#FramptonQuigg as it became known. A long awaited fight, which I new I wanted to cover. Whether it be for one of my regular agency clients, or a pass in my own name, I knew I wanted to be there to cover it. After a few calls, everyone had their photographers booked so the decision was made, I had to try and obtain a pass for myself. To cut a long story short, I was given a spot ringside, right in the Quigg corner.
Because I had applied for my own pass, it meant that I was in the position of potentially not getting paid for the nights work. That is the job. Many photographers work this way, running their own agencies or just freelancers sending images in on ‘spec’ with no guarantee of payment. It’s hard. Damn hard. Many newspapers now don’t want to pay for images as an order. They’d rather go with agency images and if they like an image that’s sent in then they will use it, so you are pushing water uphill most of the time. Still, as my friend Simon Bellis once said, ‘A picture won’t make money if you leave it on your laptop and don’t send it anywhere.’
I’ve been on both sides of the fence, having been freelance before my time at PA. So many people see the ‘glamour’ of being a photographer, without realising the cost of equipment and other expenses that have to be covered. The respect I have for those who attend sporting events week in week out, with no guaranteed orders, as their full time employment. Well, I’m sure you can imagine. Would you do it? Exactly.
The images didn’t get picked up in the Sunday papers, Monday papers, or online. That’s the gamble. I now have to look at the night differently and so chose to pick out some of the portraits of ring announcer Michael Buffer which will now be sent on to the newspapers, should they ever need a picture of him to illustrate a story. Let’s be honest, he is a man who is photographed every time he enters the ring, so again, it’s about crossing fingers!






Thanks for reading folks. DT.