Where to get press credentials for doing freelance work?

How can you get press credentials working as a freelancer?  Can you suggest which company I could apply to get?

There have been some events here that had I had press credentials, I might have been able to get some great shots, that I could have sent out to various media outlets.  

Just not sure where to start on this one.  

Thank you

A press credential would be provided by the media to which you wish to sell your work.  Go call on local media to see if any of them need or want a photographic stringer.

In my experience in my area, you have to have a purpose or reason to be there taking photos (other than what you can do otherwise as a member of the general public attending an event). In recent years there seem to be more people with cameras wanting credentials and wanting access, so many venues and teams have gotten more strict about it.

Getting on with a media outlet as a stringer meaning freelance that's contracted to cover an event seems like an option, but they already may have freelancers they use. You'd have to look up local media and find out who to contact (probably on their websites). Or an organization holding an annual event may be looking for a photographer (or already may have one).

You won't just send out photos to media outlets; you don't provide photos first then expect payment later. You need to learn/know how to draw up contracts and license usage of your photos if you want to work freelance. Usage should be for a specific timeframe and specific purpose.

Usually for editorial use by media outlets releases aren't needed but may be requested from a photographer they haven't worked with before. You'll need to be prepared to get releases if needed. They also may want names of people in the photos; reporters may be the ones who as part of writing an article may get that info., but again, you need to be prepared to do that if it's needed/requested.

Where to start is asmp.org which is a pro photographers organization that is in part for media photographers. There's also PPA but they seem to be more for portrait/wedding photographers. Or try NPPA, the National Press Photographers Association. There's a lot to learn to be able to do this.

Wordy but correct....