12 Sporty Basketball Photoshoot Ideas

Looking for basketball photoshoot ideas to make you stand out and shine? At Peerspace, we get it! You may be a seasoned athlete yourself, or perhaps a passionate basketball fan. Either way, if you’re looking for ways to commemorate your love of the sport in photographic form, we’ve got 12 sporty basketball photoshoot ideas for you! Keep reading to get inspired or perhaps even to find the perfect concept for your next photoshoot. 

1. Basketball game photoshoot

For this basketball photoshoot idea, all you have to do is schedule a basketball game or your usual basketball practice, and make sure everyone in attendance is comfortable with being photographed. Then, have the photographer take photos of you as you play against another team. All the action is sure to be photo-worthy, and you’ll look back at your photos years later and have plenty to reminisce over!

2. Candid one-person basketball photoshoot

This basketball photoshoot idea couldn’t be simpler, but it’s a great one. Rather than taking posed portraits, bring yourself, a basketball, and a photographer to the basketball court of your choice and ask them to take photos of you shooting hoops. For added drama on an outdoor court, take the photos toward the end of the day when the light is especially warm and flattering. Or if you’d like to rent a court of your own for your photoshoot, consider renting a space like this basketball court/gymnasium in Alpharetta, Georgia. 

3. One-on-one basketball photoshoot

Rather than having a game between two groups of people, what about taking photos of a dramatic one-on-one game? Ask someone you enjoy playing basketball with if they’d be willing to take part in your basketball photoshoot! The rivalry between two people can actually feel a lot more intense than between two teams and can make for some really fun and exciting photos. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to hone your game, which can never hurt!

4. Basketball portraits

Take some more formal portraits of yourself posing with a basketball, and perhaps wearing your favorite basketball shorts and jersey! If you do the photoshoot at a studio, especially, the contrast between the formality of the portrait and the athletic theme will create particularly interesting photos. We’d recommend a studio like this gorgeous natural light studio in Toronto for this basketball photoshoot idea.

5. Photos through the basketball hoop

We’ll describe this as best we can: photos taken of the subject(s) from above, preparing to take their next shot, through the basketball hoop itself! This angle provides a really cool extreme perspective and a geometric structure to the photos themselves. We’re big fans of this creative basketball photoshoot idea and we think you will be too, especially once you see the photos!

6. Parent/child basketball photoshoot

Think about it: a photo of Mom lifting her son up to help him dunk the basketball, or Dad jokingly trying to steal the ball from his daughter! If you have kids, this idea is a really fun one. If you need a space of your own for this photoshoot, consider renting out a space with a basketball court, like this carriage house in Chicago! 

7. Baby basketball photoshoot

If your kid is still too young to play basketball, you can emphasize how cute they are by dressing them up in a tiny basketball uniform of their very own and having them pose/play with a full-size basketball. The size contrast alone between your child and the basketball equals automatically adorable photos!

8. Retro basketball photoshoot

This idea is especially perfect if you can get your hands on an old-fashioned basketball uniform. Hint: check eBay to see if there’s anything for sale out there! Besides that, finding a retro-style space inspired by/emulating your favorite decade of the past (whether that’s the 1960s, 1990s, or anything in between!) is a crucial part of creating the right atmosphere for this photoshoot. For instance, this pop culture penthouse with numerous retro features in downtown Los Angeles could be the ideal location. 

9. Posing with your trophies

Let’s say you’re a high school basketball player who’s played a lot of successful games and won lots of trophies. Why not do a photoshoot with the trophies? It’ll take confidence to pull off this photoshoot, but your athletic achievements deserve to be celebrated and recognized!

10. Post-apocalyptic basketball photoshoot

Here’s a really unexpected basketball photoshoot idea, but if you can find the right location for it, it could be an amazing and memorable one. The idea could be that you’re roaming the post-apocalyptic earth and you come across a basketball court, where you can’t resist the urge to let down your guard, have a little fun, and shoot some hoops.

In terms of location, if you’re anywhere near New York City, this raw historic underground gymnasium in Brooklyn could be the ideal space. As the hosts describe this space: “The gymnasium, located beneath a church, was abandoned in the 1970s. From October 2018 through April 2019, the space was renovated and is now available for your use. Thus, the look of the space is raw and industrial, including a retro paint job, a wall of brick, old basketball hoops, and a tiled tin ceiling. The floor is the original concrete, currently not finished, with small pocks and unevenness throughout.”

11. Spinning the ball

One of the coolest and most classic basketball images is a player casually spinning a basketball on their finger. Frozen in a still photo, it looks almost like magic, as if the ball is defying gravity. If you can spin a basketball on your finger, use this skill to your advantage and incorporate this image into your photoshoot!

12. High-speed athletic photoshoot

Know a photographer who has expertise in high-speed photography? If so, capturing athletes in motion as if they’ve been frozen in time makes for some seriously impressive photos. Whether it’s a player running across the court or captured mid-air during a jump shot, the photos will look awesome. Be sure to choose a top-of-the-line court as the location for these kinds of photos, like this industrial gym/basketball court in Decatur, Georgia. 

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