# Sponsorship



## marcgalera

My friend and I recently joined together to make a photography, ForeigntwOne.
i recently mailed a letter to Nikon asking for a sponorship for 2 Nikon D5000s.
how does sponsorship actually work?


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## KmH

Companies will sponsor a photographer when that photographer can help the company sell it's products.

Lets take a look at Joe McNally. Here's Joe's blog: Joe McNally's Blog

Joe is a professional photographer and a Nikon shooter. Joe has written a couple of successful photography books:

Amazon.com: Joe McNally: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

and is always touting Nikon's products. Joe always shows how and why he uses Nikon gear in his books, video's, and any other time he has an audience.

Nikon will be glad to send you a couple of D5000's as soon as you show them *you* can guarantee to get 2000 other people to *BUY* a Nikon product.

In other words, sponsorship is a way for companies to advertise by giving their products to photographers that are able to get in front of and speak to 100's of people through video's, blogs, books, magazine articles, etc.


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## PatrickHMS

Don't forget the shill to end all shills, and a legend in his own opinion.... Mr. K. R. hisself.


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## marcgalera

what are the chances that my friend and I will get a sponsorship from Nikon in your opinion?


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## PhotoVerve

marcgalera said:


> what are the chances that my friend and I will get a sponsorship from Nikon in your opinion?



Extremely, extremely slim would be my guess.  A serious amount of personal recognition and notoriety seems to be a non-negotiable requirement.


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## KmH

marcgalera said:


> what are the chances that my friend and I will get a sponsorship from Nikon in your opinion?


Nil.

In your letter, did you use capital letters and explain to Nikon how sponsoring you and your friend would help Nikon sell products? Did you provide a portfolio of the of images you and your friend have had published that will help promote the Nikon brand? Or did you just ask for a couple of free cameras and call it a sponsorship?


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## jbylake

KmH said:


> marcgalera said:
> 
> 
> 
> what are the chances that my friend and I will get a sponsorship from Nikon in your opinion?
> 
> 
> 
> Nil.
> 
> In your letter, did you use capital letters and explain to Nikon how sponsoring you and your friend would help Nikon sell products? Did you provide a portfolio of the of images you and your friend have had published that will help promote the Nikon brand? Or did you just ask for a couple of free cameras and call it a sponsorship?
Click to expand...

 
Kieth, do you think the Germans are more amicable?  I am curious, I would like to start a photo business.  What are the chances I could get a Hassleblad, if I send them a letter? Would I actually need to know how to use it.  Do you think I could get a couple of them?....Sorry, I just couldn't resist  O.K. I'm today's asshat, for the next 24 hours, but it's my birthday, so do I get a pass?:mrgreen:

Thanks,
J.


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## PatrickHMS

jbylake said:


> Sorry, I just couldn't resist O.K. I'm today's asshat, for the next 24 hours, but it's my birthday, so do I get a pass?:mrgreen:
> 
> Thanks,
> J.


 

*HAPPY BIRTHDAY!   :hug::  :lmao:  :lmao: :hugs:*

To one Saggittarian from another.

Boy, as kids, didn't we get the short end of the stick for our birthdays this time of year...lol


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## KmH

jyblake,
No. Nil. Yes. No. Maybe. Happy Birthday!


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## jbylake

PatrickHMS said:


> jbylake said:
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, I just couldn't resist O.K. I'm today's asshat, for the next 24 hours, but it's my birthday, so do I get a pass?:mrgreen:
> 
> Thanks,
> J.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :hug::  :lmao:  :lmao: :hugs:*
> 
> To one Saggittarian from another.
> 
> Boy, as kids, didn't we get the short end of the stick for our birthdays this time of year...lol
Click to expand...

 
Very True....


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## GeneralBenson

You just go ahead and put a 'P' on that asshat of yours, and call it the Passhat.


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## robdavis305

There must be another forum somewhere for idiots who think they can get Nikon as a sponsor. Can we please step back in reality please.


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## robdavis305

Look at this persons profile, there camera of choice is a canon. Shouldnt they call Canon instead of Nikon.


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## KmH

robdavis305 said:


> Look at this persons profile, there camera of choice is a canon. Shouldnt they call Canon instead of Nikon.


Perhaps Canon was approached first but that didn't yield a result, initiating implementaion of Plan B, a letter to Nikon?


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## CW Jones

Not going to happen. Simple as that. Do you have any books out? Do you have any videos or help guides showing the use of strictly Nikon? Did you send them a portfolio of your work? If you answer "No" to all or any of these... then that is your answer as to if you will get sponsorship. 

Harsh, well yes but that's the way business works. Sorry


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## GeneralBenson

They won't sponsor you.  Sorry, I got the last spot.  Shoulda asked last month.


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## ddeerreekk

robdavis305 said:


> There must be another forum somewhere for idiots who think they can get Nikon as a sponsor. Can we please step back in reality please.



Unnecessary.

But unfortunetly, the posters here are right. Sponsorship is VERY difficult to get. You really need to be an established photographer who is under the public eye.


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## Big Mike

Anyone else think it's funny that they are asking for D5000s?  That's like asking Honda to sponsor you...and asking for a couple lawnmowers.  :roll:


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## jbylake

Big Mike said:


> Anyone else think it's funny that they are asking for D5000s? That's like asking Honda to sponsor you...and asking for a couple lawnmowers. :roll:


 :lmao::lmao::lmao:
J.


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## SanDiegoPhotographer

This actually brings up a topic of interest to me. I am no world famous photographer, but I do teach photography classes to beginners looking to buy a new DSLR and they are constantly asking me what camera to buy. I am a die hard Nikon shooter and always pitch nikon over the rest. I teach about 70 people a month and have several hundred people on my mailing list.

Do you think there is a chance for me to receive a sponsorship? I won't be asking for a D3x or anything but maybe just some free stuff to hand out to my students.


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## MarkCSmith

Sponsorship in photography is like sponsorship in any other field like music or sports. You have to have some worth to the company, I'd say photography is one of the harder industries to get sponsorship from when you talk about companies like Nikon or Canon who already have huge shares of the market, they don't need you at all, especially with no portfolio or media exposure of your own. When you're talking about a big company like Nikon who already does quite fine moving units without you, you have to show that you could help them move a significant amount of cameras or lenses. 

So...you won't be getting sponsored by Nikon when you just teamed up with your buddy to start taking photos.



> Do you think there is a chance for me to receive a sponsorship? I won't be asking for a D3x or anything but maybe just some free stuff to hand out to my students.


 
I think at best you would get some literature to hand out to your students. Seems a bit sleazy to be honest, I wouldn't do that in your role as teacher, trying to get a sponsorship to shill to your students.


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