I'm only five minutes into the video and am already so excited to listen more! I have been wanting to do high-volume photography for YEARS, but like you, I had no idea where to get started!
You are my favorite photography person to watch. I am so seriously thinking about trying to start a sports photography business. But I’m just not sure how to do it. Everyone tells me I should. But there’s always that “what if I can’t”, feeling. Thanks so much for your videos. They are greatly appreciated.
This is what I needed to hear. Over ten years ago, I wanted to Photograph Football Teams, the Teams asked me for money, because I thought that it sounded crazy, I never did any team or anything, now I understand what they were talking about. I like this Video, it has opened my mind and eyes.
Your video is spot on. I've been taking high volume sports photography for the past seven years as a side job and it is definitely profitable. My average sale is around $20 per kid in the league (whether they buy or not). So if a league has 100 kids, I know that is a potential $2000 job. If I took the time to figure out actual orders per league, the average would go up. FOR SURE the younger the kids, the more the parents buy. After several years of buying pictures year round, the orders diminish with age. Great info!
really interesting and honest video. I am not interested in running a business (been there etc) but stayed and watched because you gave so many real life lessons that apply in more areas than photography.
I came here looking for camera specs and arrangements of the team and didnt get that, however, i couldnt stop watching. You've given me hope. Thanks for a great video!
Absolutely the best video on high volume photography, especially the business aspect. I want to thank you for speaking so candidly. Honestly I was on the edge of my seat throughout this video just taking it all in. I've seen some other later videos of yours prior to this one, all great stuff. I do miss the smoke alarm though, Ha...
Thank you. Great advice. I'm just starting sports photography for a friends sporting club and interested in taking it to the level. I'll be watching this one again. 👍
+Stephan Eilert thank you, I'm glad people found it entertaining. It's rare that i pos a RU-vid video this long that people actually watch lol. But there are a lot a variables I didn't think about until I started down this road, and I hope to minimize the mistakes other make when starting out.
Bro. I am loving the honesty. You sound like me. As I’m watching this video I’m thinking… this is something I could do, but I don’t really think I’d like it lol.
I was looking for tips on shooting team pic and stumbled across this video. I love how honest and informative you are. I’m feeling like I’m in the beginning stages of where you were. This has put a bug in my ear to do more research. Thanks!
Great video! I was actually wondering when the follow up videos will be posted. I'm doing my first high volume shoot for a city sports program next month in Miami. You give out great content and would love to see the other videos to this topic. Thanks- Mario
Man! That was HONEST talk! Thanks for sharing all this info... never ever had considered this kind of shooting - especially because outside the US, sports (in the kid arena) is not that strong. But this kind of insight and true talk is VERY WELCOME and I hope others will take great advantage of your experience.
+gustavo campos thank you, the response has been very positive to this video, I was worried it was to long. It's a topic so rarely spoken about outside of paid workshops that few people know how profitable it is and how it can help someone who wants to go full time be able to survive financially. Or even someone just starting to make a nice side income. Part 2 will hopefully be out tomorrow or Monday.
+gustavo campos thank you, the response has been very positive to this video, I was worried it was to long. It's a topic so rarely spoken about outside of paid workshops that few people know how profitable it is and how it can help someone who wants to go full time be able to survive financially. Or even someone just starting to make a nice side income. Part 2 will hopefully be out tomorrow or Monday.
I've been helping my cousin do this for a few weeks now and I agree, it doesn't take much photographic skills. One of the other photographers went from zero knowledge to doing shoots solo in a few months. But she only knows the same cookie cutter shots. It is a lot like an assembly line.
Thank you Vincent, You had my attention for the full video. I really appreciated your honesty and view on "making it" as a photographer. I will be searching for videos #2, #3, and #4 after posting this. Regarding shooting sports on the field. In your experience, what is your most used lens?
Thank you for sharing all your experience Vincent. It is one of the most instructive videos I've seeing in a long time. I just would like to ask you. What do you think and recommend would be good starting equipment someone will need to start doing high volume photography? Great video !!! Congratulations.
Great video, I think its important to point out that there is also process time involved, uploading,matching players to orders,payment processing and delivering product.
I must say that listening to you this night has given me hope and courage in my quest to running a photography company here in New York. Thank you so very much. Please how can i get your email for further consultations and directives?
Hi, Vincent. I've just found your channel, and I've watched this video. Are you still going high-vol and sport event photography? I shoot for my small town rec league and am wondering if you can share your lighting setup, both for individual shots and for the team shot. Do you take multiple shots of the same player or is it one and done, NEXT! workflow? Thanks, Anthony S.
