You’re at a cheerleading competition. You see teams, coaches, and parents everywhere.
There is one group of people you might not pay attention to, even though they often have the best seats in the arena…
Who are we talking about? The photographers!
We interviewed one of our favorite cheerleading photographers to find out more about the person behind the camera, what the job is like, photo & editing tips, and much more!
Hi Becca! For those who don’t know who you are – tell us a bit about yourself!
Hello! My name is Becca, and I’m the photographer of Snapped! by Becca Clark! I started my photography business when I was 16 and will be 22 in May, so I’ve been shooting for about five and a half years. I also shot Worlds photos for Everything Cheer Magazine in 2015, 2016 and 2017!
I am currently a senior at Arizona State University double majoring in Management and Business Communication, and I’m super involved on campus! My favorite thing is being on the Executive Board of our volunteer campus tour guide organization and showing families all around the school. I’m also a Success Coach here at the university and meet with students to connect them with resources and opportunities and help them their goals.
Let’s start with 5 quick questions!
1. If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
Ah this is a hard one to choose, but when I was little I wished I could fly haha. So we will go with that. 🙂
2. What is something you can’t live without?
Music! love listening to music when I’m driving to school, editing photos, doing homework, or even when I’m just getting ready in the morning.
3. How many photos do you currently have in your camera roll?
I currently have 1,945 photos & 151 videos! I used to have a ton more but unfortunately last summer I lost all of the photos on my iPhone. Be sure to always back up your photos even if just to Google Drive or Dropbox!
4. What famous person would you like to have a coffee with?
Taylor Swift! My sisters and I know every one of her songs and have been to a ton of her concerts. Fun fact, we went to her second to last show of the Reputation Stadium Tour in Dallas, Texas (and to her first here in Arizona lol) and you can see the three us in the crowd at 1:17 of her Netflix documentary!
5. If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Ice cream, for sure! It’s my favorite food and I love all kinds — frozen yogurt, gelato, milkshakes, anything. It doesn’t matter how cold it is outside it always sounds good!
“Originally, I wasn’t all that into cheerleading!”
Now that we know more about you, let’s talk about cheerleading & photography.
We know that you haven’t cheered yourself, so how did you get involved in the sport?
My middle sister Emilee cheered for about eight years (and was pretty well known as “ddcflyer” back in the old days haha) and I would always go with her to competitions.
The year she went to Desert Storm Elite and made Rage, the small senior coed 5 team, was the same year I decided I wanted to be a photographer. I had bought my camera in May and decided to take some photos of her at their showcase at the start of the season, and was pretty good at action shots right away.
I loved cheerleading so it came pretty natural to know when to take a good photo and when to delete a photo that didn’t look as good. She started going to national competitions and I traveled with her, slowly making a name for myself within the cheer industry and taking tons of photos of my friends at competitions.
What was your first thought about cheerleading?
Originally, I wasn’t all that into cheerleading! I remember going to competitions to support my sister but only wanting to watch her team then leave. I didn’t even want to stay for the level 5 teams. I was pretty young then and started to get more into it once my sister was closer to making a Worlds team. 🙂
One can’t imagine how many photoshoots you must have done. If you have to choose, what are your favorite ones?
Looking through my Instagram to decide, I seriously can’t choose a favorite! They are all so fun and everyone I’ve shot with is so nice and cool to create with. Here are a few that really stand out for different reasons! 🙂
I loved shooting with Kennedy Thames on Rockstar Beatles in Orlando 2017. It was really cool because this was the season when the Beatles stunt video went viral with her, and she’s still such a big name. She’s the nicest ever and had just won a silver medal the day before.
One of my favorite team shoots was Utah Fusion Inferno in Orlando 2018. I’m pretty sure every single one of their athletes and coaches told me how grateful they were, and they were all just so appreciative in a way I had never seen before.
I also loved shooting with Karolyne Day on Woodlands Elite Generals in Dallas 2018! It was one of the most exciting days ever when I heard she wanted to shoot because she is such an incredible athlete.
I love her tumbling, love Generals, and loved how nice and genuine her and her mom and sister were. Her uniform, other outfits, the lighting, and the Dallas city came together SO perfectly and I still love those pictures.
What does your working process look like? Do you always have an idea of what you want to do before a photoshoot or do you improvise sometimes?
My process changes a bit depending on the shoot. I shot with Hunter Morris on Maryland Twisters F5 in Orlando 2018, and she wanted a longer shoot with a mix of fashion & senior photos. Since this was a little different compared to the cheer-based shoots I was doing in Orlando, I just communicated a little more with her mom about the vision before we got to Florida.
With most individual shoots, whether cheer or seniors, I usually will just go the shoot with an open mind and a bit of an idea of the vibe in mind. For a lot of team or group shoots, I’ll find inspiration on Pinterest or my saved images on Instagram!
As mentioned above, you take a lot of different kinds of photos. Do you have a favorite type to shoot?
I love shooting action of Worlds or level 5 teams the most! I love watching those intense routines and getting perfect shots!
My favorite portraits are probably team cheer shoots.
Want to learn more about being on Great White Sharks? Read our interview with Becca Webster from the team here:
Your job seems very varying and fun, but what part do you like the least?
Sometimes I have to really find time to sit down and reply to emails, especially since I’m so busy right now with school. I love communicating with people to schedule but the face to face interaction is better for sure!
On the opposite – what part of it do you like the most?
The photoshoots are definitely the best part. It’s really fun when about ten minutes in, whoever I’m shooting with really opens up! I also love editing portraits from shoots with perfect lighting where the adjustments make the photo look so much better.
Speaking of editing – how do you edit your photos?
I have edited all of my shoots in Adobe Lightroom since I started my photography business! I have a few presets I’ve developed over the years and like to stay original with my editing.
Do you have some tips for taking better photos, even with just a phone?
I’m not the first to say it, but a good photo is definitely all about the lighting. Be sure to find good lighting and use a flash if you need it! My best photos are those that are perfectly clear and bright with every detail in focus. I also love vibrant colors.
When is your next photoshoot?
I have a few opportunities coming up! I’ll be in Dallas, Texas March 1-3, in Phoenix, Arizona on March 9th, and in Orlando, Florida April 25-28.
I’m always open to travel and shooting local for my Arizona friends!
Lastly, how does someone contact you if they want to book a shoot?
You can reach me at [email protected] or send me a DM through Instagram @snappedbybeccaclark 🙂
Website: snappedbybeccaclark.com