Not just an athlete. A story worth telling

At first glance, a picture is just that ... a picture.

But look closer, especially at any picture taken of your family's athlete.

Look for the dirt and grass stains on their uniform. Look for eye black applied in a specific way on their face. Look at the tape on their stick, their posture, the look in their eyes that says I'm here and I know where I want to go.

An athlete portrait shouldn't just be a snapshot. It should reflect this moment for you and your athlete, which will in time disappear.

These moments don't just happen. They come about because someone, maybe you, signed them up for a youth team. Because someone, probably you, drove them to practice and games. They come about because they've skinned their knees on artificial turf, sweated out two-a-day practices, and gritted through weekend-long tournaments.

That is what great athlete portraiture is all about.

Your teen is at the crossroads

Tell me if this has ever happened to you:

You're at your child's game, and you take a selfie with them after it's over.

Later, you open your phone and take a gander, only to find your breath is stolen. Your son or daughter looks so much more grown up than you realized.

Where did that little kid with an ill-fitting jersey and a smile that says "Thanks for letting me do this!" go?

We parents are often so involved in our lives and the lives of our kids that we miss the subtle changes that happen over time.

And your teen right now is at a crossroads between who they were and who they are to become. Sports, their athletic journey, this moment right now, is going to shape that future.

Telling their story, creating portraiture that reflects all of this, that's the goal each and every time I step out with cameras and creative lighting.

Creativity doesn't just come from having fancy camera equipment. It flows from understanding who your son or daughter is and what makes them the athlete they are.

What's an athlete portrait worth?

The answer, I believe, is actually rooted in the journey.

We've all sat for hours on camp chairs on the sidelines and rearranged our vacation schedules so our kids don't miss a moment with their team.

We've driven them home after a hard loss, often in silence, afraid that maybe we'll say the wrong thing but we love them anyway and want them to keep pursuing their dream.

We've dragged reluctant siblings along to these games, washed more laundry than we care to admit, ate more gas station dinners than we should, and been through the emotional ringer so many times ...

I want your athlete portraiture to radiate back to you that all of this - all of it - was worth it.

A portrait that shows more than ability. A portrait that shows what makes them unique, special, a competitor, a person with achievements and aspirations, whose best moments might still be ahead.

Was it all worth it? Take a look at that athlete portrait of your child for the answer.

The legacy continues on

Years from now, you're going to have a lot of storage boxes full of trophies, old jerseys, game day programs, and so on.

Your son or daughter, maybe their playing days kept going, but for all of us, our playing days eventually come to an end.

That's where the portrait becomes invaluable. It will say without words "This is who my child was. This is what they worked so hard for. This is why I supported them."

When I create athlete portraits, we’re not just making images for today’s social media feed.

I'm documenting a moment that will never come again.

Dave Pidgeon is the owner and chief image maker at Creative Sports Photography, a premier visual production service for athletes. CSP is home to Be Elite - Signature Portrait Experiences for Young Athletes. Dave is based in Lancaster, Pa., and available anywhere.