Water polo on media day
Water polo players spend every game half underwater, so media day is one of the only times their faces get photographed properly. Westridge School in Pasadena held its water polo media day in the 2025-26 season.
Water polo in a dark gym
This media day was shot indoors, in the gym instead of on the pool deck. We worked on a Canon R5 with four Westcott FJ400 strobes and the 70-200 and 24-105. Indoors, we kill nearly all of the ambient light until the overhead lights barely register, then build the picture from the back: two rim lights to separate each player from the dark, then two mains in front. The result is contrasty and cinematic. No light meter on set.
Team, seniors, coaches, individuals
The team photo goes first, then seniors, then coaches. Then we re-rig for individual portraits. Each player gets the yearbook headshot, then stylized frames, a ball held up to the lens or a teammate stack. The goal is personality, not just a cap number.
In a game, a water polo player shows the camera a cap and a splash. On media day the whole player is in the frame, which is why these portraits matter to families.
For more from Westridge, see the Westridge flag football media day.
Senior groups and the coaching staff get their own frames before the individuals start, so the program has a full set for the season.
Book your media day
See how our high school media day works, or browse athlete work on the sports portraits page.
