4 yr team pics (newbie)

Since I am the only soccer parent on the team who takes pics @ the games I have been elected to take the teem pictures. One with 6 four year old kids w/ coach and individual pics of each player. I'm searching for help on what settings I should use. I'm real concerned about the 6 oclock sun and how I should position the players. My thoughts were to have them to face the sun and use fill flash. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Don't have them face the sun! Grown adults can't help but squint so kids would be 100000x worse. Personally, when doing portraits I shoot almost into the sun, or it's to the side. The 580EX is a great flash and can compensate the sun (done it thousands of times). For individual shots last year for 5/6 year olds and up I use AV mode and set it to 2.5 - 2.8 - 3.2 (3 shots) using all focus points instead of center point. In bright light, up the flash - at most it's been 2 2/3 I believe. ISO 100 or 200 at most for portraits. The low f/stop isolates the kids and you wouldn't believe how many comments I get from parents like "how did you make little timmy stick out like that, I cant figure it out on my camera?"

Also, have examples ready to show the kids and how they want to pose. I have one standing holding the ball to the side, with there other hand on there hip. One kneeling behind the ball, one handon there hip, the other on the ball or across there knee. One laying on the ground with the ball in front of them, one hand on the ball, the other leaning on a bit, one with one foot on the ball with both hands on there hip (harder to do with younger kids though as there balance isnt there). There's others out there but those are the ones I show them on clipboard and they choose which one they like.

Team pitcure, the coaches will be a lot taller - you can have them kneel down on both ends of the standing row, or just shoot it as is and the coaches will just be "bigger" than them all. I had some coaches that didnt want to get down, they just stood there looking like someone kicked there puppy.

Hope that helps a little, just my setup but written very fast so hope it all makes sense.

thanks, i appreciate the info very much...............

I was very worried about the squinting but another photographer advised me to have them face the sun. I tried one w/ my daughter yesterday at the same time I would be taking these pics and I couldn't even get her to look at me. Thanks for your help again.

or better yet, if you can find some shade to shoot the kids in, you will help yourself a lot. You can still use the flash as a fill light. But if shade isn't available, Mike's advice is great. Also, try to get the camera down low - eye level with the kids. It makes the shot a lot more personal.

in all honesty, I hate shooting in the shade! That's 99.9% because I'm no good at it, for some strange reason I work better in the sun while most others work better in the shade (or so they tell me because any time I'm doing it in the bright light they're pulling guys into the shade). I guess all my teachers were right, I'm just not normal. ha

For lighting... shade first choice.... if not, then put the sun on their side, and ideally just behind their shoulder so that it doesn't burn out their side. When I do them, I bring EZUp tents to create my own shade. On a nice bright day with shade over the player and fill flash you get a great pop that almost looks 3D.

The poses suggested are great. The kids are very young so its going to be tricky to get them to pose for you. One thing you HAVE to do is get on your knees so that your camera is at about neck level with them. You don't want to be shooting down unless there is something behind that you are trying to hide... it makes them look tiny.

For teams, if you have 6 players, I hate 6... its tough to work with. The plain 2 rows of 3 never looks great. I would maybe try 4 on the front kneeling, 2 in the back standing (the tallest two), and then have the two coaches kneel in the gaps behind. I just hate even rows.

Here is some personal experience that may or may not be helpful. Kids are different and most 4 year-olds are tough to pose (at least for any length of time).

As soon as you have them like you think you want them or remotely close (either in the group or individuals) fire away immediately (). It can be very tough to repose or regroup them, especially multiple times.

I can laugh now, but vividly remember times (and still do) photographing small groups of very young children. For some saying "cheese and staring at the camera" meant looking up at the sky or turning around. If all your tricks fail, resort to the stern fatherly approach. I'm sure the coach can pose them.

Probably won't be an issue , but make sure you're shutter speed is sufficient. Kids that young move, twitch etc. even when it looks like they are not moving.

Have fun most of all.

I have also read this tip on another thread. To help limit the number of kids blinking or eyes closed on the shots, tell everyone to close their eyes and then on the count of 3 or whatever, open them. On that same count, take your picture.

Karman