When you spend years photographing athletes of every age, every sport and every personality type, you start to see things that most people miss.
Moments that seem small on the surface but reveal something powerful underneath. Reactions that explain how athletes think. Patterns that show what builds confidence, what destroys it and what makes a young competitor believe in themselves more than ever.
At GameFace GB, we have photographed well over one thousand athletes, probably more if we count the siblings who jump in for fun at the end of a session. And after every shoot, every training ground visit, every team event and every chaotic, energetic, unforgettable photo day, we walk away with another lesson. Something new. Something real. Something that helps us make the next athlete’s experience even better.
These are the biggest lessons we have learned from standing behind the lens and working with over one thousand athletes, from tiny beginners who cannot keep still to seasoned teens who already understand what it means to compete.
Lesson One: Confidence Is Not a Personality Trait, It Is a Moment
A confident athlete is not the loudest child. It is not the most talented. It is not the one who has won the most medals or the one with the sharpest game face.
Confidence appears in the moment an athlete feels seen. Truly seen. That moment when something clicks and they realise, “I look strong. I look capable. I look like me.”
We have watched shy athletes come alive the second you show them a pose they can nail. We have watched high level competitors soften when they realise the camera is not there to expose them but to celebrate them. We have watched nervous first timers straighten their back as soon as they understand what to do with their hands.
Confidence comes from clarity, not praise. If you give an athlete simple direction, clear expectations and space to express who they are, confidence grows naturally.
This lesson changed our entire approach.
Lesson Two: Kids Want to Feel Pro More Than They Want to Feel Perfect
Perfection is not exciting. Professional is exciting.
Young athletes want to feel like the athletes they watch on television. They want to look cool, strong, focused and capable. They want to feel like the main character in their own highlight reel.
We discovered this early on when we introduced our low angle shots. Suddenly athletes stood taller. Their stance changed. Their face changed. You could feel the energy shift.
They were not trying to be perfect. Perfection is stiff. Professional is powerful.
When you build a photography experience that makes an athlete feel like a pro, even for sixty seconds, they forget the camera and step into a version of themselves they are proud of.
That is where the magic happens.
Lesson Three: Every Athlete Has a Natural Pose, You Just Need to Unlock It
Some athletes look fierce right away. Some look lighthearted. Some naturally tilt toward a serious game face. Others come alive when you tell them to smile.
There is no one pose that works for everyone and forcing one is the fastest way to ruin the shot.
We learned that the best pose is the one that sits naturally within the athlete’s personality. Your job is not to create a character. Your job is to reveal the character that already exists.
The trick is to identify it quickly. That is why we use prompts, micro adjustments and simple cues that help athletes fall into the expression that feels most like them.
When the pose matches the person, you capture truth, not performance.
Lesson Four: The Smallest Athletes Bring the Biggest Energy
This one surprised us more than anything.
The smallest athletes, the under sevens, the ones who struggle to reach the camera height without a tiny block under their feet, often bring the most explosive energy to a shoot.
Their enthusiasm is unmatched. Their attention span is short, but their excitement is huge. They attack the experience with zero hesitation. They smile without overthinking it. They give you expressions that older athletes wish they still had access to.
Their joy is contagious. They remind us why sports photography matters and why capturing these moments early in an athlete’s journey is so important.
Lesson Five: Teen Athletes Want Respect First, Direction Second
Teen athletes are a different world entirely. They are clever. They can sense authenticity before you even speak. They know when someone is trying too hard. They know when they are being talked down to.
What they want most is respect. After that, they will give you everything.
We learned that you cannot approach them like children. You must speak to them like athletes. You must give them clear direction and honest feedback. You must explain things, not instruct blindly. You must treat them like the developing professionals they are becoming.
When you do, they rise to the moment. They deliver powerful expressions. They take ownership of their pose. They step into that pro athlete energy with ease.
Treat them right and they will deliver the best photos of the entire day.
Lesson Six: Parents Care About Safety More Than Anything Else
Before the pose, before the lighting, before the final image, parents want one thing. Safety.
They want to know their child’s photos are protected. They want to know their child’s identity is not being exposed. They want to know the images will not end up in a public gallery where anyone can download them. They want reassurance that their child’s experience is secure from start to finish.
This shaped our systems more than anything else. From encryption to private delivery to strict access controls, we built our platform for the parent first.
A great photo means nothing if it does not feel safe. Parents taught us that.
Lesson Seven: The Best Photos Are Often Taken in the First Ten Seconds
You might think athletes need time to warm up. That they need multiple attempts. That they slowly adjust into the moment.
Actually, many of the best shots happen right at the start.
The first ten seconds are full of real energy. Real curiosity. Real expressions. As soon as athletes get comfortable, they start thinking too much. The spontaneity fades. The excitement softens.
So we changed our workflow. We capture key shots immediately. Then we refine. Then we explore. Then we let athletes have fun with it.
Capturing the first spark is essential. It holds a truth that cannot be recreated.
Lesson Eight: Every Athlete Responds Better to Encouragement Than Critique
This one might seem obvious, but it took time to learn the difference between genuine encouragement and empty compliments.
Athletes do not want to be flattered. They want to feel capable. Encouragement is about highlighting what they did right and giving them direction that helps them improve. Encouragement builds momentum. Encouragement builds trust.
When an athlete feels supported, their expression softens, their posture improves and their confidence grows.
Praise without authenticity does not do that. Encouragement does.
Lesson Nine: The Fastest Way to Ruin a Photo Is to Rush the Athlete
Everything works better when the athlete feels like they have a moment to breathe.
We learned that rushing, even unintentionally, destroys the connection instantly. The athlete stops listening. They retreat. They freeze. Their expression shuts down.
Even in a fast paced session, you must create the illusion of time. Slow down your voice. Give them space to reset. Make them feel like this moment is important, not something you need to get through quickly.
When the athlete feels calm, everything else improves.
Lesson Ten: The Memory Lasts Longer Than the Image
After one thousand athletes, the greatest lesson is this.
Most kids do not remember the photo. They remember the moment.
They remember how they felt. They remember how they were spoken to. They remember if they felt proud or embarrassed. They remember if it was fun or stressful. They remember if the photographer saw them as a person, not a task.
Parents tell us months later, “They still talk about that day.” Coaches say, “The whole team was buzzing afterward.” Athletes come back and say, “I want to do that pose again.”
The image matters, of course, but the experience is what lasts.
That lesson guides everything we do.
The Final Whistle
Working with over one thousand athletes has taught us lessons that no book, no course and no online tutorial could ever teach. It taught us how kids think, how teens respond and how athletes of all ages want to be seen. It shaped our systems, our posing methods, our safety measures and our entire approach to photography.
Most importantly, it taught us that our job is not simply to take a photo. Our job is to create a moment that makes an athlete feel proud, confident and valued. The camera captures the image, but the experience captures the memory. That is what makes the GameFace GB style work and that is what keeps us improving with every athlete who steps in front of our lens.
