper would get into this pit. 2 - Is it reserved or first come, first serve? 3 - Who are these people payed by? Are they sent by magazines/newspapers, or free lance, or Olympics? 4 - How would a photographer even make money from being there? Don't most of the picture look the same? 5 - (last) How do the photographers get access to this room (another image)?

Sorry for the messy post, just some random questions at 1am


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## Sw1tchFX (Aug 9, 2012)

It's for the stock shooters


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## TheKenTurner (Aug 9, 2012)

Yay! Only four anwers left


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## Seefutlung (Aug 9, 2012)

I've shot Olympics when I worked for a daily newspaper in 1984. To get into the 'photo pit' you will need a media/press/photo pass.  In order to get a media/press/photo pass you have to work for a media/news organization. 

Typically, at a major event like the Olympics, there are limited spots available for photographers.  The event organizers are in charge of issuing photo/media passes. The organizers will call the major news groups and either asked them how many passes would they want or just send them some passes.  News organizations not on the 'A' list will have to contact the organizers and request media/photo passes. The 'B' list news groups will be given passes based upon size of the news group, the larger the news company the better the chance of picking up any remaining passes left over from the 'A' list.

Again, typically, the passes will have a pre-assigned venue assigned to a pass. A Track & Field pass cannot be used for basketball, et cetera. As to the Canon room, you must belong to Canon Professional Services and I suspect most of the equipment has been pre-ordered and some has been set aside as a replacement for malfunctioning equipment. 

Those are just a general description of how it works, there are always exceptions.

Gary


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## TheKenTurner (Aug 9, 2012)

Interesting. So no induvisual photographers can get in? If you don't mind me asking, who were you working for in 84, and did any of your stuff get published?


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## Seefutlung (Aug 9, 2012)

I used to be a news photographer/photo journalist for The Los Angeles Times, UPI and Orange County News.  For 'big' events, National/World Championship games, Presidential Inaugurations, Academy Awards, et cetera, I never meet a photog who wasn't working for some news organization. 

Gary


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## KmH (Aug 9, 2012)

TheKenTurner said:


> So no induvisual photographers can get in?


Correct. Joe Hobby Photographer would not be able to get the Olympic credentials needed to join the working photographers in the pit.

Many of the 'B' list working photographers that applied for credentials will have been denied them. The Olympics gets many more requests for photographer access than they can possible provide.

Consider too, that the pool of 'A' list media outlets is world wide for the Olympics.


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## Railphotog (Aug 9, 2012)

There was also a thread somewhere saying that the officials were limiting the sizes of lenses the spectators could bring to events.  Screwed all around!


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## KmH (Aug 9, 2012)

Just like most concert and professional sport venues limit the lens size, non-contracted photographers can use.


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## TheKenTurner (Aug 9, 2012)

Thanks, Gary and Keith!

So how do photographers get access to all the new lenses and 1dxs? Do they buy them at the Olympics, or rent them or what? I think that's all my questions!

-Ken Turner


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## Big Mike (Aug 10, 2012)

> So how do photographers get access to all the new lenses and 1dxs? Do they buy them at the Olympics, or rent them or what? I think that's all my questions!


Could be any number of ways.  If they work directly for their new organization, the company probably provides their equipment.  If they are more freelance, they probably buy it themselves.

As for those images, it looks to me like a Canon distribution centre...but seeing as they are not in boxes...maybe it's some sort of portable or temporary location.  For example, with hundreds or thousands of professional Canon shooters at the Olympics, there are bound to be a few equipment failures etc.  They don't have time to have their gear repaired, so they probably head over to this Canon room and request a rental/loaner etc.


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## gsgary (Aug 10, 2012)

None get passes without Bob Martins say so, some lenses will belong to the newspapers some will be loaned off Canon Pro services (they will have a team there loaning gear and cleaning sensors )


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## KmH (Aug 10, 2012)

Nikon Professional Services will also have support for the accredited pro Nikon gear users.

Nikon's D4 was launched before the Olympics so the D4 would be available.


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 10, 2012)

Well some of this stuff is true.  In London there are over 1400 accredited photographers.  The process starts over a year before the Olympics start. Each country is issued a certain number of photos accredications, the majority are "all access", which means that the photographers are able to shoot in every venue. They do issue sport specfic accreditation as well, if someone just wants to shoot equestrian, they are issued a pass that gets them into the equestrian venue, and the media centre.

Space is somewhat limited, and in most cases, as in track, it is a first come best spot, which is why photographers will camp overnight for the prime spots, they shoot from the moat that runs around the track. There are a certain number of infield spots avaliable to the wire services and agency photographers, for track it is between 12-16 spots, these are the guys you see running around on the track after the races.  For events like swimming, each counrty is given a certain number of tickets based on the number of swimmers they have in the finals, for the heats, it's open to first come.  If Canada has a swimmer in the final they are given more tickets than a country that has no swimmers.  Sometimes the tickets have seat numbers and sometimes it is first come again.  There is also a pool postion for the wire services and agencies.

Photographers can also use any empty seat in the stands, but must move if the spectator shows up, also can't block any spectators or they are asked to leave, it's understood in the photographers rule handbook that is given out.

Opening and closing ceremonies are all ticketed events even with an accreditation.  

It is possible for a freelance photographer to get an accrediatation to the Olympics, but very difficult, it is up to each country to decide.  

As an example of another way around it, and if you have connections,  I couldn't get an accreditation though the Canadian Olympic Association for Bejing, but I was offered one from Australia because I knew the right people.  Connections help, but I chose not to go.

Canon and Nikon both have free loan services in the main press centre, or at least they used to, accredited photographers had access to all the gear, including dropping off their own gear for free service for cleaning and repairs.

Hope this helps.


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 10, 2012)

gsgary said:


> None get passes without Bob Martins say so, some lenses will belong to the newspapers some will be loaned off Canon Pro services (they will have a team there loaning gear and cleaning sensors )




You can throw big Bob's name out there but he is just the photo chief, and he has little say over who gets what passes go where, it is all decided by each countries Olympic governing body.  Bob would have been in the early stages of laying out the photo positions, hiring the photo marshalls for each venue etc.  The photo chief usually looks after his friends at the games, getting them tickets for the final events, that kind of thing.


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## MLeeK (Aug 10, 2012)

Great question. This has been an interesting education for me. I shoot sports on the _*super small time*_ level (mostly high school!), so this is great to read about!


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 11, 2012)

Railphotog said:


> There was also a thread somewhere saying that the officials were limiting the sizes of lenses the spectators could bring to events.  Screwed all around!




This isn't anything new, most professional sports venues have rules in place regarding cameras.


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## MLeeK (Aug 11, 2012)

Most professional venues won't let you in the door with a DSLR, period. And for a concert you had better have a great way to disguise it because they'll confiscate it. 
Doesn't make much sense seeing how the P&S cameras with mega zoom and manual controls can produce some pretty amazing shots these days. Hell, the iPhone can produce some pretty amazing stuff.


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