Little League & photographer parents - need advice plz!

[Lane123]

I am shooting baseball team photos for a youth sports association. I have never had much of a problem in the past with this but this year, parent photographers seem to be out of control. When we have the whole team of 9 to 14 kiddos set up and ready to take the picture, I have 9 to 14 parents with their point & shoots (and some with DSLR's) all shooting at the same time... Trying to get the younger ones (starting at 3 years of age) to all look at you at the same time is hard enough without them all thinking they need to look at mom/dad and say cheese. I started asking if they would hold off on taking their photos until I was finished...some ignored me and some stopped but were not happy about it. I would then give them a chance to get a shot. I drew the line after about the 3rd team when I actually had a mom with her point & shoot start handing out her homemade business cards & telling other parents that she would make copies for them. At that point, as soon as I got the shot, I started saying "ok guys, you're all done!" This really angered some parents though. I just feel that if we are the ones working out in 97 degree temps to pose these teams and get a professional team portrait, that if the parents want one, they need to purchase one or pose the kiddos on their own time. Anyone have any advise on how you would deal with this?

[Tom]

Schedule it at night and bring strobes. You can't fake lighting.

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Although I have no real advice, I feel your pain. I don't do it for a living but whenever my kids get team shots, I see it all the time and it does get obnoxious.

I don't know if you rope off an area where they can't get behind you or post a sign asking them not to distract the kids while you're working (although I doubt they'd get the hint).

Joe

[movingex]

I always politely ask them to wait until I'm finished and so far that's worked for me, even though sometimes I've had to ask two or three times. I also explain that the kids will be distracted and not look at meet when I take the pictures. In your case I would probably call in the coach and ask him/her to deal with the parents. Some people are just not going to respect what you're doing but I would just stop shooting until everyone put their cameras down.

[movingex]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

Schedule it at night and bring strobes. You can't fake lighting.

This is not an option in most cases, especially when it's an outdoor sport like soccer and the games are played during the day.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Welcome to the digital world.

[XtremePhoto]

Are you giving a Commission back to the Little League? If so, I would have them help handle the parents. Without your sales of product, they don't get a commission check, make them understand and they will be a bit more willing to help with the problem.

And I would do the roped off area and have a helper or two stand in front of the Group until ready to shoot and then shoot it, and send them off. Who cares if the parents are complaining...you won't get sales if they get the picture, this way you may get sales because you are the one with the shot.

I am glad I don't do this...I would have to get ugly with the parents. I don't interfere with their earning a living, so they shouldn't interfere with my efforts.

-G-