I don't think time is your enemy...name/experience/credentials will be the enemy. The big-name photographers/organizations want to have as much exclusivity as possible, to help drive viewers to their images, so you will have a hard time getting access without an affiliation with a media group.


Translated: it took me a long time to realize that "I want a picture of X" is not enough justification to allow me to take my camera everywhere. I may want a picture of <famous-person>, but <famous-person> is famous and wants to control the images shown to the public of their likeness.