Thoughts on Photography during tournaments

[Awkward Accountant]

I have been running unsanctioned tournaments and helping out with bigger ones.
I recently picked up photography in the hopes of using it for disc golf one day. My hope was to do high quality pictures during the tournaments, so players could use them for social media or whatever they'd like.
My question is would this be something players want? My biggest fear is becoming a distraction and impacting someone's game so ill take all precautions not to do so. Just wanted to see what you all thought before i start diving into it.

 

[Sewer bill]

It will ruin some career ma1 bros game but you'll probably make lots of other friends who would be interested in using it for social media pfp.

But seriously just ask ahead of time at the players meeting who is or isn't interested to filter out the one bro who plays way too seriously for no cash and the fed dude in witness protection.

 

[RowingBoats]

It will ruin some career ma1 bros game but you'll probably make lots of other friends who would be interested in using it for social media pfp.

But seriously just ask ahead of time at the players meeting who is or isn't interested to filter out the one bro who plays way too seriously for no cash and the fed dude in witness protection.

Haha probably the accurate take. I am just about to do my first real tournament in March, but even in an unsanctioned league this genre of human exists.

Personally heck ya, I'd be super excited to dig through a collection of nice pictures taken from a tournament I was in.

 

[Awkward Accountant]

It will ruin some career ma1 bros game but you'll probably make lots of other friends who would be interested in using it for social media pfp.

But seriously just ask ahead of time at the players meeting who is or isn't interested to filter out the one bro who plays way too seriously for no cash and the fed dude in witness protection.

Thanks. Yea its definitely something ill be asking permission before doing so. I have a 300x telescoping lens so I can definitely be a good distance away. My hope was to gain a following and do it at many events. Down the road put water marks on them and charge a very small fee to remove them. Ill be shooting DDO, Ledgestone, and world's this year too.

 

[EllEstar]

The guy that started our national disc golf scene has been taking photos during tournaments for years, or even decades. People seem to generally really like getting pictures of themselves, whether they're MA3 or MPO, and the only issues I've heard of are people sometimes getting mildly upset if he positions himself awkwardly on the fairway.

It may just be accepted locally, because it's been going on for so long, but I wouldn't expect many issues with it.

 

[biscoe]

If you are not creating a nuisance (certainly sounds like you will not) it is no big deal. I wouldn't bother asking permission at normal events. At the big events you may run into a media policy issue if you are monetizing it in any way.

 

[Sewer bill]

Thanks. Yea its definitely something ill be asking permission before doing so. I have a 300x telescoping lens so I can definitely be a good distance away. My hope was to gain a following and do it at many events. Down the road put water marks on them and charge a very small fee to remove them. Ill be shooting DDO, Ledgestone, and world's this year too.

I think you should watermark it right off the bat. Something small and transparent.

I have art I did in photoshop about 16 years ago as part of a Ringling school fundraiser put on by a real estate company that they still trot out at fundraisers and print on canvas to sell and my friends that watermarked theirs got a decent one time check and everyone who didn't watermark in that program got their art sold with no commission.

If you shoot a good pic with no ability to distinguish it as yours and you distribute it, you could find some disc golf company using it in a web banner or ad with no recourse to get any compensation.

 

[Rylo]

Camouflage yourself, do not wear bright colored clothing. wear clothes that will not stand out depending on location, blacks browns greens whatever is found in the natural colors of the course. No shiny Mr.T necklaces or laminates to reflect, I remember a player upset about a laminate from a caddy being a distraction after a missed putt at USDGC last year. What a weeny

 

[DumfriesLizzie]

It really depends on the photographer. I have been at 3 tournaments where there was a hired photographer for the event. Three events, two different photographers! With both shutterbugs, initially I was not too happy. I found the photographer to be an extra distraction. However, I got used to both of them.

One of them turned out to be the husband of one of my card mates, so I knew I was going to have to suck that up. He made such wonderful photographs of all of us that I was very happy in the end that he was there. When he turned up at a second tournament, it was a total non-issue. I was comfortable with him at that point.

Second photographer at yet another event, I didn't spend a whole lot of time with. But he was quiet, respectful, and placed himself perfectly despite not knowing a whole lot about disc golf (he acknowledged).

It's also the case that we have to learn to live with the distractions (in tournaments, in particular). I'm no pro at this, but I'm getting better at it. Distractions can be any and everything. Weather, other players, other folks in the park, dogs, non-disc golf issues on your brain, injury, the photographer, you're hungry, you're tired, you're nervous, etc.

BTW I used one of Photographer #1's photos on my PDGA page. With his permission. And another of his of me on my Facebook page.

In the end, it's good to see what you're doing correctly and what you are doing incorrectly!

 

[Awkward Accountant]

I really appreciate the feedback and insight fellows. I'm excited to start shooting events. I think strategizing places to position myself to be out of the way and get a great shot will be a fun part of this hobby. I also look forward in players finding value in it.

 

[RowingBoats]

I really appreciate the feedback and insight fellows. I'm excited to start shooting events. I think strategizing places to position myself to be out of the way and get a great shot will be a fun part of this hobby. I also look forward in players finding value in it.

Come shoot the 2024 Arkansas Valley Throwdown in Colorado next month

 

[Cgkdisc]

I have been running unsanctioned tournaments and helping out with bigger ones.
I recently picked up photography in the hopes of using it for disc golf one day. My hope was to do high quality pictures during the tournaments, so players could use them for social media or whatever they'd like.
My question is would this be something players want? My biggest fear is becoming a distraction and impacting someone's game so ill take all precautions not to do so. Just wanted to see what you all thought before i start diving into it.

The basic policy at DGPT events and probably (not sure) PDGA Majors allows taking photos/video on cell phones, no standalone SLR or video cameras, if you want to post or possibly provide or sell them to players. It basically negates using cameras with high quality optical zooms to get better close-ups.

 

[glassila]

The basic policy at DGPT events and probably (not sure) PDGA Majors allows taking photos/video on cell phones, no standalone SLR or video cameras, if you want to post or possibly provide or sell them to players. It basically negates using cameras with high quality optical zooms to get better close-ups.

Most professional sports/venues do not allow lenses over a certain size without permission of the team or venue.
If a disc golf event contracts with professional photographers it will likely be in their contract that other people cannot use certain size lenses, tripods, video cameras, etc.
Standard operating procedure really.

 

[Awkward Accountant]

Come shoot the 2024 Arkansas Valley Throwdown in Colorado next month

I am in Denver. I can very well make that happen

 

[Awkward Accountant]

The basic policy at DGPT events and probably (not sure) PDGA Majors allows taking photos/video on cell phones, no standalone SLR or video cameras, if you want to post or possibly provide or sell them to players. It basically negates using cameras with high quality optical zooms to get better close-ups.

Looks like you just need credentials which appear easy to apply for. Thanks for the heads up though.

 

[dmoore1998]

We typically have people taking photos at unsanctioned events and I've never heard anyone care about it. Ice Bowl always has someone walking around taking group shots (though not typically while throwing). We have some fundraiser tournaments that also get some action shots. I played a tournament last year where the TD was posted up on hole #1 taking multiple action shots of everyone as they teed off. Usually these get bulk-posted to Facebook for the event, and a lot of people I know have these set as their Facebook profile photo. Honestly, I know a lot more people that would be a bit annoyed to NOT have their photo taken while throwing if they knew someone was doing it...they want more photos of themselves playing.