Sports Photography FTP Workflow: The Complete Guide for Mac

Professional sports photographers are expected to deliver edited images within minutes of the action. The workflow from camera to agency has been optimised over decades, and the last step (getting the file off your Mac and onto the server) is often the one that still requires manual intervention.

This guide covers both sides of that workflow. FTPush automates the delivery side: it watches a local folder on your Mac and uploads every new file to your FTP or SFTP server the instant it appears, regardless of which editing software you use. FTPull covers the other end: it watches the server and downloads every new file automatically to the newsroom or remote editor's Mac. Together they form FTPSuite: the complete pipeline from pitchside to publication.

The core concept: the watched folder

FTPush monitors a folder on your Mac using macOS file system events (FSEvents). The moment any file lands in that folder: exported from Lightroom, saved from Photoshop, output by Capture One or moved there manually: FTPush detects it and starts the upload. No button press, no context switch, no manual FTP client to deal with.

The watched folder is the integration point between your editing tool and the delivery pipeline. Once it is set up, the concept is the same for every application and every event.

Works with every editing tool

FTPush does not integrate directly with any specific software. It watches the file system. This means it works with every tool that writes files to a folder:

Setting up FTPush

The setup takes about 5 minutes and needs to be done only once per server connection:

1. Download FTPush from ftpsuite.com/push/. 14-day free trial included.
2. Create a delivery folder on your Mac. Example: ~/Pictures/Delivery/.
3. Open FTPush Settings, Connections and add a new connection.
4. Enter your server credentials: protocol (SFTP recommended), host, port, username, password.
5. Set the local watched folder to your delivery folder.
6. Set the remote folder to the destination path on your server.
7. Test: drop a file into the watched folder. Confirm it appears on the server.
8. Enable the connection. FTPush now runs silently in the background.

In your editing software, change the export or save destination to the same delivery folder. From that point, export equals deliver.

FTP, SFTP or FTPS: which to use

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol, port 22) is the right choice for almost all sports event scenarios. It is encrypted, robust on congested networks and required by most news agencies. If your server supports it, use SFTP.

FTPS (FTP over TLS, port 990 or 21) is the encrypted alternative used by some broadcast and media infrastructure. FTPush supports both implicit and explicit FTPS.

Plain FTP (port 21) transmits credentials in cleartext. Avoid it on public or shared networks (stadiums, media centres, hotels). Only use it on private, controlled networks where security is not a concern.

Sports covered: every major event and league

FTPush is used by photographers covering the full range of professional sport:

Football

Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Copa Libertadores, MLS, and the FIFA World Cup 2026. Football generates the highest delivery volumes: multiple selects per half, with priority shots delivered immediately after key moments.

Motorsport

Formula 1, MotoGP, WRC, IndyCar. Pit lane positions often have wired ethernet available. F1 photography workflow typically involves tethered capture going directly into the delivery pipeline.

Basketball

NBA, EuroLeague, FIBA. Fast-paced events with delivery expected during timeouts and between quarters. Court-side positions typically have strong venue WiFi.

Tennis

ATP Tour, WTA Tour, Grand Slams (Wimbledon, Roland Garros, US Open, Australian Open), Davis Cup. Centre court photography positions often have wired network access. Delivery typically happens at set breaks and end of match.

Rugby

Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, Super Rugby, Top 14. Similar workflow to football, with delivery at half-time and full-time.

Athletics and Olympics

Multi-venue events. Each venue requires its own FTPush connection. The Personal plan (2 Macs) or Team plan (5 Macs) allows multiple positions to be covered simultaneously.

Cycling

Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España. Roadside positions rely on 4G/5G for delivery. FTPush handles mobile network instability with automatic retries.

Delivering to multiple destinations

FTPush supports multiple simultaneous connections. You can deliver to your main agency and a personal backup at the same time, with a single export triggering both uploads. Each connection has independent settings, folder paths and file filters.

The other end: receiving photos with FTPull

While the photographer handles delivery with FTPush, someone at the other end needs to receive the files. That is FTPull's job.

FTPull runs as a Mac menu bar app at the newsroom, agency or remote editing desk. It watches an FTP or SFTP server continuously and downloads every new file automatically to a local folder the moment it arrives: no manual checking, no polling, no missed deliveries. The editor sees the files appear in their folder in real time, ready to caption, select and publish.

FTPull setup mirrors FTPush: create a connection with your server credentials, set the remote folder to watch and the local folder to receive into, and enable it. From that point, delivery and receipt are fully automatic on both ends.

The FTPSuite bundle includes both apps: the complete solution for the full delivery chain. See the detailed guide: Remote editing workflow with FTPull →

World Cup 2026: the biggest sports photography event of the decade

The FIFA World Cup 2026 takes place across 16 stadiums in the USA, Mexico and Canada, with 104 matches between June 11 and July 19. For accredited photographers, the delivery challenge is unprecedented in scale. See the dedicated guide: The Pitchside Photographer's World Cup Delivery Workflow.