Question Number: 19094

Law 1- The Field 5/15/2008

RE: Select Under 12

glen kenoski of vancouver , washington USA asks...

I would like to take pictures of my daughter playing soccer. I have been told that I must ask ref. permission at each game and cannot stand anywhere near the goal and the box areas out 10 yrds. Are there rules for this type of activity? If so where do I get a copy of them? I have been told very different things from the Refs I have talked to. Thanks gak

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Prior to the general rewrite of the Laws of the Game in 1997 Law I described a "Photographers Line". This line, if marked, extended from points 6m behind each goalpost to points 3,5m from the intersection of the goal line and goal area to points 2m from each corner flag. Photographers were prohibited from being closer than that line.

I have stopped a match and disallowed a supposed goal scored after a photographer stepped onto the field and took a flash picture of the visiting goalkeeper attempting a save during a night match. The match did not restart until security removed the photographer from the traditional prohibited area behind the goal line. The photographer's rights under the first amendment to the Constitution were not infringed because in his attempts to exercise them he constituted a clear and present danger to a player on my pitch and this I could not allow.

Again, this line's description left the Laws of the Game in 1997 and became part of the history of The Game. Because historical memory of The Game is lacking in the United States I'm not surprised some referees do and some referees do not know this fact.

When using my favorite search engine to find "Football Law I photographers' line" this is the first thing that popped up:

http://www.wfms.org/Other/Football/FIFA/law1.html

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Glen, I suspect your success in wandering where you will to take photographs will depend on two things. First, how officious the ref is in limiting where spectators may go per the old rules cited by Ref Fleischer. And second, by what you do when you are near or behind the goal line. Do you behave yourself, quietly taking your pictures with minimal disruption to the game? Or do you feel compelled between snaps to shout instructions to one or more of the players? Obviously you should stay far enough from the field that neither you nor a player might be hurt by an errant ball or an onrushing player.

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

22x digital zoom and a uni-pod or tri-pod is a wonderful thing.....

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

As a referee with a Bachelor of Science in photography I must say there is no rule stating that you can't take photographs of the match. However if you become a distraction to the players or somehow endanger their safety than your right to take images in a public place is trumped. Also, if you're on private property you must obtain the permission of the venue to take photographs. If you intend to use the images for commercial gain you must obtain a model release of the players involved, unless the commercial purpose is journalism and in that case you would be permitted to publish the image.

For personal use on public grounds, photographs should be no problem provided that you exercise caution to the safety of the players.

In my sports photo classes we covered techniques for making the best images. Use of a long lens on a 35mm sensor (or film) with a rotating head mono pod are typically great for soccer matches. Line up along the touchline use the fastest aperture you've got and I hope you have a quick auto focus!!! A fast write speed is good so if you use your rapid fire exposure feature you'll be able to catch 7-10 frames in a sequence (a header or a shot or save usually lasts that long. This gives you more frames to choose from. Shoot the ground after major events like a goal or something like that to mark where they have occurred when you go to review your contact sheets.

Of course if that's all too much for you... just remember to use your tripod if you use a lot of zoom. Forget your flash it won't help (see inverse square law if you want to know why) and use fast shutter speeds and wide open apertures.

Have fun.