Cheerleaders impress and amaze me for many reasons; not the least of which is how they can get into a perfect photo “formation” in like, .2 seconds. Like, how do they know how to do that? If you’re like most of us, getting a great cheer team photo is essential on competition day. One thing I hear the most at cheer competitions is moms saying, ‘I pay all this money for cheer…at least give me a good picture!‘ Here are some tips on how to get the perfect team photo, every time.
LET ONE PERSON – AND ONE PERSON ONLY – TAKE THE PHOTO
Most cheer photos are ruined by one thing: having too many people with cameras in front of the group. The kids don’t know which camera to look at, so you end up having kids blinking and looking in all different directions. The key to getting the perfect team photo is to let one person take the picture and post it in your group chat. (the same goes for your routine videos, too!)
ALWAYS TRY TO TAKE THE PHOTO OPPOSITE OF A WINDOW
Cheer venues are not the most photo-friendly. Most times they have dim or harsh lighting and it’s hard to get a photo that doesn’t have shadows that make the athletes look like they have no eyes. The solution? Find a window. Have the team pose facing the window and you take the photo with your back to the window. You’ll get a great shot, every time! Note: only works during the day.
USE A FREE PHOTO EDITING APP
My favorite? Lightroom for iPhone. It has all kinds of editing tools, and you can even download “presets” (or filters) for free. It makes your photos look FRAME-worthy!
Here’s where I got my free Lightroom presets!
MAKE IT FUN
You’re more likely to get a great cheer team photo if you make it fun, especially for the littles. Let them do a silly version, ask flyers to “piggyback” on their bases’ backs, or even tell a fun joke to make everyone laugh!
SUGGEST A DIFFERENT FORMATION
After 10 years in this sport, I have about a million of the basic “levels” photos – you know, where the tall girls are in the back and the shorties are kneeling in the front? They all start to look the same. Instead, try asking the team to get in a different formation. Maybe the stunt groups can do something fun, or everyone can get in a group hug. One team I know always got in a “V” formation for their team pictures. It became their signature, and was super fun to see!
With these tips, you’re sure to get a perfect team photo that’s totally posting-worthy! Happy picture taking!
