What it's Like to be a Sports Photographer

Photo Courtesy of Alexa Sandler

Back in 2019, I enrolled in a class called Sports Photojournalism. Little did I know that this class would completely change my life. But, before that, let me backtrack. I have always loved creating. As a little kid, I was taking selfies before they were cool and filming anything I could with my blue Canon point and shoot camera. As I grew older, I started to build upon my skills by taking portraits and shots of nature whenever I could. In high school, I took photography and film classes. I began to fall in love with these two hobbies like never before. These classes motivated me to be creative and pursue film production in college. In 2017, I started at DePaul University pursuing a BA in Film Production with a concentration in Cinematography. I was living the dream - or so I thought.

My time in the film program didn't give me the reward I was looking for. I began to feel drained by filming. I didn't love it in the same way that I used to. Constantly being on sets and sitting through long lectures, I started to feel like I wasn't good enough. I realized that a career in the film industry just wasn't for me. I knew I needed a change. So, I decided to switch my major to Public Relations and Advertising. This was the best decision for me, and I have loved every second of studying in this field. It has allowed me to be creative and logical. It's allowed me to explore my creativity in ways I never thought were possible. I found that drive and sense of purpose again. I found what I was meant to pursue professionally. However, I was still missing a part of me - a hobby.

In switching majors, I also switched colleges within the university. I went from the College of Computing and Digital Media to the College of Communication. With this change came new classes and new opportunities. Some of those were within the new Sports Communication major. This brings us back to my original sentiment about taking Sports Photojournalism last year. This is where I found my new passion and began to fill the void that film instilled in me. I have always been a sports fan and have always loved photography, but I had never thought to combine the two before taking this class. My professor, Robin Hoecker, has been my biggest supporter in my sports photography career, and she constantly pushes me to refine and fine-tune my skills. I am forever thankful for her knowledge and dedication to helping me succeed even after completing the course.

After taking this class, I continued my pursuit of sports photography. My work was recognized by The DePaulia, DePaul's student run newspaper, and I began to work for them as a sports photographer. I've photographed countless soccer, softball, and basketball games. I've photographed a boxing match. I've photographed the 2019 and 2020 Women's Big East Tournament. My work continued to be recognized, and I won 1st Place in the Sports Photo Category for the 2019 Illinois College Press Association Awards. To this day, I'm still humbled to have my work be seen so highly by others.

Photo Courtesy of Alexa Sandler

But, awards and games aside. I have truly found something that I love. Everytime I get assigned to a game, I get that "kid in a candy shop" feeling all over again. Sports photography ignites something within me that is indescribable. Walking through the media entrance at Wintrust Arena, picking up my credentials, walking through the tunnel that the players come out of, and stepping onto the hardwood with my camera in hand is a surreal experience. It is a dream come true. I feel part of the action when I sit on the baseline taking pictures of posterizing dunks. When I look back on my images, and see that I got the shot, I feel like I won the lottery. Sports photography has truly brought me so much joy.

What is it really like to be a sports photographer? Well, it's kind of one of those things that you just have to experience to really know what it's like. When I am photographing a game, I feel more immersed in the sporting experience than ever before. I weirdly feel like a part of the team. I feel a sense of belonging and comfort. I feel important.

Although I don't intended to pursue this as a full-time career, it will still be a part of my life regardless. Some passions just aren't meant to be turned into careers. I learned that the hard way with film. I plan on pursuing a career in sports and PRAD. This is what I am meant to do. Sports photography will be a part of me no matter where I end up. The happiness it has given me is irreplaceable. Sports photography went from something I had never thought of doing to something I can't live without.

Photo Courtesy of Alexa Sandler

What is your passion?