Todd Sellitto, Manatee Wildcats PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT

When Todd Sellitto isn’t enforcing the law as a Deputy Sheriff for the Manatee County Sheriff ’s Office, he’s on the sidelines of local Pop Warner football games capturing the action on the field.

He’s always had a passion for photography and how it tells a story, so he married that with his love for sports and community and started photographing youth sports at many levels. And when his son was old enough to participate in the Manatee

Wildcats Pop Warner football program, he volunteered as both a coach and team photographer.

“My favorite part of shooting Pop Warner games is being able to capture the excitement and emotion that football brings to the players,” said Sellitto. “At this level, the game means more than just winning. It’s about learning sportsmanship, discipline, respect and compassion, and I try to capture all of these characteristics when photographing youth sports. It’s also a huge bonus to watch these young athletes go from Pop Warner to high school, college and then hopefully into the NFL.”

Today he also works as a freelance photographer for CBS Sports, MaxPreps and other local media outlets, and has shared a few photography tips to help other photographers capture the perfect shot!

One of many practices that I like to use while shooting Pop Warner games is to get on the same level as the action. Take a knee and shoot level with the player to get that in-the-play action perceptive. It also gives a better background than shooting down on a player.

I really like to focus on the whole experience, not just the game itself. Sometimes the coaches, parents and spectators provide compelling emotion that tells a great visual story.

I also like to take the photography into a studio to shoot individual pictures that make the players feel bigger than life. I use a black background, a couple of strobes and a lot of attitude. These types of pictures are great keepsakes for the players and their relatives, and they also look great on social media.