AI Press / IFPO / Today's Photographer Magazine

[J.T.]

Anyone a member of IFPO and have any advice, good or bad about them? From what I can tell, they seem like a legitimate company and business tailored to freelance photographers and the like. They offer for members a Universal Press Pass credentialing package where you pay anywhere from $200 to $70 for an apparent press kit that allows you to work under them as a freelance photographer. You then need to individually contact PR people for specific events for entry or you can use their press pass for freelance / fire / police events for entry. I am a member of them, and basically just receive a magazine 4x a year but was conidering their press package for my freelance news work. With all the identity theft nowadays, I was wondering how secure and legitimate they are since you can fill out all your personal info online and submit a mug shot of yourself for the press pass. Anyone have any thoughts about them, thanks.

[J.T.]

Anyone a member of IFPO and have any advice, good or bad about them? From what I can tell, they seem like a legitimate company and business tailored to freelance photographers and the like. They offer for members a Universal Press Pass credentialing package where you pay anywhere from $200 to $70 for an apparent press kit that allows you to work under them as a freelance photographer. You then need to individually contact PR people for specific events for entry or you can use their press pass for freelance / fire / police events for entry. I am a member of them, and basically just receive a magazine 4x a year but was conidering their press package for my freelance news work. With all the identity theft nowadays, I was wondering how secure and legitimate they are since you can fill out all your personal info online and submit a mug shot of yourself for the press pass. Anyone have any thoughts about them, thanks.

Recently moved this from a different thread, maybe this forum is a better place for this question.

[f00sion]

I have come across their site in the past and would also be interested in knowing if the press pass is worth anything.

[dogwood]

"Press passes" don't get you into anything on their own. You'll need to be a working member of the media and contact the PR folks in advance. You'll need to actually work at a media outlet that they've heard about in most cases.

I'm talking things like big name concerts, presidential candidates speaking-- that kind of thing-- if you hope to get on the press podium or special access.

BTW: I'm a working media (t.v., radio, and now the web) professional with 13 years on the job experience. My press or media credentials get me into nothing. It's the phone calls before hand and the contacts and media outlet I work for that gets me in to events. Honestly, once you get clearance to a big event, they issue their own creditials and don't even look at yours. For something like a presidential visit, your state issued DL (and prior SS clearance) is more important than any press pass.

[bham]

After looking at their website and magazine they seemed more focused on selling anything to you, instruction videos, business cards, etc.

Like dogwood said IFPO's pass won't get you in places, but I am not sure if you called the media contact for a event if being a IFPO member would or wouldn't get you credentialed for the event. That is the more important question.

[J.T.]

Good information to know, thanks for your input!