How to name sports photos for composites
On picture day you shoot hundreds of players. Afterwards, every headshot needs the right name and jersey number on the composite and the memory mate. Good file names and folders do most of that work for you. Here is a setup that works with RosterFrame and is easy to keep up with on picture day.
1. One folder per team
Fall League 2026/
Hawks U12/
Team.jpg
Ava_Martinez_4.jpg
Liam_Chen_11.jpg
Coach_Dana_Brooks.jpg
Sharks U10/
Team.jpg
...Each folder becomes a team, and the folder name becomes the team name. Drop the whole league folder at once.
2. Name each headshot
These patterns are all read correctly:
| File name | Becomes |
|---|---|
Ava_Martinez_4.jpg | Ava Martinez, #4 |
4 - Ava Martinez.jpg | Ava Martinez, #4 |
Martinez, Ava.jpg | Ava Martinez, no number |
Coach_Dana_Brooks.jpg | Dana Brooks, labeled as coach |
Team.jpg or Group.jpg | The team photo |
IMG_4821.jpg | No name yet. Use a roster CSV or type it in. |
Numbers up to three digits are read as jersey numbers. Long numbers, like camera sequence numbers, are ignored. For last name first, use a comma, like Martinez, Ava_4.jpg, or a roster CSV. Names can still be shown last name first on the print.
3. Or keep camera names and use a roster CSV
Renaming files on picture day isn't always possible. Keep the camera names and write down which file belongs to which player, for example from your shooting order or a barcode system. Then save the roster as a CSV file like this:
File,First,Last,Number,Team,Role
IMG_4821.jpg,Ava,Martinez,4,Hawks U12,Player
IMG_4822.jpg,Liam,Chen,11,Hawks U12,Player
IMG_4830.jpg,Dana,Brooks,,Hawks U12,CoachDownload the free roster CSV template and open it in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets. Drop the CSV in together with the photos, and names are matched by file name.
- The File column is required. Everything else is optional.
- Instead of First and Last you can use a single Name column.
- Columns called Jersey, #, Surname or Division also work.
- Put "Coach" in the Role column to label coaches.
Tips that save time later
- Use underscores or spaces between parts of a name, not nothing:
AvaMartinez4.jpgcan't be split. - Avoid special characters like / : * ? in names. They break on some computers.
- Get the roster from the league coordinator before picture day, and check spelling there.
- Shoot a sign or card with the player's name before each headshot. It's the easiest backup if a file is mislabeled.
Next step: make the composites for the whole league.
Try it with your own photos. Free during beta, no signup, runs in your browser. Your photos never leave your computer.
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