Today I received an email from the official race photographer for the Dallas Marathon. My first thought was, “I am already getting emails about race photos?! ASD!@SFDS!!!#$!AASDFASDF!!!!!” Ha ha, you know, since after the race, you receive frequent emails asking to buy the photos for about a year (or more!), and… I haven’t even run this race yet!
I was just going to delete the email, until I saw they had tips in it about “how to get great official race photos.” CALM DOWN, Kim. This email could actually be useful. They aren’t asking for your money. Yet.
Curious, I decided to read their tips:
- pin your bib number high on your chest and keep it visible
- look up
- don’t cross your arms
- don’t stop your watch at the finish line
Most of the tips seem obvious, except for the last one – about not stopping your watch at the finish line. I doubt many people think about that. You just stop your watch out of habit! I’m finally done running and can stop this thing! Also, OMG I NEED ACCURATE STATS, NOT ONE STEP MOAR!
But man, stopping your watch does look really bad in photos! I realized I was doing this at races, and not only was I stopping my watch, I was looking down at it when I stopped it, to make sure it stopped Even though it makes a noise when it stops. That makes for a great photo. Not.
So I started stopping it, and listening for the noise, so I could look up at the camera. Um yeah, as you can see below, that still looks goofy. And it almost breaks the “don’t cross your arms” tip.
So I just stopped with the watch-stopping madness. Ha ha. Look for the photogs, take a few steps, then watch it. And the photos do look better!
However, that would not be my #1 race photo (finish line) or whatever, tip. Mine would be “don’t make death face!” (Seen above and below on the right)
Yes, death face shows how hard you are working, but, yeah. I just don’t want to see it on me!
Usually, I just look for Steven on the course, and smile for him, and don’t pay attention to the official photographers (since I like Steven’s photos better… and they are free… and I get them instantly). But sometimes, I regret that, like in the photo above, where Steven didn’t make it to the finish in time, and I was trying so hard to finish strong and … still had some death face going on.
Ha! All this talk makes me sound super vain! That is far from the person I am. I just really care about (having) photographs (as a token of the event), and generally prefer when I don’t look like I am in pain, in them! Because, I am not! I don’t run that hard!
Do you try to avoid “death face” in your race photos? What would be your #1 race photo tip?
Ha ha. Another good tip is that if you need to do something obnoxious at the finish line, like jump or strike a pose… make sure you get the heck out of other people’s way!
Ha ha death face most of my race photos look like that except one or two races where I took it super easy because of injury. The race on Saturday offers one free download…I’m hoping that there will be even one that I want to download!!
That is super cool that they offer that! I bet you will have a good one 🙂
I always try to strike a pose when I see a photographer. It usually just makes me look stupid, but I always get a good laugh looking at them. 🙂
LOL! What kind of pose?!
Whatever I can think of after running X amount of miles! Usually involves waving or jumping or a “model” pose. None of them ever look like I intend 🙂
The death face? I’ve never thought about it like that! I try to smile when I see a photog, but every once in a while I miss one. That’s when they catch me looking miserable..
Ugh – the dreaded race photo! I’ve had so many bad finish-line pics, but this past year, I was really happy with a few finish line photos. Total surprise. And I think it was about “taking in the finish”. Neither race was a sprint to beat the clock so I think I enjoyed the finish line experience.
Aww, yay! I am happy you got some pics you liked – did you buy them?! And what a concept… enjoying the finish line experience… hee hee! 🙂
2 things: Keep your eyes open and your tongue in….these apply to me anyway…
Ha! Ha ha! Those are VERY good tips! I’ve noticed I do this dumb thing with my mouth hanging open. No tongue, but it looks silly. I need to remember not to do that!
ha! I have a race picture of me with my head looking at Garmin as I cross the line. I tried to be better at this last race I did and the photos were still awful. I need to share some of mine one day- it’ll be a good laugh 🙂 I love your happy finish line picture!!
Yes! Share them! What was so bad about them? Silly face?
Yes, very twisted up looking face lol
I always try to smile when I see a photographer, but I actually really like my death face photos too. They’re hilarious!
lol… I’ve definitely had “death face” photos too. I try to smile when I see a photographer but I think I end up seeing them too late and they’ve already taken my photo and moved on to someone else by the time I paste a smile on my face.
I never know what to do when I run across (not literally LOL) a race photog. Smiling seems awkward. I’m too uptight for little jumps & tricks that some do. Just running and not looking can end badly. I think I usually end up doing nothing at all, which sometimes ends badly and sometimes turns out okay. Good tip about stopping the watch!
You know, no matter what you do… I almost always think the official pics just look a bit… meh. You know? You’d think they’d be better since they are candids, and not staged, but I just never really care for the angle they have. Hence… preferring my husband getting my best shots. Ha ha.
I either look like I’m dying (because that’s how I feel) or I’m hamming it up for the camera. Both are really bad looks. I must stop my watch, but need to learn how to be more discreet. I have enough photos of the top of my head. Good luck with your race!
We need some little trigger to stop our watches, like a camera trigger! Ha ha! Thank you! 🙂
Now THAT is an awesome idea!!
‘Death Face’ haha – Sara at LifeBetweenTheMiles was lamenting her race picture from last weekend and so this made me laugh!
I have this weird thing where I tend to smile my way through races (un-natural I know) and end up spotting cameras and looking quite good regardless of how I FEEL! Same thing at theme park rides (my family almost bought the Tower of Terror picture because as everyone was screaming I had a big smile and it was just … I don’t know). 🙂
Thanks for the great comment on my blog – loved finding yours!
Ha! I will have to look for that post!
Wait… are you ridiculously good looking guy? Hee hee. They should have bought that pic! It sounds hilarious!
Thanks! Was very happy to find a new read, too! Congrats on your 5K PR, btw!
haha … um, no. There is a big difference between being good looking and looking like you are constantly posed for the camera! haha
My tip? Don’t be spitting or blowing snot rockets. Those pictures turn out SUPER unattractive.
That is an awesome tip. LOL. Please tell me you have some of these to show us?!
Ohhh..the story of my life! I try and smile when I see the photographers but it always looks more like a grimace! Or like my last race pic, I look so angry, HA!
I have yet to see a decent photo of me during a race. I have a death face in almost all of them.
Yesterday during the 5K I ran, I tried to smile and wave at the camera as I was passing, but as I was going by, I noticed that I started feeling awkward for holding the smile “too long” (as in, longer than like a second) while he hadn’t taken the photo yet. I guess he was waiting for the right moment to capture (I don’t know. I’m not a photographer.). So in my awkwardness, I kept of looked away from the camera or blinked, so I’m pretty sure he snapped it at a super-bad moment. I guess next time, I’ll try staring DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA until I run past or hear it click.
Or maybe I’ll start running in sunglasses and making a silly pose. Actually, yeah, I should stop trying to smile. Maybe I’ll do some kind of goofy thing next time. Those make better photos anyway!
Ha ha ha, there is a lot of anxiety in race photos, right? “How long do I hold the smile?” “Is this a real smile?” “Did the photog even get me?!” I like your sunglasses idea. Or maybe we could wear masks! lol