How to Become a Press Photographer?
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How to Become a Press Photographer?


The world of press photography can be very stressful. It might require you to do a large amount of traveling. It also might require you to have a large amount of confidence and self-starting motivation. Many times, you’ll find that those being photographed by the press don’t exactly make the press’s job easy to do. If you are capable of this, press photography can be a very exciting and rewarding career. You will only need a few items and to follow a few steps to make this adventure a possibility. If you want to become a press photographer there are a few things you must do. The least of which is becoming proficient in your field. It goes without saying that you will need to be able to use your camera quickly and easily, and be able to pull it out in the nick of time, as well as use it in uncomfortable situations. Again, familiarize yourself with your equipment. The next item you will need to address is your press credentials. Most events that allow press and press photographers will require those attending to have the proper identification.

Most often, these forms of I.D. will come from the news organization that the press members are representing. If you find yourself needing a press pass, try to find employment with a local news company, journalist, or reporting agency. This will get you the credentials you need. If you don’t want to sacrifice your current career, you can always approach a news company with the proposition of freelance work in hopes of getting a press pass for a specific event. Once you have the equipment and proper credentials, you are ready to begin your press photography career. When you arrive at your predetermined location, gain entry and quickly position yourself where you will produce good images.

Simply being a press photographer is not enough to get you published! You will have to work hard to find the perfect shot every time you find yourself at a press event. After the event, you might find yourself with a large amount of audio, video or photographic material. One of your final steps in becoming a press photographer is sorting through all this material to find the pieces that are suitable for publication. If you are not publishing as a freelance photographer, the final publishing decisions will probably rest with the company that provided you with press credentials. When the proper pieces of media have been selected, sit back and relax.

Importance of Press Credentials For a Press Photographer
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Importance of Press Credentials For a Press Photographer


Few things will be as important for your career as gaining press accreditation. As a visual journalist your press accreditation will open doors in every corner of your profession. You’ll gain discounts, respect, access to worldwide events, networking opportunities and a shiny pres card! For example, if you join one of the major associations, you’ll get a plate for your car that identifies you as press. Among the many benefits are the usage of press portals to publish varied editorial content: interviews, news, reports, reportages, photos, press releases, stories, tradeshow and event news, sports articles, professional articles, graphical material and so much more. Quite possible one of the most coveted items in a photographers toolkit, besides that expensive Pro Camera, is the press pass. The press pass is the one item that gets you into the concerts, events and parties where most of those news worthy photos you see in the magazines come from. To secure press credentials you’ll need a portfolio, ideally a web based one; a couple of forms, usually $100 or so to cover the annual membership and professional looking business cards. Now all this would we for one pass only, be mindful that you’ll need multiple press passes.

Indeed, press accreditation for a press photographer is a layered process. You’ll need several passes to be considered as a professional at the top of his field. To cover major news and make it into police guarded scenes, you’ll need a pass issued by the local municipal or state government. For press conferences usually you’ll gain a pass from the corporation by becoming a contractor or working for their PR agency. Even though some of these passes expire in about a year, is a good measure to keep them handy, because most of them carry legal status. That is, you’ll be recognized as a journalist (or visual journalist if you want to be specific), everywhere you go. There’s even more good news: you can get free parking privileges with your pass! Credentials allow you to request interviews of special event attendees (yes, even as a photographer!). Joining unions, agencies or getting a pass from the government gives you access to a nice group: the media. If you’re into that sort of thing, press accreditation allows you to participate in forums, protests, and panels that relate to the circle in with you obtained accreditation.

So if you have an opinion regarding the current affairs of the industry, you can make your voice hear. All and all, the importance of press credentials for press photographers cannot be overstated. Accreditation is by all means a necessary step in gaining the trust of your peers, customers and that of newsworthy individuals. The benefits far outweigh the associated costs, and most of the things you should do to get the passes are already part of the requirements for your profession. Note that some government issue passes carry with them special perks and legal recognition as pres. Shall you wish to launch an international career, just rinse and repeat for the major geographies and join a couple of international organizations. The world of media and free press can be complicated sometimes, but accreditation makes it easy for organizers to discriminate the wheat from the shaft and give you the treatment that as a professional photographer you deserve.