Team photographs around warm-ups and match preparation

Teams look their best when they are together, in kit, with a clear moment to spare. In a tournament, that moment is usually before the first match. It is also when the squad is focused on getting ready, so a photograph has to be agreed, quick and respectful of that focus.

This page sits within our guide to team and court-sport tournament photography. It looks at team photographs around warm-ups and match preparation.

Why is before the match the usual time?

Before play, the squad is gathered, kit is clean and players are fresh. After play, players may be tired, injured or leaving for the next fixture, and some teams have no reason to stay.

Even so, preparation time belongs to the team. Managers and coaches have their own routine and may not want an interruption. A plan that takes only what the manager can give works better than one that asks for more.

How do you agree a slot with the manager?

Ask early. Contact each manager before the event, with the match times, and ask how long they can spare and when. Some managers prefer a few minutes at arrival, others at the end of warm-up.

Write the agreed slot into the schedule. Where possible, put it before warm-up begins, so the squad is not interrupted midway. Our guide to timing group photographs around the event flow explains the general principle.

Where should the photograph be taken?

Choose a place close to where the team already is, so no one has to walk far. A clear, well-lit area with a plain background works best. Check whether the organiser allows photographers near the warm-up area.

If the area is restricted, ask the organiser for an alternative space. Our page on team-preparation photographs outside changing rooms covers related questions about preparation spaces.

What if players are absent or late?

Some players arrive late, and others leave early. Decide before the day how to handle this.

1. List the players and staff who must appear.
2. Agree whether the manager will wait for latecomers.
3. Agree that the photograph is taken without anyone absent, if needed.
4. Agree whether an absent player can be added in a separate image.

The match schedule always comes first. A photograph should never delay a start.

A hypothetical example

For example, imagine a youth football tournament with eight teams, each playing its first match between 9am and 11am. The club commissioning coverage wants a squad photograph for each of its three teams.

The photographer contacts the three managers beforehand and agrees five-minute slots, thirty minutes before each team's first match, in a plain area beside the warm-up space. Each manager gives a list of players and staff. One player arrives late, and the manager decides to take the photograph without him and to add him afterwards if there is time.

How should players and families be considered?

Players should know that a photograph is being taken. For children, parents or guardians may need to agree to the use of the image. Our guide to children's event photographs lists the questions authorised adults must resolve.

Some players may not want to be photographed. Give them a quiet way to say so, and respect it.

What should you tell the photographer?

• The team lists and the match times.
• The managers' contacts and the agreed slots.
• The location the organiser allows.
• Players and staff who must appear.
• Players who should not be photographed.
• Kit, banners or sponsor items to include.

Hours, crew and deliverables

Team photographs add short blocks to the schedule, and they need a photographer to be ready early. We confirm date, venue, crew and deliverables in writing and do not assume extras such as video, same-day selections or a second photographer. Ask what can be included for your dates. For choosing priority images, the priority photograph list builder can help.