A belated happy 7 to Four+1. It’s been a while, but it’s still alive and when we do find interesting sports photographers, I will post them here. Jonathan Moscrop is a sports photographer based in Torino, Italy. He’s a what we say in the business (?) an official photographer for Juventus FC. So he basically gets to goto all the matches and have great access. He’s also an Englishman living in Italy. Yes, that is a conflict of interest. :)

1. How did you start shooting sports photography and what is your bread and butter sport?

I started a college course in photography and as a project I wanted to shoot football, through the college an accreditation was requested to cover a first division match at my local team Grimsby Town, I had always loved football….combining my growing passion for photography and love of the game I guess this was as near to being a footballer I would ever get….I still continue to cover football now.

2. What is something that you think is really obvious now that took you a long time to get?

Everything!!!
There is nothing really that springs to mind….i guess the best I can say is anticipating things and also having the shot that tells the story or something close to….whereas at the beginning I was looking more for great photos, now working for the agency their requirements are different, knowing as the game unfolds what images may be useful other than the obvious goals and celebrations helps, a lot of the images that are used can be basic relative to the events of the game, often not particularly demanding to achieve or understand!

3. Funniest / Strangest story from one of your shoots?

I was once attacked by a police dog in Sardinia, was treated in an ambulance pitchside then shot the game, flew home and went to the nearest hospital and had a tetanus injection, I sued the police following the officer’s comment that i should have been more careful…..he was busy chatting with a colleague, the dog was loose and it’s muzzle was attached to the officer’s belt, I was calmly making my way to take a position on the goaline!!

4. Advices to the kids (or a mid life crisis sufferer) who are aspiring to become a sports photographer?

Don’t do it!!by all means become a photographer, but i would choose sports again from an economic point of view, I am living and working in a country where I believe there are too many “sports photographers” above all football….that use their camera as a way of obtaining a pass to enter the stadiums and see the games. Also I believe that the editorial market is suffering greatly from the recession but also because there are too many people whom by purchasing a digital camera and no longer having to process and develop films it has become much easier to do and subsequently “giving” their work away just for a byline, it seems that there are also very few newspaper picture editors, therefore perhaps people who do not understand the content of a photograph or the significance……I know it’s a very dim view but it’s what I honestly believe!

+1 As an Englishman living in Italy, how and who will you and your family support during the Euro 2012?

I will obviously support England, there will be no fighting in my household, EVERYONE will be England fans until the country’s participation continues, they may support Italy buy only until the two countries meet at which time they will once again become full time England fans….anyone not wanting to abide may leave the house until the tournament is finished!!!!

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