Sports Photographer Job Description Sample

A sports photographer specializes in producing snaps of sporting events for use in newspapers, sports clubs, magazines, websites and other artistic or commercial projects. Most of these professionals are self-employed and exchange their photos for cash with various businesses. Apart from having the ability to adjust cameras and capture high quality sporting images, they are also expected to edit and improve the photos using various software tools. Their work also involves maintaining a detailed portfolio to sell their work to potential clients. 

What are the primary responsibilities of a Sports Photographer? 

• Take high quality snaps of sports events, teams, sports stars etc during and after matches
• Work with sports writers, editors, graphic designers and art directors to discuss requirements
• Use technical equipment like zoom lenses to capture the action from a distance
• Seek out suitable photo opportunities
• Carry out research ahead of shoots
• Put people at ease during shoots
• Arrange props and backgrounds
• Manage the processing of photos
• Create albums and framed prints of photos taken
• Stay up to date with industry trends and latest techniques
• Digitally enhance photos using software
• Capture the emotions and personality of athletes
• Choose appropriate equipment for various weather conditions
• Find and execute ways of picking the most appropriate shots

What are the education and entry requirements for a Sports Photographer?

Earning a bachelor’s, associate’s degree or certificate from a photography program is an advantage, although there is no specific education or training requirements. Some schools offer special courses in photojournalism, through which one can gain writing skills along with knowledge of photography techniques, digital cameras, software tools, lighting etc. Most employers will want to see a portfolio of work before hiring a Sports Photographer. 

What are the pros of being a Sports Photographer? 

• Job satisfaction (there's nothing like seeing your work show up on a newspaper the next day)
• Plenty of career paths (there is the option of becoming photojournalists if you have a passion for writing)
• It is a lucrative career (especially for experienced and well established sports photographers)
• You can express your creativity 

What are the pros of being a Sports Photographer? 

• You have to adapt to diverse weather conditions
• Not everyone is comfortable working in a fast paced environment
• Work can be irregular (especially for freelancers)
• Some sports games don’t offer sufficient value to make continued employment worthwhile
• Sports photography equipment is often expensive 

What are the skills and qualities required to become a successful Sports Photographer? 

• Patience
• Perseverance
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ambitious (it is a very competitive field)
• Detail oriented
• Good hand-eye coordination
• Creativity
• Legal Knowledge (particularly on laws related to copyright issues and contracts)
• Knack for marketing
• Ability to network
• Business-oriented
• People person
• Technically skilled (to be able to use the equipment and software involved) 

How much can a sports photographer earn? 

The average salary for a sports photographer varies according to number of years spent in the field, nature of the employer and types of sports events covered. According to salaryexpert.com, the average sports photographer salary is $55,872 or an hourly rate of $27.

Working conditions and career outlook 

Working conditions and hours can be unpredictable, involving diverse weather conditions, far-off locations and confined studios. Size of work orders often vary according to seasons. Sports photographers are busiest during weekends and evenings. The profession involves a lot of travel as well. Even sports photographers who start their own studio spend a lot of their time travelling to various locations within the country and abroad. After gaining adequate experience as an assistant photographer, one can start working as studio managers. Some become agents who deal with selling of other photographers’ work. There are sports photographers who take up teaching gigs at institutes offering photography courses. There is also the option of working as photo journalists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Photographers in general are expected to witness 3% growth in employment from 2014 to 2024.