A photocall is a dedicated area where athletes are photographed under ideal conditions — with their faces clearly visible and their race numbers clearly visible and centred. These reference photos significantly improve the quality of identifications throughout the album, including action photos where the race number is partially obscured.

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Case 1 — Face photocall + bib number, then action photos without bib number #

This is the most powerful combination. It allows athletes to be identified in action photos even when their bib numbers are not visible.

1. Take photographs of the athletes at the photocall (bib collection area, start line, village, etc.).
2. Import photos from the photocall using the Face + Bib algorithm — Sportpxl creates a link between each face and its bib number.
3. Import photos from the event using the No Bib Number algorithm — Sportpxl detects faces without searching for numbers.
4. Run the correction script once all batches have been imported.
5. The script automatically propagates the bib numbers identified at the photocall to all action photos where the same face appears.

💡 This approach is particularly effective for cycling, triathlon or any sport where the race number is often hidden during the race (jacket, bag, crossed arms).

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Case 2 — Photocall Face + Bib, then action photos Face + Bib #

In this case, all photos are imported using the same algorithm. The photocall plays a reinforcing role here: high-quality reference photos improve the reliability of identifications in action photos where the bib number is less legible.

1. Photograph the athletes at the photocall
2. Import photos from the photocall using the Face + Bib Number algorithm.
3. Import photos from the event using the Face + Bib algorithm
4. Run the correction script once all batches have been imported.
5. The script consolidates identifications by using reference photos from the photocall to resolve ambiguous cases.

💡 Remember to tag your batches when importing (e.g. ‘Photocall’, ‘Departure’, ‘Arrival’) so that you can easily find each series of photos in your album.

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Best practices for an effective photocall #

• Choose a well-lit location, preferably with diffused natural light without backlighting.
• Neutral or plain background to facilitate detection of the face and race number
• Ask the athletes to face the machine and remove their bibs.
• Frame the shot so that both the face and the race number are visible in the same photo.
• The collection of race numbers is often the best time — athletes are static and cooperative.

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In all cases: run the script last. #

In any case, the correction script must always be run after importing all batches, including photocalls and proofs. This script propagates the corrections between the two sets of photos. See the article “When to run the correction script”.