Warbird Information Exchange

Hi All,

I did a search but didn't come up with anything, though I thought I read somewhere here (elsewhere?) how one might get access out by the pylons at Reno during the races. Can you get special photographer's passes or anything like that?

Thanks in advance to all who can provide some clues; I appreciate it!

-Tom

You need media credentials to get out there. At one point they weren't (from my understanding) too hard to obtain. Now, you apparently need to shoot for a major publication and be able to show proof of your work being published. Having those will at least give you a chance at getting the credentials, still no guarantee.

I've been hoping to find a backdoor in for getting credentials for the past few years. I've had stuff published, and I can get credentials elsewhere, but since I sell my work myself rather than shooting for a media outlet getting out to the pylons hasn't happened yet. From what I've seen, you don't have to be a good photographer to get the credentials, you just have to work for someone who publishes your photos.

Will

I'll try not to take your snarky "you don't have to be a good photographer" quip too personally, as usually it's the publication that chooses what photos you submit to use. I'd say that anyone out there in the sticks takes really good photos--even if all of our photos start to look alike after a while since we're all standing in the same areas taking the same pictures.

I have been working as credentialed media at Reno since 1986 for a few different publications, and since 1997 with the same one (World Airshow News, of which I am an editor). I can tell you that at one point it was relatively easy to get credentials, including access out at the pylons. And as recently as 2011 when Jimmy Leeward had his accident, RARA felt that 'more was better' because it equaled exposure. There were well over 600 credentialed people, which made logistics very interesting. But since the accident, the FAA has reduced the number of people they allow to shoot out on the race course. Maximum of 40 photographers at a time at each pylon....and they only allow 'general access' to pylon 2 on the east side and pylon 8 on the west side. There is a daily lottery drawing for pylon 4 on the backside of the course, which is for a maximum of 10 photographers each day. We have the ability also to go out on the ramp to shoot (yeah, we're the guys in the day-glo yellow vests who constantly seem to piss off the spectators in the pits) but we have to be escorted at all times by RARA officials, and once the ramp becomes 'hot', we have to fall back to the turn-line.

I believe that this year RARA and the FAA limited the number to just over 250 credentialed writers/photographers. And what I have observed in the last couple of years is that many of the what I'll call "Legacy Photographers" who have had a lot of stuff published in the past, but haven't had anything published recently, have not been issued credentials based on their 'back catalogue'. In the past there was a lot of that done.

Some people are issued a press pass, but you also have to be issued a pylon pass to have access out on the course. Those who are issued pylon passes are typically those who have had their photos published in magazines/newspaper/media outlets of the race for the previous year's event, or those who are designated by a specific publication to cover the event. One way or another you have to show proof that your photos of the previous years event were actually published--whether in print or on-line because RARA is looking for promotion of the event for the following year. That's one of the reasons that free-lance photographers have a more difficult time...if you're just shooting to sell for yourself, it doesn't do RARA any publicity. More than any other airshow that I have ever shot at, they are pretty strict in where we can go and what we can do, but it's understandable...and they also enforce those rules pretty hard. I witnessed one long-time photographer have his wristbands cut off and escorted off the field this year for not following the rules.

The 'back door' to getting a media pass is to submit your photos to RARA for consideration/use in the yearly program. There is a several-page, full color section every year called 'A Day at the Races', where there are lots of crowd shots, pit shots, and random things aside from the action out on the race course. The average spectator at Reno can take a random photo that exemplifies what it's like to be out at Stead watching the show, and if RARA likes it and includes it in the following year's program, that person is technically eligible for credentials the following year. So if you're really interested in getting out there but don't have a media outlet to shoot/write for, that is my best suggestion.

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MANY THANKS, Speedy and Will; that was just the kind of info I was hoping for. I sure appreciate your posting all the details, Speedy!



-Tom

For what it's worth, the perspective out at the pylons is very different than shooting acts at a normal show. The speed at which the Unlimiteds fly by at, and how close the aspect changes as they approach, pass, and go away....coupled with needing to shoot at a slow enough speed to get some prop blur makes it very challenging....moreso than shooting across a showline. Oh, yeah, we're also out in the middle of the desert with anthills, scorpions, and sagebrush...for hours on end. My son had several of his photos published and came out to the pylons with me for a couple years, but he finally said that it was too much work for too little return because you couldn't enjoy the show.

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