Home Run Youth Sports Portraits: Secrets of a Minnesota Photography Company
While some may think that taking youth sports photography is a simple task, there is much more to it than taking a picture. Not only are there photography-related skills to learn, but there are soft skills to master in order to make the young athletes feel comfortable with the photo shoot.
Then there’s the added challenge of how to showcase your work online in a way that represents your skills and potential while protecting the innocence and privacy of children and their families.
At Sports Star Photography, we understand the challenges of youth sports photography. If you’re an up-and-coming youth sports photographer, there are many techniques to learn in order to have the most successful photo shoot.
Once you’ve captured your images, there are also best practices to keep in mind for showcasing youth sports photography online.
Allow us to pass our experience on to those who are looking to break into the industry!
Start With the Right Photography Equipment
Having the right equipment is essential for a successful photo shoot. There are plenty of cameras to choose from to suit your needs and preferences, but you need more than a camera to pull off a youth sports photography session.
Other essential equipment includes:
Using the right equipment and having everything on hand during a photography session will make your life much easier and the session go much smoother.
Build Rapport & Capture Authentic Moments
The best way to start a photography session with a young athlete is to get to know them. Ask them about their hobbies and interests, and while they’re talking, pay attention to their body language and facial expressions. These cues can help you when posing your subject.
Authentic moments can be captured by keeping communication open between yourself and the student-athlete and always being respectful.
When posing, make sure the athlete is comfortable with the pose and that it’s not too awkward. Try not to over-pose them, and allow them to settle into a comfortable position, after which you can make minor adjustments to compose the perfect picture.
Bring Out the Athlete’s Personality
A student-athlete is passionate about their sport. As the photographer, you can use that passion to help bring out the athlete’s personality in the photos.
Use props or other sporting equipment and allow the subject to pose in a natural way, such as posing to hit a baseball or taking a shot with a basketball. Once you do this a few times, the subject should become more comfortable. That will help bring out their personality.
You can also trade jokes or stories to capture natural smiles. Let them talk about their favorite things, which will help them relax and smile.
Respect Boundaries
Respecting boundaries during photo shoots is important for the student-athlete, the parents, and yourself. It’s always essential to obtain consent from the athlete’s parents or guardians, as well as consent from the athlete themselves, before beginning a photoshoot.
You should also respect their privacy, particularly if you wish to use any photos for marketing purposes. Obtain permission before putting out photos.
Master Movement
Mastering movement is critical for a good sports photo session, particularly if you’re photographing dancers. If you’re taking stationary photos, have the athlete choose poses that they feel comfortable remaining in for a longer period of time. You can always make small adjustments to ensure the photo composition is perfect.
To capture leaps and jumps, you need to become intimately familiar with your camera’s settings. For crisp images of movement, you should set your camera’s shutter speed to 1/500s.
If you’re photographing outside on a sunny day, you can adjust it to 1/2000s, which can freeze any human movement. You may have to practice a few times to catch the leap or jump at the very top.
Use lighting and flash to your advantage as well. Using different flash durations can change the look of a photograph and capture different movements.
If you need additional lighting, you can use a beauty dish, a grid, or a strip with a grid.
Showcase Your Photography Online
As we mentioned previously, if you plan on showcasing your photos online, ask for permission from the parents and athletes first. It’s a good idea to keep names out of the marketing materials as well or change the names to protect their privacy.
If you’re uploading photos for parents to view online, make sure the galleries are all password-protected.
For example, at Sports Star Photography, we ensure each player’s gallery is password protected. Parents can only see their players' photos and group photos.
Parents also never have to dig through a bunch of random other photos to try and search for their player!
Contact Sports Star Photography for Youth Sports in Minneapolis
With decades of photography experience, Sports Star Photography is dedicated to creating a fun photography experience for youth athletes and their parents. We are family-owned and locally operated in Minneapolis and service the Metro area.
Whether you are a coach, instructor, or school administrator, we’d love to chat with you about your sports photography needs. Give us a call at 612-824-3509 or send us a message online.