Squash-event photography through restricted viewing areas

Squash is played in a closed court, with walls on several sides. Spectators watch from a gallery, a window or a glass back wall, depending on the venue. For a photographer, the shape of the building decides most of what is possible.

This page sits within our guide to team and court-sport tournament photography. It deals with squash events and the honest planning of what can be photographed.

What do the viewing areas actually show?

Venues differ a great deal. Some courts have a glass back wall and a gallery behind it. Others have a side window, an upper viewing area or very limited seating. A view that suits spectators may not suit a camera.

Ask the venue for a plan of the courts and the viewing areas, and for photographs from the spots where a photographer could stand. If you can visit, do. Our venue photography checklist lists the questions to ask.

How do glass and walls change the images?

Glass walls create reflections of lights, people and signage. Angles can be steep or restricted, and walls can block part of the court. Distance and the height of the viewing area also matter.

We cannot know what a view will produce until we understand the venue, so we ask for details before promising results. Our guide to photography around mirrors, glass and reflective displays explains what reflections do to images. If the view is limited, we say so at the planning stage.

Who decides the access?

The organiser and the venue decide. They set who may use viewing areas, whether the court can be entered and what is allowed during play. Rules differ between venues and can change.

Do not assume that rules at another venue apply. Ask for the current rules in writing for your dates, and share them with us. We follow the written instruction and do not infer permission. If something changes on the day, the venue contact decides, and we update the plan.

A hypothetical example

For example, imagine a club squash tournament over a weekend at a venue with four courts, each with a glass back wall and a small gallery. The organiser permits photographers in the galleries but not on the court floor.

The plan lists priority matches, such as the club's players and the finals, and notes which courts have the clearest view. The brief states that some images will be taken through glass and may show reflections. Presentations and team photographs are planned in the open area outside the courts, where space allows.

What is possible outside the court?

Squash events offer moments beyond the match: players warming up, coaches talking, spectators gathering and trophies being presented. These often happen in areas where access is simpler.

If match images are limited, a plan can lean on those moments, with the commissioning team's agreement. Our page on team-preparation photographs outside changing rooms covers related questions about preparation spaces.

How should crowds and space be managed?

Gallery spaces are often small, and spectators fill them quickly. A photographer's position can be lost to a crowd. Agree with the venue how a position will be kept, if at all. Our guide to crowded venues and obstructed sightlines explains the problem.

Check whether the venue is also used by members during the event, and what that means for access.

What should you tell the photographer?

• The venue, with a plan of courts and viewing areas.
• Current access rules, in writing.
• The schedule, priority matches and players.
• Any rules on noise, movement and equipment.
• Who commissions the work and who receives the images.
• Presentation and team photograph plans.

Hours, crew and deliverables

Coverage hours follow the schedule. A venue with several courts and limited viewing may need a plan that accepts gaps. We confirm date, venue, crew and deliverables in writing and do not assume extras such as video, same-day selections or a second photographer. Ask what can be included for your dates, and use the venue-access change and recheck tracker to record changes.