Directing Athletes: Posing for Powerful Sports Portraits

Creating powerful sports portraits isn’t just about lighting or equipment—it starts with knowing how to confidently direct and pose athletes.

In this hands-on class, sports portrait photographer Edward Mathews breaks down how to guide athletes into strong, dynamic poses that communicate strength, intensity, and personality. You’ll learn practical techniques for working with athletes who may not be experienced models, and how small adjustments in posture, stance, expression, and body positioning can dramatically elevate your images.

Through live demonstrations and hands-on shooting with an athlete model, you’ll practice directing in real time and gain tools you can immediately apply to your own sports portrait sessions.

By the end of the class, you’ll be able to:

• Confidently direct athletes into strong, impactful poses
• Understand how posture, stance, and expression shape visual power
• Rely on a small set of go-to poses that work across multiple sports
• Communicate clearly and efficiently during athlete portrait sessions
• Make quick posing adjustments to improve composition and body positioning

• What makes a sports portrait feel powerful
• The psychology of posture and presence
• Common posing mistakes photographers make
• Signature poses that translate across different sports
• Directing athletes who are not professional models
• Building intensity through body language and expression
• Live demonstration with an athlete model
• Hands-on shooting time with instructor feedback

This class is ideal for beginner to intermediate photographers who want to create stronger, more confident sports portraits.

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of camera operation and exposure settings

Required

• Camera with manual controls
• Portrait lens (50mm–200mm recommended)
• Memory card and fully charged battery

Optional

• External flash
• Notebook for notes

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher MPEX Learning Studio