A Guide to a Great Media Photo Day with Team + Individuals

Three Weeks Before Sports Photo Day:

1. Team List: Provide a list of the teams to be photographed, including an approximate headcount (exact numbers are not required) and any team sport groups that need to be split into several groups. For example, instead of just “Basketball,” specify “Basketball Varsity,” “Basketball JV,” “Basketball Team A,” etc. Each of these teams will be photographed separately.

2. Timeline: Complete a timeline for the day. We can assist with this if needed. On average, we schedule 1 minute per player plus 5 minutes per team. If there will be multiple locations, please allow an additional 20-25 minutes for travel and setup at each different location.

3. Photo Style: Decide if you would like Traditional or Creative Team Photos. Creative Team Photos take extra time but are more dynamic and powerful, often used more frequently by the organization's marketing team.

4. Parent Volunteers: Request 2-3 parent volunteers to help on Team & Individual Photo Day. Volunteers will receive complimentary photos of their child.
   
   

Two Weeks Before Sports Photo Day

1. Rosters and Emails: Provide rosters along with parents' email addresses (multiple emails when possible).
   • Please submit in Excel format.
   • [Click here to submit rosters]

One Week Before Sports Photo Day

1. Reservation Confirmation: Ensure that the area allocated for photography is reserved exclusively for us and will not disrupt coaches or other groups that usually use the space. The setup takes 90 minutes before we can start with the first team. Please inform us if we need to vacate the area by a specific time.

2. Rosters and Emails: Rosters and parent email addresses must be submitted by this point. If any data is missing, Photo Day may need to be rescheduled.

3. Uniforms: Distribute uniforms to all team members by this time whenever possible.

4. Reminder to Coaches: Remind coaches about Sports Photo Day scheduled for next week, including the approved schedule and details.

On the Day of Sports Media Day

1. Point of Contact: Assign a wrangler or point person who can assist us with any questions or needs throughout the day.

2. Schedule Communication: Ensure that coaches, designated individuals, or volunteers know the schedule for each team’s arrival and photography session. On average, we schedule 1 minute per player and 5 minutes per team (plus time for travel to different locations).

3. Photography Area: Confirm that the photography area is reserved and prepared for us (tables moved, floor swept, nets put up, etc.). Ensure we are not a burden to coaches or other groups. Setup time is 90 minutes before we are ready for the first team.

4. Maintain Quiet: Ask coaches, designated individuals, or volunteers to help keep the area quiet and respectful. Distractions slow down the process and make it difficult for students to hear instructions.

5. Order of Photos: To ensure efficiency, we will photograph individuals first, followed by group photos. This sequence helps the day progress more smoothly.

6. Lineup by Height: Coaches, designated individuals, or volunteers should help line up the teams by height, from tallest to shortest, before we start photographing each team.

7. Uniform Check: When lining up, ensure that uniforms meet school requirements (shirts tucked in, socks up or down, correct color uniform).

8. Equipment: Have multiple items of gear (in good condition) available for the photographers, such as balls, helmets, pom-poms, etc.

Helpful Tips

1. Extra Uniforms: Keep at least one extra uniform on hand for students who may have misplaced theirs.

2. Separate Waiting Area: If possible, have the teams wait in a separate location from the photography area until called.

3. Handling Late Players:

   • If a player is late, see if the next scheduled team can swap places without delaying the timeline.
   • If a swap is not possible, we will proceed without the late player, as most schools have authorized us to do so.

4. Advance Assistance: Let us know if there is anything we can do in advance to help. We are happy to contact coaches or chat with volunteers beforehand if needed.

We look forward to an amazing Media Day!

Coach Notes – During Photo Day

1. Athletic Equipment: Have athletic equipment used in your sport available as props. For example, 5-6 volleyballs in great condition.

2. Team Lineup: Line up your team(s) by height, from tallest to shortest.

3. Player Count: Help us count the number of players on the team (including managers) before we start individual photos.

4. Uniform Check: Triple-check that uniforms are correct (shirts tucked in, correct color, tennis shoes on).