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What's the Difference? Team Shoot vs Senior Session

Apr 30 2026 | By: Howie McCormick Photography

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"We blinked and now we're here somehow..." — I've heard that sentiment year after year from senior parents over the last 15+ years. One minute you think you have all the time in the world, but the next thing you know, it's time for football two-a-day practices, band camp, volleyball tryouts, etc — signaling the beginning of the last chapter of high school for senior athletes.

Senior sessions are such a great way to capture your senior’s athleticism throughout their last ride. Team picture day allows for a couple of minutes (at most) of camera time while trying to accomodate the whole squad— but senior shoots are dedicated solely to your athlete. Whether we’re talking about a multi-sport athlete (like Rylan here) or a single-sport specialist, we can take the time to capture the details that matter most. And we’re not just getting in-uniform shots, we’re also getting those casual, every day looks, maybe something dressed up and even those cap-and-gown shots to really ‘cap’ it off.

Rylan-Track-Starting-Line

Rylan during his spring track session, crouched at the starting line in a sprinter's pose.

The Difference Between Team Photos & Senior Sessions

If you’ve ever worked with me through your athlete’s team or individual picture day, you’ve already experienced one side of what I do.

But here’s something I hear all the time from parents down in Florida:

“I didn’t even realize you did senior pictures" and I guess that's on me — I thought I had been doing a better job at marketing here. In West Virginia, 90% of the work I do is senior portraits... in Florida, it's been the opposite — but I'm hoping we can change that. 

And a legitimate question I've been asked a time or two when it comes to senior athletes is “Can't we just do the pictures from team picture day.” 

But honestly — those two experiences couldn’t be any more different.

senior-boy-track-athlete-bts

Behind the scenes on one of Rylan's track pictures.

Team & Individual Picture Day: Built for Efficiency

Team & Individual Picture Day: Built for Efficiency

Picture day is designed around one thing — getting every athlete photographed quickly and consistently. Coaches and administrators rarely want to spend any more time than absolutely necessary, so the thought of getting too creative goes right out the window pretty quickly. 

That means:

  • A tight schedule

  • Limited time per athlete (usually just a couple minutes)

  • One or two setups

  • A line of teammates waiting

The simple goal with these is to get clean, consistent images of every player on the team. And it serves its purpose well. You get photos of your athlete in uniform, representing their team, in that specific season. Even how I do it — spending up to a minute or two with each athlete — is almost unheard of in volume sports photography. In most cases, athletes are lucky to get more than 3 pose options. I move quickly and try to get  6-10 pose options (or whatever we can get within a couple of minutes) before moving on to the next person. 

By the time it’s your turn, you’re either just ready to get outta there and go get something to eat or hoping to just get a couple good ones—and then it’s over before you’ve really had time to think about it. 

senior-boy-baseball-senior-pictures-on-field

We were squeezing the last little bit of light the sky was giving us after Rylan's baseball game.

Senior Portrait Sessions: Built Around the Athlete

Senior sessions are meant to feel completely different from picture day.

There’s no line waiting behind you. No rush. No pressure to get it right in the first few minutes. Instead, the whole thing slows down a bit and starts to feel a lot more relaxed.

It’s just us, working through it at a pace that actually makes sense.

We take our time moving through different setups, locations, and looks—not in a forced way, but in a way that lets your athlete ease into it. Whether we’re mixing sports, casual outfits, or just keeping it simple, the goal is to let things unfold naturally instead of trying to check boxes as fast as possible.

Because the truth is, most seniors don’t walk in feeling totally comfortable in front of a camera.

It usually starts a little awkward. It's not uncommon for a senior to start the session not really knowing what to do with their hands, their smile, or even where to look.

But then we get about halfway through that first outfit and we start to see a change. They start to trust the process (especially after they've seen a couple sneak peeks on the back of the camera). They loosen up, they start to feel more like themselves, and you can actually see that confidence start to come through. That’s the part parents always talk about later — and it’s something you just don’t get when everything has to happen in a couple of minutes.