Awesome video - very informative! I've been wondering about this type of business. I guess I'm in the stage of just being the dad who takes tons of pictures of his own kids but I'll take some of the rest of the players. The other parents don't have the equipment I have and are very appreciative when I forward them pictures of their kids. I have become the unofficial team photographer. Some parents have offered to pay but I won't take anything but they insist so I'll let them buy me a hot dog or drink at the concession stand... LOL. Some have recommended that I expand and charge but I'm not sure if and how to do it. Having a sales background, I do know it's profitable - why else would the companies still do it? I look forward to seeing more of your videos. I don't know if you have posted it but, what kind of lenses do you use? I'm in the process of buying a couple of f2.8 Canon lenses. I figure that those would be a great investment if I decide to move forward. I have a fear of producing a bad product if I were to charge since I have no formal training. You mentioned that your first jobs had poor results in quality, did you go into those shoots with those fears or did they just turn out that way? How did you recover and trust in yourself again? Did you regret it and want to quit since you really didn't want to be in the business? Sorry for all the questions but, it's an interesting subject. Hope your business is thriving.
Question. I'm a "soccer mom" photographer or so ive been called because i havr no formal training. I had a young girls softball team ask me to take tournament pics. I dont have a business per say i just take pics and if they want to donate anything they can. How should i handle the pics? Just give them all a cd and they can print to their hearts content or should i charge and use the Miller site? I dont know what to do. Please help!! Thank you. Mlynda
Hey man love your content hope you're still doing well I have agreed to shoot pictures 6 little league baseball teams I have 4 speed lights what f-stop do you shoot your individual shots with and since I don't have a 300w strobe any thoughts on doing the team shots with available light
I’m thinking of getting back into team sports photography. He is not exaggerating the dollars. I did it part time, great money. Unfortunately, my full time job got in the way. I enjoy doing “onsite photo printing” as well. Sorry but...... cash payments are the way to go. 😬😬😬😬 I’m not surprised in the least about this guys comments about fighting with the IRS and the idiots in California govt. 🙄
I loved this video as I am performing my first league photo shoot in April. I have a few questions. Is there a way to reach you (DM or email)? I would greatly appreciate advice on one topic. God bless and thank you so much for your time. Much appreciated!
Vincent, during this video you show an order form that shows all the package options with pricing and has a payment envelope attached. I have some good resources for obtaining those if anybody is interested. Did you do the videos 2-4? I didn't see them. Thanks, Mary
Vincent, I'm also awaiting the other parts (2-4) you mentioned in the video and reference in your description. Highly interested as I have been approached several times about doing this. Thank you for sharing!
So if I go to a local little league game and start taking pictures, are there rules as far as having a permit to shoot etc. I am new to this type of photography and just want to test the waters first. Plus like you said, I do not want to come off as a creepy photo person taking pictures of other peoples kids.
Hello Vincent, this is a odd business question for you. I do a small amount of kids soccer/basketball team photography and I'm wondering about how does taxes work. When doing a package for a team, which is part of a non for profit organization, do you charge taxes to each parent for their package?
How fo you keep track of which kid is which when you process the photos. And why don't you let them go online to purchase the photos later after they see the proofs
I am desperate for help. I have a Canon Rebel EOS xsi. I was gifted a Canon EF 75-300 mm F4-5.6 without a stabilizer. I need a good lens for sports photography. Mainly action shots of soccer, baseball and lacrosse. Once I loose sunlight all of my pictures are blurry. I can take a few on auto with flash but they are slow and tbh if the umpire catches me taking them I can be thrown out of the game as the flash "disrupts" the pitcher even though the pitcher is my son and it doesn't bother him but rules are rule. I have tried everything in adjusting my ISO, speed, settings etc. nothing works. The lens I have isn't adequate for night action shooting and zoomed shots. I found the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras recommend in an article but really need advice. If you could take the time to answer I would be so grateful!!!!
You don't need flash. try these settings next time. set your camera to manual. set f 5.6, shutter speed to at least 800 and set iso to auto. Your shots are blurry because your shutter speed is not fast enough. A good budget lens for you would be an 85mm 1.8 ( $385). You want get great outfield shots but amazing batting shots and infield. This is an awesome portrait lens.
thanks for sharing very interesting and informative! great tips on how to get a club interested in you. if you ever in Fresno drop me a line I love to chat. thanks
Vincent, thanks for the video. I was just approached by a league to photograph a football league and I wanted to see just what this entailed. I think I am going to try it, but I need to find out where to get the forms from and what the charge and offer. If you can help me out in the area, I can send you my email address and maybe you can point me in the right direction.
