(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Quarterback, Matt Barkley of USC poses for a portrait during the NCAA Pac-10 Football Media day at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Feliciano Lopez of Spain during the second round of the Farmers Classic at the UCLA Tennis Center in Westwood, CA.

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Benjamin Becker of Germany

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Sam Querrey of the United States

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Andy Murray of Great Britain

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / TapiaPhoto)

Wylie Lewis has played golf for over 13 years, his favorite course is the Garden of the God’s club in Colorado Springs, CO. Wylie has a unique style, he does not use tees instead he drives with a 3 iron off the ground.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / TapiaPhoto)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / TapiaPhoto)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / TapiaPhoto)

Gabriel Chavarria has played for the Irvine Pateadores and with notable clubs wanting him to play for them like the San Diego Nomads. He played 2 seasons for club LAFC and a season at PCC college. He was a major factor in 2008 and was apart of the schools best soccer team in its history. Gabriel tried out for LA galaxy making it to the final round. He has traveled overseas in Honduras to play for 1st division team Marathon.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / TapiaPhoto)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / TapiaPhoto)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Lamar Odom (7) dunks during game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Pau Gasol (16) during game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals

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Jared Dudley (3) and Lamar Odom (7) during game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Kobe Bryant (24) and Amare Stoudemire (1) during game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals

(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Kobe Bryant (24) and Grant Hill (33) during game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals

(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Jason Richardson (23) and Ron Artest (37) during game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Pau Gasol (16) shoots during game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Kobe Bryant (24)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Kyle Weaver (5) and Shannon Brown (12)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

Russell Westbrook (0) and Lamar Odom (7)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / FOXSports.com)

A Laker Girl

(Photo by Lori Shepler)

Pau Gasol of the Lakers fell on me and another photographer during the second quarter of play, Lori Shepler, was able to capture the moment.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Daniel Sedin (22) celebrates his game and series winning goal in the third period against the Kings during the NHL Western Conference Quarterfinals game 6 between the Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Steve Bernier (18) celebrates his goal

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Kings Alexander Frolov (24) wraps around the net and scores in the first period against Canucks Roberto Luongo (1)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Canucks Andrew Alberts (41) and Kings Anze Kopitar (11) chase the puck

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Kings Randy Jones (12) is checked by Canucks Ryan Kesler (17)

Question 1:

What do you photograph?
College and Professional Sports – 74%
High School and Lower Levels – 56%
Portraits – 46%
Commercial and Product – 34%
Other (Landscape, Weddings, etc.) – 45%

Multiple answers were accepted for this question. That is why the percentages add up to more than 100%. I wanted to see what people were photographing. This info is only useful if you look at the individuals survey and their following answers, as a group its doesn’t have much use other than to generally see what the everyone is photographing.

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Question 2:

What do you photograph the most?
College and Professional Sports – 39%
High School and Lower Levels – 29%
Portraits – 7%
Commercial and Product – 11%
Other (Landscape, Weddings, etc.) – 14%

68% or about 2/3 of the people surveyed photograph sports as their main concentration. I was shocked that only 7% surveyed photograph portraits as their main concentration.

Question 3:

How many years have you been in the business?

1-2 years – 6%
2-5 years – 28%
5-10 years – 33%
10+ years – 34%

67% had 5 or more years in the business, that’s a lot of experience.

Question 4:

How often do you shoot per year?
1-25 – 0%
26-50 – 19%
50-100 – 35%
100+ – 46%

Almost ½ of those who answered the survey are shooting more than 100 times per year. (Editor’s note: if the respondent answered 1-25 shoots per year, it was omitted from the survey.)

Question 5:

Are you are Freelance or Staff?
Freelance – 88%
Staff – 12%

The Majority of the people are freelancers by far.

Question 6:

How much do you charge on average for your services?

WOW, this is the big one. I am now more confused than ever on how the “average” photographer charges for their services. I got hourly, day rates, game rates, usage fees, speculation/stock, expenses plus and everything in between.

(Editor’s note: there will be an answer to this question, but not at this time)

Question 7:

What is the MOST and LEAST you have ever received for your services?

Most – $14,000
Least – $0

I was greatly surprised at how many photographers had received $0 at one point in their careers for their services. And $14,000 was the most of the most, meaning that most photographers never come close to $14,000 for one photo, one game or even one day.

Question 8:

Do you photograph on speculation?
Never – 36%
Sometimes – 46%
Mostly – 15%
Always – 3%

About 2/3 of photographers who answered, shoot on speculation at some point in their careers’.

Question 9:

How do you determine your rates?

Cost of Doing Business, What the market would bear, estimates were some top answers. Others: “Talk with clients and find out their budgets,” set hourly rate, “is my tank empty, is my fridge empty, actual cost to me to complete the job.”

Comments:

Most people did not answer this question. Here is a couple of comments:
“I try to make sure that I always have rights to resell the images”
“I am not the cheapest… nor am I the best. It seems the worst charge the most.”

This was a big undertaking and I am currently not satisfied with all the results. I am going to start step two of the multi step process. If you have read this and thought that someone was going to give you a straight answer on what to charge, I am sorry. The fact is that no one has all the answers because this business is too complicated to stay black and white.

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Sami Salo (6) celebrates his goal with Henrik Sedin (33) and Kevin Bieksa (3) during the NHL Western Conference Quarterfinals game 4 between the Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Kings Wayne Simmonds (17) celebrates his goal with Ryan Smyth (94) and Anze Kopitar (11)

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Icon SMI)

Jonathan Quick (32) makes a save

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Agence QMI)

Devan Dubnyk (40) makes a penalty shot save against Kings Fredrik Modin (33) during the NHL regular season game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.

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(Photo by Ric Tapia / Agence QMI)

Oilers Mike Comrie (91) and Tom Gilbert (77) celebrate a first period goal

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Agence QMI)

General view of a faceoff at ice level in the Staples Center

(Photo by Ric Tapia / Agence QMI)

Anze Kopitar (11) enters the rink