It also gives us room to try things. To change things up. To lean into what actually fits your athlete instead of forcing them into one look or one idea. Some moments end up more serious, some more relaxed, some just feel real—and that mix is what makes it all come together.

We’re not trying to rush through a handful of photos and call it a day.

We’re just taking the time to capture who they are right now—before everything changes a little.

The Biggest Difference: The Results

Picture day serves a very specific purpose. It captures a moment in time — your athlete in their uniform, representing their team during that season. It’s quick, efficient, and designed to make sure every player is photographed consistently. What you walk away with is a clean, simple record of that experience… a team memory that marks that chapter.

Senior sessions are something entirely different.

Instead of capturing a single moment, they’re designed to tell a full story. Not just what your athlete looks like in uniform, but who they are right now — across different environments, different moods, and different sides of their personality. The result isn’t just a photo… it’s a collection of images that actually feel like your athlete, not just their sport.

This is where it starts to really hit you. 

Not just in the technical quality of the images, but in how they feel.

With time on our side, confidence builds naturally throughout the session. Expressions become more relaxed, less forced. What starts out a little unsure often turns into something much more authentic. By the end, they’re not thinking about the camera anymore.

That kind of transformation rarely happens in just a couple of minutes.

senior-boy-basketball-dramatic-lighting

With senior sessions, we're not limited to shooting on a solid background and photoshopping a background. With Rylan's sessions, we were able to utilize the gym floor, baskets, locker room, football turf, track, and baseball dugouts as well as the field.

Will My Athlete Have a Good Experience?

This is one of the biggest concerns I hear... and it’s a fair one.

It's true, many athletes aren’t naturally comfortable in front of a camera — some were born to be in front of an audience.

And that’s exactly why my senior sessions are structured the way they are. We're not rushing and definitely don’t expect it to click instantly. We build into it and by the time we’re halfway through, it can be a completely different experience than when we started.

That transformation is a big part of what makes these sessions special — and pretty much the opposite of team picture day. The worst outcome you should have to worry about is hearing "Well that wasn't as bad as I thought"... but more often than not, you'll get something more like "that was actually fun". 

senior-boy-order-thumbnails

a screenshot from some of Rylan's order shows the variety we're able to get with senior sessions as opposed to just team picture day.

For Multi-Sport Athletes (and Busy Schedules)

Many seniors choose to go beyond a single session. And we can accomplish a lot with one — or even multiple sessions — around different sports, seasons, looks and environments. That means your home turf (literally). 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. It’s designed around what matters most to your athlete.

So Which Option Is Right for Me?

The honest answer is — most families don’t realize they want both — until picture day is already over..

Team and individual picture day serves an important purpose. It captures your athlete as part of something bigger — the team, the season, the shared experience. It’s about documenting that moment in time, in uniform, alongside teammates they’ve practiced and competed with. Those images become part of the story of that season.

Senior sessions, on the other hand, are about something much more personal.

They’re designed to capture the individual — who your athlete is outside of the lineup, outside of the schedule, and outside of a single moment. It’s an opportunity to slow things down and create something that reflects their personality, their confidence, and the different sides of who they are at this stage of life.

When you look back years from now, both of these serve a purpose.. but they tell very different parts of the story.

Picture day captures the team. Senior sessions capture the person.

And together, they create a much more complete picture of what this time in your athlete’s life actually looked and felt like.

So If You've Been Considering Booking a Senior Session

I highly recommend... 10/10. If you’ve ever looked at picture day photos and wished there was more… this is that ‘more.’

I open a limited number of senior sessions each season so I can give each athlete the time and attention they deserve.

If you’d like more details or want to see what a session could look like for your athlete, reach out and I’ll walk you through it. And if you know RIGHT NOW that you want to get on the books for the Class of 2027, click the link below and fill out the senior "vibe check" form. 

I can't wait to work with you!

– Howie

SENIOR VIBE CHECK
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  • HOME
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