I have a 3 year old son that just started playing soccer this fall.  Some people are shocked that they start kids that young, but being the parent of a rather “energetic” 3 year old, it doesn’t surprise me at all.  Quite honestly, I’m glad they start this young.  My son loves any sport involving a ball already, despite the fact that his dad has absolutely no athletic talent whatsoever.  There’s reason #1 I’m glad they start at 3.  Also, because of his rather excitable nature, soccer is a perfect energy outlet for him.  There’s reason #2 I’m glad soccer starts at 3 years old.

At the last practice, all of the 3, 4, and 5 year olds had their individual and team soccer pictures taken.  I’d say there were probably about 50-75 kids in total at the practice, and there was one photographer and his assistant.  I truly felt bad for the guy as he worked tirelessly all evening to get all of the kids’ pictures taken.  Trying to get the team into the correct pose, have them all looking in the same direction, and getting them to smile nicely is a hard enough task, let alone having to do that and take individual pictures.  Somehow though, this photographer pulled it off.  Thank goodness for digital cameras and large capacity memory cards that allows a photographer to “snap snap snap” away in hopes of catching at least one good image.  I think that’s the only way the photographer was able to maintain his sanity.

Professional photographers of kids: On behalf of PhotoTrimmings, thank you for capturing memorable moments in the lives of soccer parents across the nation.  Your patience and dedication are traits we should all strive for.