In order to take good pictures, it is not enough just to buy a camera and take a photography course. Gaining access to interesting events and permission to take photos there can be a problem. This permission is called accreditation.
Why do you need accreditation?
Aspiring photographers are often faced with the need to obtain accreditation for various events: concerts, exhibitions, sports matches, opening ceremonies, and so on. Of course, in some cases you can just buy a ticket and take pictures on a general basis, but accredited photographers are provided with much greater opportunities: access to special areas for the press, the right to shoot at press conferences, etc.
Please note that the larger the publication from which you are accredited, the greater the chances of a positive accreditation decision. This is especially true for large events.
Accreditation may be required not only for photography at events, but also for visiting restricted facilities, industrial premises, and protected areas. For example, if you want to photograph an aircraft taking off at close range, you will have to attend to obtaining accreditation and the corresponding permit.
For photographers working in print or electronic media, the accreditation process is generally straightforward. Since the publication itself is interested in the quality of the illustrative material for publication, the editorial board itself is engaged in the process of accreditation of the correspondent and photographer.
Obtaining accreditation
If you have not yet been accepted into the staff of a newspaper, magazine or Internet news portal, but plan to cooperate with them, then you will have to deal with obtaining accreditation yourself. First of all, you need to find out the contact details of the event organizers and people responsible for information support. Usually this is done by specialists in PR, advertising, marketing. They need to be consulted about the form in which an application for accreditation is required and to whom it should be addressed.
You shouldn't start your career with scam and illegal photography. This will ruin your reputation and, in some cases, may even lead to legal troubles.
In the request addressed to the person responsible for accreditation, indicate your full name, contact details, the purpose of obtaining accreditation, as well as the name of the media whose interests you intend to represent. Naturally, before that, you need to agree on the issue with the editorial board, since your credentials can be checked. It is necessary to deal with obtaining the necessary permits in advance, since the number of press invitations is almost always limited.
Finally, in the event that you are not associated with any media, and you need to obtain accreditation, you can contact the organizers of the event or the management of the company directly, providing your past work as an example. It is possible that you will be given permission to shoot.
