Three simple ways parents can help make team picture day a success

This might either make you laugh or cringe. But here we go because it's one of my all-time favorite team picture day memories.

Imagine a summer evening at a baseball field. Kids start showing up in their newly cleaned uniforms, the pants so white we all needed sunglasses, and their young faces freshly scrubbed.

Proud parents start lining up nearby, ready for an amazing photo session.

Once everyone arrived, I gathered the players together, and I asked them a question.

Let's talk today about what parents can do to help make team picture day a success.

"Do you prefer your uniform clean or dirty?" I said.

They looked at me confused because I don't think any of them expected a team photographer to ask that question.

"Seriously," I said. "Are you the kind of player who believes that unless they get dirt or grass stains on their uniform, they haven't played hard enough. Also, I know some of you wear eye black when you play, but I don't see anyone wearing it right now."

They all stood silently.

"We have a few minutes before we get started," I said. "Go slide into home. Go put on your eye black. This is baseball, not your school pictures."

You shoulda seen them take off for the infield. In the end, it turned out to be one of the best team picture days I ever hosted.

Today, let's look at a few things parents can do to help make team picture day a success.

Give 'em the space they need

I'm gonna take a risk and start off with what might be the hardest suggestion to take.

But in all the years I've been hosting team picture days, this one is critical:

Give the players (and, cough, the photographer) the space they need to work.

Young players want to feel independent. But that's hard to do when parents are hovering close by during team picture day.

Do you remember what it was like to be a kid of a certain age, when you wanted to feel just a little more independent, just a little bit more trusted by your parents?

When you started to feel just a little self-conscious?

I can confidently say that when non-coach parents keep their distance during team picture day, the players feel free to be more like themselves and less - shall we say - uptight.

And when they can feel like themselves, when they feel like you trust them, the portraits come out phenomenally.

I know (because I'm a parent too) how tempting it can be to stay close, to make sure their hair is perfect, their uniform is tucked in, that they smile and so on.

As best as you can, let the photographer and the players work together and you'll see the results.

Make team picture day an event

I had a team haul a massive pizza dinner to their team picture day, setting up tables and opening pizza boxes as the players had their portraits taken.

I've also had one team whose parents tailgated the event. Lawn chairs, coolers full of sodas (yes, sodas), music, the whole spiel.

Each time, not only did the parents enjoy themselves, but their young players felt hyped for team pictures too.

The lesson I took away is that teams who make picture day an event create a team bonding experience for everyone, players and parents alike.

Turn team picture day into a memorable event.

Look, as parents, we're going to spend money and time on team picture day. Why not, then, make it more than just a routine, tedious thing we do every season?

Why not make it a significant event that will elevate the value of the time and resources we all spend in creating team picture day?

Let 'em get dirty

Last suggestion. This one can be a hard one too.

The story at the beginning of the post, however, illustrates why it's so important.

Let the players be themselves, even if that means dirt on their uniforms, eye black on their faces, non-smiles, hats backwards, and so on.

Every young player is unique. Let their personalities shine during team picture day.

I know many of you are looking for that nice, clean look so you can share these portraits with loved ones like grandparents.

What I can tell you, though, is the most exciting, valued, eye-catching portraits of youth athletes are the ones that reflect authenticity.

They are the portraits who respect who your son or daughter is as a player, as a person, as a kid.

As a parent who loves my kids deeply, I want a photographer who can capture my child's personality, whether they are an extrovert or a serious competitor or the team jokester.

That's what I strive to do each and every team picture day.

Our young players are used to indifferent photographers (strangers really), who care more about getting someone to buy their pictures instead of connecting with the young person in front of their camera.

But when as a photographer you take the time to care about who a player is, what makes them unique, the portraits are infinitely better.

Those are three suggestions for parents to help make team picture day a success. Can you think of any others? If you feel inspired, share your ideas in the comments.

And if you're ready to elevate your team picture day experience to an elite level, start here.

Dave Pidgeon is the owner of and chief image maker at Creative Sports Photography, an elite portrait service for athletes and teams. He's based in Lancaster, Pa., and available anywhere. You can contact him at dave@creativesportsphotography.com.