Clarkstown North Boys Basketball Media Day
Clarkstown North Rams Basketball Team Photoshoot: Behind the Scenes
This shoot was something special. Not only was it my first time photographing the Clarkstown North Rams basketball team, but it was also the first time I collaborated with ChatGPT to plan and visualize my lighting setup — and that collaboration truly paid off.
Planning the Shoot
I wanted this photoshoot to have a clean, powerful look that reflected the team’s purple and gold colors. We had just over three hours to complete everything, so being organized and efficient was key.
My plan was to start with the full team shot first. That decision worked out perfectly — it got everyone involved right away and built excitement early on. Once the players saw the first few images appear on the tethered screen, the energy level went way up. Parents who stopped by loved watching the photos come to life in real time, and the team’s reactions were priceless.
Shooting Tethered for the First Time
This was my first time shooting tethered, and it’s something I’ll be doing from now on for team and group shoots. Seeing the images instantly on-screen was a game changer — it kept everyone engaged, helped fine-tune poses quickly, and gave players and coaches confidence that we were getting great results.
It also helped me adjust lighting and composition on the fly without having to constantly check the back of my camera.
Lighting Setup
Before the shoot, I worked with ChatGPT to design a lighting layout that would create flattering, even light across the team while maintaining depth and separation from the background. Here’s the full setup:
Main Lights (Front):
Godox AD400 Pro at ¼ power with a GLOW EZ Lock 60" Octa Quick Softbox
Godox AD300 Pro at ½ power with a GLOW EZ Lock 60" Octa Quick Softbox
Both were placed roughly 7 feet from the team, slightly elevated and angled down for broad, even coverage.
Rim Lights (Rear):
Two Godox AD200 units with 7" standard reflectors and bare bulb attachments
Power around ⅛–¼, positioned behind the team on each side for highlight separation.
I considered using purple and gold gels to tie in the Rams’ colors for creative flair.
Optional Background or Accent Light:
Godox V1 at ⅛ power, used occasionally to add a bit of fill or subtle background texture.
This setup created a bright, balanced look with nice rim light definition — perfect for emphasizing the team’s uniforms and expressions.
Camera Gear
All photos were shot using my Canon EOS R6 Mark II, primarily paired with the RF 28-70mm f/2 lens for its incredible sharpness and versatility.
I also used:
EF 70-200mm f/2.8 for tighter portraits and compression
RF 15-35mm f/2.8 for wider team and environmental shots
Everything was captured in RAW, edited in Lightroom, and fine-tuned for color balance and clarity.
Reflections
This shoot was both fun and challenging. Working on a tight timeline kept things moving, but the energy from the players made it easy to stay creative. They even suggested a few fun poses of their own, and I was happy to run with those ideas.
If I had a little more time, I would’ve experimented more with gel colors and lighting variations — but overall, I’m extremely happy with how everything turned out.
Collaborating with both ChatGPT for pre-planning and the Clarkstown North Rams during the shoot made this one of the most rewarding photography sessions I’ve done to date.
