# Swim team photos



## film2shoot (Mar 27, 2008)

I have been asked to take the swim team photographs for our local swim team. I have packages already made up but my question is should I charge the swim team officers for taking the photos. And do I give a percentage back to the swim team. The photographs would be like head and shoulders or full lenght like baseball or football photographs. Any Idea's or help would be great.


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## keith204 (Mar 27, 2008)

It's usually a good idea to make _somebody _exceptionally happy.  Either the decisionmakers, or the team.  I've given a few 8x10's to the decisionmakers (coaches) for free, but your idea of giving a percentage back to the team isn't bad.


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## Big Mike (Mar 27, 2008)

Welcome to the forum.

Are you running a business or are you just someone with a camera?

Typically, with sports/team photos...you shoot group and individual shots then sell prints to whoever wants to buy them (usually the players/members and/or their parents).  

I suppose you could either give or sell photos to the 'team'...but that's up to you.


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## keith204 (Mar 27, 2008)

Also, if you do give anything away, don't tell them you're doing it...if you do, they will just order less!


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## film2shoot (Mar 27, 2008)

Thanks for the info, it is a business of mine. 
Would anyone happen to have some swim team examples of posing for that type of shoots.

Thanks


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## amazon0313 (Mar 27, 2008)

film2shoot said:


> Thanks for the info, it is a business of mine.
> Would anyone happen to have some swim team examples of posing for that type of shoots.
> 
> Thanks


 
I swam competitively for 10 years (I swear the chlorine smell is finally going away.)  

We have had photographers take our photos in the usual team set up (rows arranged by height).  But those are boring.  

My favourite team shot is all of us lounging around on the blocks, the board and standing around.  We are all looking at the camera, and our banner is hanging in the background, but it feels so much less staged than all the others.  

But to be honest, the best swimming photos I have were taken by a guy who volunteered to take photos at high level meets.  I have some AWESOME butterfly breathing shots, and my absolute favourite is a backstroke start shot.  It's so cool to see your body performing like that.  He managed to catch me with just my finger tips and toes in the water (the rest was arching off the wall.) 

But then again, that's not what you're asking about.  Sorry I got off topic there.


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## chrisburke (Mar 27, 2008)

i also swam competitively for many years, my hair is now blonde (it was almost black when I started) I even swam in the summer games... our typical team shot was of every lined up along the side of the pool in our suits.  the photographer stands on one side of the pool and us on the other... so you can see some of the pool in the for front... and our banner was behind us.

then we would do individual shots, they were usually in our team track suits, and it was either full body or half body shots.

not my pictures but something like this:
http://z.about.com/d/queens/1/0/7/6/Tri-M-Girls-CYO-Swim-Team-2006.jpg

individual was like this, but with our team jacket
http://www.bolender.com/Ian/Ian Richardson Fall 2005 YMCA Swim Team Photo www.bolender.com.jpg


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## cartermom (Mar 1, 2011)

amazon0313 said:


> We have had photographers take our photos in the usual team set up (rows arranged by height). But those are boring.
> 
> My favourite team shot is all of us lounging around on the blocks, the board and standing around. We are all looking at the camera, and our banner is hanging in the background, but it feels so much less staged than all the others.


 
I am an amature photographer for my kid's team events. The one that got me started was a summer rec swim team (Go Aqua Knights!) I am always looking for a better photo and your description caught my attention. Would you happen to be able to post it? I did not yet check to see if someone already asked and will do that after posting, but if you haven't already, could you? I would love to try this with the rec team this year, I am just not happy with how previous years turned out. I want something with more umph!


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## memento (Mar 1, 2011)

three years later...


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