Where are my tennis players at???


Ya know, I really wish I had the guts to play tennis in high school. However, I didn't really feel like I fit in with the tennis crowd at my school, and it seemed like a sport for the mildly athletic kids. It did look fun though! But boy, was I wrong about the whole "mildly athletic" part! Back when my husband and I were dating, we bought a few rackets and balls on a whim, and started to play for fun on occasion. I WOULD BE EXHAUSTED WITHIN THE HOUR! Me, a former soccer player, cross country runner, and track and field athlete, would be exhausted from just hitting a ball back and forth. Maybe it was my husband's not-so-great aim, or the fact that the ball went over the fence every third hit, but regardless, I have lots of respect for tennis players now.


Hi, my name is Emma, and I am a senior and portrait photographer based on the West Coast! I LOVE all things creative and all things YOU. My clients look to me as someone who gets them out of their comfort zone by encouraging them to try new things or showcase their loves, so that their session is authentic to who they are. If you're a tennis player and that is one aspect of who you are in this season of life, let's capture it in a photo session! If you're a high school junior or senior, just imagine creating a unique session that showcases YOUR talents and hobbies!


To prove to you that I'm willing to make this happen, read over these cool posing ideas. And if you like them? Let's make a session happen by clicking the button at the bottom of this post!

"Sit with your back to the net."


When you pose the client or model, they can have their legs crisscrossed, one knee up and the other leg out, or even one foot under a knee. This creates triangles in the image, which adds diversity and framing to the shot. My client here also held her tennis racket, which was a good prop to be able to hold or set on the ground next to her (the options are endless).


When you do this pose, I recommend having your model or client look around, smile, lean into the net just a little, and have fun relaxing while sitting on the ground.


This prompt is super versatile, and it doesn't have to be a net (although this was a tennis shoot... so it makes sense). When you photograph this, you can put the net onto the Rule of Thirds, which makes the composition better and more aesthetically pleasing.


To change it up a bit: consider shooting THROUGH the net, with the client behind it!

"Lay down" ...and spread their gear around them.


This is a very editorial-style pose, and it's not for everyone! That's fine. As the photographer, I enjoy this pose because it creates depth in their body and creativity of posing and style, and it allows the final image and viewer to see everything that goes into their sport. I intentionally put them over the white line and right in front of the net to create some framing (do you see how both of their faces are in the same "box"?)


My one recommendation: make sure that the client or model is smiling at least a little bit, because otherwise they might not look alive. It is not my style to make a photo session look like a crime scene, and to be honest, if you try this style and hate it, no one will judge you for deleting the photos. Sometimes the results make me laugh, and then I delete them!!


"Get 3-5 tennis balls in each hand, then gently throw them upwards and towards me. Don't forget to smile!"


This prompt was the most fun for this session, and it made us laugh so hard! We did have to try SEVERAL TIMES to finally get the final images the way we wanted them.


Some variations of wording I had to use to adjust the alignment of the tennis balls:

  • Throw them a little more/less towards me.
  • Don't throw them so high! Just about 1-2 feet above your head.
  • Smileeeeee!!!
  • When you throw them, cross your hands over a little bit as if you are going to catch the balls with the opposite hand.

*Bring along a friend to also throw tennis balls towards them!


When I shot this, I wanted the balls to not be super blurry, so I increased my shutter speed. However, I should have also increased my aperture (f-stop) to account for the different focal lengths the balls would be at.

"Hold your racket up over your shoulders. Give a winning smile like you just won a match!"


I didn't use this wording exactly, and if I remember correctly, Heather might have even suggested this pose herself. But the photos turned out so great! This is an excellent prompt to show off their cool racket, or even to make them look more like a winner.


With this set specifically, I had pulled out my flash to create artificial light towards her face. This was a good choice, considering the sun had already gone below the horizon and the sunset was fading rather quickly. The flash brought out the neon colors of the racket, which I might not normally have noticed in the daylight.


Artificial flash was also a good choice for this shot because it almost seemed like a paparazzi photo. If I want my client to have a winning, almost famous look for a photo, I love bringing in flash (because it always seems like paparazzi use an absurd amount of flash photography techniques). I'm really happy with the outcome!

So, what do you think? This blog post was meant for my tennis players, but the concept of an AUTHENTICALLY YOU photo session can apply to any sport, hobby, or passion!