Help looking for poses for softball team

[tlcmommyx4]

I was asked to take team, and individual shots of a girls 6th grade softball team tomorrow. I have never taken team pics before and I was wondering about individual poses for the girls? Is there anyone out here who can help me please!!!!!!

I just hate it when I can't say no, but she is a good friend and so I will give it my best shot! Oh and bye the way tomorrow night is there last game

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I shoot a lot of baseball and team photos. Last year one of my son's coaches asked me to get head shots as well, which was the first time I'd done that. They actually came out pretty good!

Fortunately the game ended in late afternoon/early evening so the lighting was great. But I used an external flash because there tends to be a lot of shadowing on faces from baseball caps. I would definitely use the flash. I filled the frame with the player from the head to a little below the name on the jerseys and that was perfect.

One thing I've found about coaches is they just want to get in and get out when it comes to pictures. Not a lot of time to futz around and a little bit of pressure to get the job done quickly, lol. I'd thought about having them hold bats, but coach just waved it off, so they just posed naturally and I think, in retrospect, that was better. Their personalities came out that way. (Some were shy, some were hams, some were serious, etc.)

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Thanks so much! I think that sounds like a great idea. I'm going to have to make some kind of order form. With this being their last game, I'm not sure if I should offer buttons or just a small package.

 

[handicap18]

Head shots with batting helmets are good. Upper body shots with a helmet on and holding a bat on their shoulder.

Holding the bat on shoulder with their game cap on. You can do this individually and as a small group. Put all the infielders together, then all the outfielders together then all the pitchers together (with and without the catcher). For the pitchers, have them stand side by side, glove on one hand and a ball in the other. With their hand holding the ball have them extend their arm out towards you. Maybe have them angle their arms so the ball are almost touching.

Try to look for some old baseball shots that were taken in the early to middle part of the last century. Those guys are great when it came to posing the players. It was a lot harder to get action shots back then, so most shots had to be posed.

Also try and get each player playing at their position during the game and also each one at bat, doesn't have to be an actual action shot, but an in game shot..

Here is a great shot of the Red Sox 2011 Yearbook cover. Great pose with 4 players.
http://www.yawkeywaystore.com/Products/2011-Yearbook__N0537.aspx

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Thank you so much. I think I some really good shots last night!

 

[handicap18]

Thank you so much. I think I some really good shots last night!

Well... post away!!

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Ok so lets do a little review, Wednesday night about 7:30pm I get a call from a friend and she asked if I could take her daughters softball pictures. I tell her I have never done this, but I will try. She said great we need to do them tomorrow night, because its our last game OMG the first thing I do is come here to get some help! I have no order form, or any idea what the heck I was doing, but I made her come about 15 minutes before the rest and these are some of the shots I got! They did get better as the night went on, but I can't show the other girls, because I don't have permission from their parents. The parents were very grateful and I had a wonderful time and the girls were great.

So tell me what you think.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

 

[handicap18]

Excellent job!!!!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[mom2rtk]

Great job Michelle! I love the pose laying on the ground next to the helmet. It's not a traditional "baseball" pose used for softball!