THE EXPERIENCE

The Heather Experience

Your athletes
deserve to be
seen.

More than a Media Day. More than a photo session. This is where elite photography meets identity and confidence building. A day designed for young athletes to be celebrated, encouraged, seen, and remembered.

Program Investment · 2026/2027 Season
A Letter From Heather

My promise
isn't just
delivering
pictures.

It's making sure the human behind the uniform knows they matter. That every early morning, every sacrifice, every day they show up and put in the work says something about who they are. They are worthy of a day like this. I want their photos to reflect that. Not just how they look, but who they are.

This is what I built The Heather Experience to be. Not picture day. Not another vendor. A day where the athletes you trained so hard get a moment where the action calms down, the music gets turned up, and they get to bond with their teammates. Where the work they've put in gets honored. Where they walk away knowing they were truly seen.

The photographs are what they take home. The feeling is what they keep.

Choose Your Program

Two ways to give your athletes The Experience.

Tier One

The
Standard.

Portraits only, one photographer.

A premium portrait session for your full program. One cinematic set, fully retouched gallery delivered in two weeks.

  • Cinematic portrait station
  • Up to 5 individual shots per athlete, fully retouched
  • 2 team photos included
  • Up to 4 hours on site
  • Full edited gallery within 2 weeks
  • High-res images, print and social ready
  • Family purchase gallery for prints and downloads
Tier Two · Full Production

The
Experience.

Two photographers, action and portraits, content crew.

A full production day. Multiple setups, multiple photographers, behind the scenes content your program can post the same week.

  • Everything in The Standard
  • White backdrop station built for social media, recruiting profiles, flyers, banners, and graphics
  • Action shot station
  • Dedicated content creator for behind the scenes coverage
  • Multiple photographers running stations simultaneously
  • Social-ready reel delivered with the full gallery
The Investment

One flat fee.
One invoice. One payment.

You collect from families however works best for you. Boosters, participation fees, or program budget. We handle the rest.

Athletes The Standard The Experience
10$1,400$2,150
15$1,725$2,475
20$2,050$2,800
25$2,375$3,125
How it's calculated
The Standard $750 base + $65 per athlete
The Experience $1,500 base + $65 per athlete

Programs larger than 30 athletes, reach out for a custom quote.

The Family Side

Families
shop
directly.

Once photos are complete, the program receives a full online gallery to share with families. Families purchase prints, canvases, and digital downloads directly through the gallery.

Program cost and family purchases are completely separate. Your budget covers the production. Families choose what they want to take home.

For the Program

What to tell your families

Copy and paste into your team app, GroupMe, or newsletter.

"Media Day with The Heather Experience is coming up. The participation fee covers your athlete being professionally photographed, fully edited and retouched images delivered to the program, and access to the online gallery where you can purchase prints, canvases, and additional digital downloads.

This is not your average picture day. Your athlete will be treated like a professional from the moment they step on set. It's also a day for them to be poured into, built up, and celebrated for the work they put in day in and day out.

Confidence increases performance in the game and in life, and that's what this day is really about."

Commonly Asked Questions

Everything you
might be wondering.

A few things parents and program directors usually ask before the big day.

Can I come to Media Day with my athlete?
Absolutely. Parents are always welcome. Athletes get to pose in front of the camera on their own, and they're absolutely encouraged to grab a few shots with their parents, coaches, or friends too. Some of my favorite images come from these moments.
What should my athlete bring?
Their entire uniform and anything they use or wear while playing their sport. Athletes are also encouraged to bring props that show their personality, like sunglasses, a favorite hat, a religious text, a book, or even gear from another sport if they're multi-sport. The more of them they bring, the more we can capture.
How long is my athlete in front of the camera?
Typically 3 to 4 minutes per athlete on the main station. It moves quickly and intentionally so each athlete gets focused attention without the day dragging on.
Should my athlete prepare anything in advance?
Yes, and this is one of the best ways to get the most out of the experience. Athletes are encouraged to research posing inspiration ahead of time and come with reference photos of how they'd love to show up. Posing suggestions are always available, but the best images happen when athletes know how they want to be seen.
What if my athlete is sick on Media Day?
Because Media Day is a one-day production, makeup sessions aren't available. If your athlete can't make it, I recommend coordinating with your program director directly.
What does the participation fee cover?
Your athlete being professionally photographed by my team using high-end equipment, full retouching and editing of every image, delivery of those images to the program, and access to the online gallery where you can purchase prints, canvases, and digital downloads to keep.
Deposit
10% non-refundable deposit due at booking
Cancellation
72-hour cancellation notice required
Credit
Photo credit to Heather Cleaves wherever images are shared
In Closing

These athletes work in silence most of the year. They show up before sunrise. They sacrifice. They grind. This day is for them. The human inside the uniform.

Confidence isn't taught. It's built one moment at a time. When a young athlete is truly seen, something shifts. They walk taller. They believe deeper. Showing up for the game and for life becomes something they look forward to.

This is the day your athletes come together to laugh, bond, and connect. To be celebrated for everything they've already become and everything they're still becoming. Starting off your season with this experience guarantees your team is on the same page, standing together in unity and confidence, ready to take on anything that comes their way.

Heather
Founder & CEO, The Heather Experience

Ready to book or want to talk through which option fits your program?
Let's connect.

Phone
760-420-4777
Email
Heather@theheatherexperience.com

The Heather Experience · North County San Diego