When I photographed this baseball team, my biggest goal was efficiency. These kids had practice to get to, and I wanted to capture their photos quickly without it turning into a long, drawn-out session. While a full lighting setup or backdrop might be the “traditional” way to approach sports portraits, that’s not usually my style—or honestly, my area of expertise. Instead, I focused on what I do best: photographing each athlete naturally and efficiently, then bringing the images to life through editing.

That’s where composites come in.

What Is a Composite Photo?

A composite photo is created when two or more images are combined into one. In sports photography, this often means taking a straightforward portrait of an athlete and blending it with a dynamic background or graphic design to create something bold, eye-catching, and unique.

With composites, I can take a simple, natural photo (like the one on the left) and transform it into a fully customized sports portrait (like the one on the right). This opens up endless possibilities for creativity—team colors, logos, dramatic backgrounds, or even special effects can all be added in to match the spirit of the team.

Why I Love Composites for Sports Photos

✅ Efficiency: The photos are captured quickly so athletes can get back to practice.
✅ Customization: Each player’s final image can be designed uniquely with their name, team, or year.
✅ Impact: The end result feels professional, polished, and like something straight out of a magazine spread.

For this baseball team, I stuck with what I knew—natural light, quick posing, and efficient workflow—and then elevated the images in post-production. The result? Parents and players get something way beyond a standard team picture.

The Best of Both Worlds

To me, composites are the perfect solution for youth sports photography. Families get the timeless memory of their athlete captured naturally, and the team gets a bold, exciting finished product that really represents their energy and pride.

I love that I can give my clients the best of both worlds—quick, no-stress photos on picture day and powerful, customized portraits to treasure for years.