Shoot smarter and sell better. That sounds like a recipe for success. It's a recipe with an ingredient list that can be found at SPAA 2008, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, in Las Vegas. Head on over to www.pmai.org/pma08/spaa.
Want a taste?
If Frank Harrison, Time Piece Photography Inc., Paducah, Ky., has his way, attendees will leave his SPAA presentation, 'How to Shoot Sports Action that Sells,' at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 31, with at least one serious money-making idea.
Harrison is talking about posed action shots, and he says he's making anywhere from $75 to $300 per poster from them. He's using them to replace the traditional action sports posters, bringing a high-end item to his repertoire. Harrison will be demonstrating how he sets up, shoots, and tears down his gear, using a couple University of Nevada Las Vegas football players as live models.
But it's not just football this works with, he says. It works with all the major sports: baseball, basketball, and soccer, too. It's hard to get good action photos of Little League football, he notes.
'As soon as someone says 'hike,' there's a pile of bodies.' That means only a couple players are in a clear position to be photographed. While that may be good news for their parents, it means missed opportunities for getting decent shots of the rest of the team.
So Harrison's setup means everyone on the team can be captured in action, even though that action is 'posed.' He sets up obstacles to simulate the environment the kid would be facing, and gets 'the image mum wants.'
Hungry for more?
Will Crockett is going to make it a whole lot easier to get the pictures photographers want, and get them into their customers' hands easier and faster.
Crockett, CEO of ShootSmarter.com, Montgomery, Ill., has a long history as a successful commercial, editorial, and advertising photographer. He spends a lot of his time checking out equipment. During his SPAA session, 'Digital Lighting, Exposure, and Color Controls for Sports Teams,' at 11:30 a.m., on Feb. 1, he will provide techniques that will use the potential within digital equipment to give more control over light, exposure, and color.
During his presentation, Crockett will be showing how to get quality JPEGs so photographers don't have to spend so much time in post-production on RAW files.
Also, be prepared to see the difference good-quality lenses make, even when using lower-quality cameras; how to manage power; and how to put together a system that works. Crockett notes he tests a lot of gear, and will be bringing some to his presentation to demonstrate the differences, both positive and negative.
Want another taste?
Randy Brister, RSBphoto, Laguna Niguel, Calif., has a mission: to capture images of about 35,000 young athletes a year. His session, 'High School Sports Market,' at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 31, will include an overall look at the market, show the sales potential, and identify decision makers, product offerings, and sales averages. He will also indicate service items photographers are required to provide.
Additionally, Brister will talk about equipment requirements and workflow, and doing action pictures in this market; but the majority of his session will focus on posed individual and team pictures.
He's going to show in detail how he poses and lights individuals and groups, both inside and out, in a large variety of locations and under different light conditions. He'll be showing casual poses as well as more formal poses, and will show posing aids.
RSBphoto has been serving the Southern California youth sports market since 1990, exclusively photographing youth and high school sports, teams, individuals, game action, and tournaments. The company runs an organized Picture Day, with as many as eight cameras, allowing it to photograph as many as 30 teams per hour. Its client list includes some of the most-established and respected youth leagues and high school teams in Orange and Los Angeles Counties.
If this whets the appetite, then check out the full SPAA 2008 program, noting there's a lot to learn, not only in the seminars, but also in informal get-togethers with other attendees, and on the floor of the PMA trade show, running concurrently with SPAA 2008.
See the best
Who are the best shooters in SPAA? There's a fast way to find out Check out the winners of the SPAA 2008 Photo Cam, petition, on display at PMA 08, Jan. 31-Feb 2, in the second floor lobby area. The winning images also wilt he posted on the SPAA website and published in various PMA publications. The competition has been judged by two pro shooters from Sports Illustrated magazine and two pro photographers with many years experience in capturing sports shots.
