Motorsport Press Passes?

[jagdpanther]

I know a lot of you guys and gals take some fantastic motorsport shots and I wonder if you could help me find out how I go about getting Press/Media passes to motorsport events in the attempt to get better shots at races rather than through the fences??

Ive just enjoyed watching the British Superbikes Brands Hatch on Eurosport and the amount of fantastic shots someone with a pass could get is simply gobsmacking

Anyone have any idea???

[lowdrag]

You need your own press card, a letter from your editor, or such like. I don't carry a press pass in my name but each time I have a letter sent by my editor requesting it on my behalf. They will also normally want to see previous examples of your work before such a right is granted. I write for Jaguar magazines in three countries and I'm refused from time to time as not being high enough up the food chain. It ain't given to everyone you know!

[Typhon]

Simply, get your editor to request it on your behalf. That's how I get all my passes

[jagdpanther]

I had a feeling it would be something along the same lines, but what if you're a freelance/independant photographer thats trying to build up into the world of professional motorsport photography????

I know they dont just give them away, sadly

[Typhon]

jagdpanther said:

I know they dont just give them away

Hm, well..

[autofocus]

Hi there,

I think press passes are one of those things, once you have had one or two you can get others fairly easily.

I have shot with a press pass on 3 or 4 occasions now. The events I have done have been British GT Media Day at Silverstone, BTCC at Rockingham, Ferrari Racings Days at Silverstone and at least one other. The first two (British GT and BTCC) were obtained by being asked to work alongside existing accredited photographers, the Ferrari racing days event was obtained by me as I am now doing some work as a photographer for an Italian racing magazine and they provided the necessary letters etc.

I asked for one for the Bentley Drivers Club day yesterday at Silverstone and was offered one without needing to provide any proof. I did not use it in the end as I took my son along with me who is 14 yrs old and is not allowed trackside. To be honest the access to the pits etc was fine without the pass anyway.

Hopefully I should have regular press passes now through my work with the Italian magazine. Certainly enough for most of the major races that I am interested in for this year namely the British GT and also the Le Mans series race at Silverstone in September.

My advice is keep posting your work on the various forums that you use and sooner or later you will get noticed and get the necessary accreditation. Be warned though I have been doing this for a couple of years now and have yet to earn a penny from it.

Regards

Tim

[jagdpanther]

autofocus said:

Hi there,

I think press passes are one of those things, once you have had one or two you can get others fairly easily.

I have shot with a press pass on 3 or 4 occasions now. The events I have done have been British GT Media Day at Silverstone, BTCC at Rockingham, Ferrari Racings Days at Silverstone and at least one other. The first two (British GT and BTCC) were obtained by being asked to work alongside existing accredited photographers, the Ferrari racing days event was obtained by me as I am now doing some work as a photographer for an Italian racing magazine and they provided the necessary letters etc.

I asked for one for the Bentley Drivers Club day yesterday at Silverstone and was offered one without needing to provide any proof. I did not use it in the end as I took my son along with me who is 14 yrs old and is not allowed trackside. To be honest the access to the pits etc was fine without the pass anyway.

Hopefully I should have regular press passes now through my work with the Italian magazine. Certainly enough for most of the major races that I am interested in for this year namely the British GT and also the Le Mans series race at Silverstone in September.

My advice is keep posting your work on the various forums that you use and sooner or later you will get noticed and get the necessary accreditation. Be warned though I have been doing this for a couple of years now and have yet to earn a penny from it.

Regards

Tim

Thanks for that Tim, made for quite a good source of info

Im not aiming at earning money straight away, I really want to do it as a hobby and if my photos are used, then thats a bonus!

I get press passes for Harewood on most of my visits there, but they dont need nor really want any proof that Im working with any particular publication

The only thing I have at the moment is the photos I have hosted on my Photobox Pro Gallery and hopefully the photos I took at the Bradford Super Special Stage which Im hoping will be used on Greensleeves racing website, but I doubt that these will give me any kind of credibility as far as press passes go

[poah]

also helps to know who runs the PR department at different tracks. racing like the touring cars and the superbikes are difficult to get passes for as they require accreditation from a publication although you'll be suprised what they accept. I had a local ayrshire paper give me accreditation for the superbikes at knockhill lol other events you can blag your way in. I have an NUJ press card which helps a bit

[MonkeyHanger]

jagdpanther said:

I know a lot of you guys and gals take some fantastic motorsport shots and I wonder if you could help me find out how I go about getting Press/Media passes to motorsport events in the attempt to get better shots at races rather than through the fences??

Ive just enjoyed watching the British Superbikes Brands Hatch on Eurosport and the amount of fantastic shots someone with a pass could get is simply gobsmacking

Anyone have any idea???

