How to establish a photography pool?

[timaylen]

Hope I've hit the right forum section for this topic but I am enquiring about pool photography in a photojournalistic setting so I would think so...

I am first of all seeking the correct definition of a photo pool and in what situations its use should apply. Also, I would like to hear from those of you that have managed, or manage, photo pools - and how the heck you do that with photographers that, how can I say politely....are darn right disrespectful of the trade!

A bit of background on my situation - I help manage a Government photo agency and we have been trying for years to bring order into Government events where many newspaper photogs, TV cameramen and guys holding cameras and handycams all jostle for that key shot of the subject, by being five feet from them!

The picture-takers kill it for the seasoned pros who are trying to get that tight key shot with a 300!

I have had exposure to events on a national scale so am trying to bring some of that organization into a small town setting.

Are there seminars, workshops or websites that cover this ground (or maybe a thread that I missed).

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

[Richard_Coyle]

timaylen
To receive the correct viewer response, you might want to repost using a title such as: "How to establish a photography pool?" Your current title caught my interest in sports photography as in "billiards" or "swimming". Can't help you on your real concern. Good luck.

[AKPhotos]

Yah I was wondering the same thing, Pool as in Swimming pool and events or as in Pool table and Billard events... Once we have more info maybe we can help. Thanks

[David_Buzzard]

The first thing about creating a photo pool is that it has to be in a position where you have absolute control over access to the event. The next thing you have to do is talk the pool photographers into allowing general access to their photos in exchange for access to the pool. Both of these are very difficult things to do.

A better way to deal with it might be to issue press passes to the media you want to deal with, and everyone else has to fight it out in the public areas. At sporting events, they have several tiers of press credential, where the wires and major media get prime access, and the smaller media outlets are off to the side a bit.

David Buzzard's Technical Blog

[RESQ4U]

While I haven't been on the management end of a Pool situation, I have been the "pool photog" on numerous occasions. Let me relate the situation to you from my end.

David Buzzard is absolutely correct when says for this to work you must have absolute control over access to the subject. In my experience, this requires the subject to be a private one or at the highest level of government. In the USA, media of all levels expect access to the political representatives or you can expect a very unkind editorial response. Pool situations arise where physical space limitation or true security concerns trump the "first amendment" rights of those concerned. Consequently, let me add that you need a truely legitimate need to limit acess.

Once you have established these two factors, the question arises over who do you select for pool coverage. A common practice here is to select both a representative of the national media and local media in an effort to appease smaller outlets where possible. When selecting a pool representative (in our case, photographer) you need to pick someone who is capable, competent and willing to share their work freely with other outlets. While many of us fit into this category, beware the greedy "prima donna" who withhold the best images for themseleves. These are often the same people who will claw and scratch their way through the pack because they feel the others are beneath them.

Being primarily a wireservice photog myself, I expect my work to be shared and distributed with members, so, for me, a few non-members is no big deal.

Watch out that some people don't take advantage of their pool access and do something stupid anyway. Just because they are in the pool doesn't mean you can relinquish control over the pack.
Some may intrepret pool selection as full and unfettered access.

Once the pool event is over, then comes the time to distribute the results. Typically, I find this means whoever can track the shooter down and ask for images can get them but if you don't stay on top of this your outlet misses out. This usually involves the shooter downlaoding their shots on their laptop and then downloading them back onto your compact flash card for you to be responsive to your outlet's needs. I would suggest that you, as pool contact, also get a copy of the images for release to those outlets that miss out on the exchange. If you do this, there needs to be a concrete and understood process for who gets them and for what purposes. In other words, for editorial uses only related to the particular event.

I am sure there are many elements missing from this short diatribe, but this should get you started. Also, as with any undertaking, have a post mortem to review pros / cons and make suggestions to improve future events.

SUMMARY
1. absolute control over access
2. legimate need to limit access
3. establish / enact selection process
4. control the pool's movements
5. collect pool work for authorized distribution
6. post mortem the results

Best of luck, Bob Bird

[Mark_Milstein]

I'd like to ditto the responses by Dave and RESQ4U, and I would like to throw in an example. Our photographers in Vienna, Austria, cover a huge amount of United Nations, Austrian government and European Union organized events. Because the EU is made up of 27 member states, it many times translates into as many interested photographers being at any given event. Add that to the local and regional press and you have a European size mess that can only be solved with a pool or a designated pool photographer.

The Austrian government has done quite a good job, and hired a local photo agency, Hopi Media, Photos - No charge for use who put their images on this website within 30 minutes of any event.

The pictures can then be downloaded by all accredited media. This might be a good model for you to use.

Best,

Mark Milstein