What does it take to Become a successful paintball photographer?

Author: Jacob Kajiwara

To succeed as a paintball photographer, one needs respect, patience, knowledge of the sport, and the ability to capture a moment in the game, which players can cherish for a long time.

Respect is the undoubtedly the most important aspect of becoming a successful paintball photographer. Without respect from the players, leagues, or other paintball photographers, it is nearly impossible to go far in the industry. Respect comes from a number of things, whether it be seniority, admiration of the photographs, or professionalism. By covering as many leagues and events as possible, I have found that those who are serious about paintball recognize I am serious about photography. Because of this the refs, players, teams, and event sponsors, can see how devoted I am to supporting their league, thereby gaining their respect. Patience is another necessity to succeed in this industry because without it, what would happen? A new or even veteran photographer could be denied access to the field and without the patience to deal with the conflict in a professional manner one would simply give up, which will never get you anywhere. knowledge of how the game works is very crucial when it comes to not getting shot every two seconds, or interfering with the ref's ability to do his or her job. If someone has never seen how paintball is played and then went on the field with a camera he would more than likely take 20 shots to the side and fail at capturing any action that the player could take pride in. Lastly, to become a successful paintball photographer, one needs to have an "eye" for a good photo. This can be taught, however I have found either a person has got it, or they don't. And without it, there is almost no way to make it as a paintball photographer.
I am constantly asked, " Why do you do it?". There are a lot of reasons I photograph paintball, but in a nutshell, I do it for the players.