You could always take great pleasure in getting shots from public areas that make some people with Accreditation look like they're shooting with a box brownie

[jagdpanther]

MonkeyHanger said:

jagdpanther said:

I know a lot of you guys and gals take some fantastic motorsport shots and I wonder if you could help me find out how I go about getting Press/Media passes to motorsport events in the attempt to get better shots at races rather than through the fences??

Ive just enjoyed watching the British Superbikes Brands Hatch on Eurosport and the amount of fantastic shots someone with a pass could get is simply gobsmacking

Anyone have any idea???

You could always take great pleasure in getting shots from public areas that make some people with Accreditation look like they're shooting with a box brownie

I can do that


Im just bidding on a lens at the moment and the camera should be on its way soon so I'm hoping to be at some form of motorsport event shortly...probably the TVR Speed Championship at Harewood

[MonkeyHanger]

jagdpanther said:

Im just bidding on a lens at the moment and the camera should be on its way soon so I'm hoping to be at some form of motorsport event shortly...probably the TVR Speed Championship at Harewood

Ahh good old Harewood.

A fantastic place to shoot. Accreditation isn't needed for most of the Hill

[Typhon]

MonkeyHanger said:

You could always take great pleasure in getting shots from public areas that make some people with Accreditation look like they're shooting with a box brownie

I always laugh at people with better kit than me, who are on the wrong side of the fence

Edit: On topic though, some venues are not as difficult to get into as others. My friend made up a pretty hilarious story to get access at a certain event that took place in central London. Worked, too. Not quite motorsport but it could have been

Edited by Typhon on Sunday 5th August 20:14

[jagdpanther]

Typhon said:

MonkeyHanger said:

You could always take great pleasure in getting shots from public areas that make some people with Accreditation look like they're shooting with a box brownie

I always laugh at people with better kit than me, who are on the wrong side of the fence

Edit: On topic though, some venues are not as difficult to get into as others. My friend made up a pretty hilarious story to get access at a certain event that took place in central London. Worked, too. Not quite motorsport but it could have been

Edited by Typhon on Sunday 5th August 20:14

I remember telling the organisers of the World Strongman Cup that I was a jounralist and photographer from the Wakefield Evening News paper (does it even exist???) and they lapped it up

All because they wouldnt accept that my friends were competing so I had to bullshit


Could I make up a laminated ID card with my photo, PRESS and a name?? Would that do it?

[GF350]

You don't really need them at most tracks, most of the stuff in my gallery at http://www.motorsportgb.com/  is without a press pass.
As has been mentioned before if you keep at it you will get there eventually.
I'm getting accreditation from a big US website to cover the european rounds of the champcar which I'm really chuffed about.
You may have trouble getting any money / expenses out of it though.
Since digital slr's came along there are too many people who will do it for free my self included.
Whoops I mean't champcar thats a good start!

Edited by GF350 on Monday 6th August 11:14

[BlueMR2]

jagdpanther said:

I get press passes for Harewood on most of my visits there, but they dont need nor really want any proof that Im working with any particular publication

Do they let you park with the drivers by the ice cream truck too .

Did you go on the 5th? i was going to but i would have arrived at 3ish and it was so hot i would probably have got sunburned so thought it best not to this time. There is another one later this month though i think. Getiing photos of the motorbikes would have been good though.

[jagdpanther]

GF350 said:

You don't really need them at most tracks, most of the stuff in my gallery at www.motorsportgb.com  is without a press pass.
As has been mentioned before if you keep at it you will get there eventually.
I'm getting accreditation from a big US website to cover the european rounds of the indycar which I'm really chuffed about.
You may have trouble getting any money / expenses out of it though.
Since digital slr's came along there are too many people who will do it for free my self included.

Ive got to include myself in that list too


Congratulations on the Indycar accreditation

BlueMR2 said:

Do they let you park with the drivers by the ice cream truck too .

Did you go on the 5th? i was going to but i would have arrived at 3ish and it was so hot i would probably have got sunburned so thought it best not to this time. There is another one later this month though i think. Getiing photos of the motorbikes would have been good though.

Howdo fella

I usually park in the normal carpark and walk around...Ive thought about going down to the Orchard Car Park, but it says 4x4s only so I wont try it!

I just float about and speak to the Marshals whether I sign on or not, but Harewood is open to photography from almost every point so access really isnt needed unless you're shooting close up from the outside of Quarry (Marshals arent too bothered as long as you dont jump the fence) or the finish straight

[steil]

Was going to start a new thread on this but while you're on the topic - I'm after an amateur i.e. PH(!) photographer to work with the team for Britcar24 in Sep (http://eerc.co.uk/cms/news.php?item.477). If this doesn't get you a media pass then nothing will (unless Silverstone are particularly retentive about them).

We did this for the 24hr race during PistonFest 07 - seemed to work pretty well except for the continual rain & gales!

PM me if interested.