A successful custom portrait session doesn’t happen by accident. Whether you’re planning a family photography session, having your engagement photos taken, or having a custom sports portrait created, being properly prepared is the best thing that you can do to make sure you get the most out of your session. Getting ready for sports photos involves a few different steps than other types of sessions. Check out these three main guidelines for guaranteeing spectacular images from your session.
Prepare Your Gear
For sports portrait sessions, you’ll want to bring anything that you think you might use when you’re competing. This includes your uniform, pads, helmet, ball, stick, racquet, ball, and try to remember to bring a ball. Right? Because of the high-contrast lighting used for sports portraits, wrinkles will show up especially well in clothing. Give your uniform a quick iron, or at the very least toss it in the dryer for a little while to keep it looking its best. If you play on different teams (e.g. a city and school team), I would encourage you to bring uniforms for both.
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Making sure your uniform is wrinkle-free will keep your photos looking clean and professional.
Warm Up
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It’s especially important for dancers and gymnasts to warm up before a session.
Action photos are one thing that differentiates sports portrait sessions from other types of photography. I recommend doing a little warm-up prior to the session, especially if your sport involves movements that demand a lot of flexibility. Of course, if you end up sweating a lot, your images will look all the more realistic.
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A good game face will make or break a compelling sports portrait.
Get Your Game Face On
Most athletes don’t smile while they’re competing (exceptions include skaters and dancers). You might wish to take a few photos with a bit of a smile, but for the most part we’re looking to capture how you actually look when competing. Staying up all night practicing your “game face” in front of a mirror is one way to do this.
I love sports portrait sessions, since they represent something that my clients are truly passionate about. We may not be heavily involved in a particular sport for our entire lives, and these portraits are a great way to create a custom keepsake to always remember this time.
Sports portrait sessions currently start at $150. Check out more information here.
