Perse pupil breaks into professional sports photography

Perse pupil Ollie, who has just finished his GCSEs, has combined his studies with a growing photography career. In less than a year, his work has led to national publication, major commissions and professional accreditation.

Ollie has built an impressive photography portfolio while studying for his GCSEs at The Perse. In a relatively short period of time, he has moved from photographing locally to working in professional sports environments and contributing to national publications.

His interest in photography began after an injury prevented him from taking part in sport. Encouraged to try something different, he started by taking photos on his phone before using a camera for the first time at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), where his photos quickly received strong online attention.

“Initially, some of my photos from RIAT went viral on social media, amassing roughly 500,000 views, and this large-scale feedback on what was my first go with a camera was incredibly motivating to continue what I had been doing. Very quickly I picked up the basics of sports photography and began to work more closely on the intricacies of photography, including my colour and post processing work.”

In the past year since starting photography, Ollie has received a number of notable recognitions. He won the Cambridge Photography Competition, with his images displayed at Cambridge Train Station, and has more recently been shortlisted for World Young Rugby Photographer of the Year.

Speaking on his shortlisting, Ollie said, “Rugby is my favourite sport to photograph I’ve played it for as long as I can remember and still play for the U16 As. There’s a physicality and emotion to it that I find endlessly compelling as a subject: relentless action, dynamic movement, collisions, and raw expression all in a single frame. To be recognised in that category specifically means a great deal, especially given the global nature of the award and the fact that this is my first time entering a competition at this level.”

One of Ollie’s proudest accomplishments was being commissioned by The Cricketer magazine, where he had the opportunity to cover a full summer of professional cricket. Ollie said, “It’s a completely different environment to anything else I’ve shot. The photographers I was working alongside are among the best in the world at what they do.”

He added, “What I hadn’t expected was how much it would change me as a photographer, not just behind the camera, but in all the invisible work: the culling, the editing judgment, the captioning, the file management under pressure. Within a few days I had developed more than I had in the preceding months combined.”

“The experience itself is genuinely surreal. The scale of a Test match, the crowd, the atmosphere, the weight of the moments elevate everything you’re shooting, and the photos you come away with reflect that. As a cricket fan first and foremost, it was some of the most extraordinary time I’ve spent doing the two things I love most simultaneously. I’m enormously grateful to have had this opportunity at this stage of my career.”

Alongside his external work, Ollie has contributed to photography within the school, which he credits with helping his development. “The Perse has been incredibly accommodating of my photography journey and has provided many opportunities. The varied nature of the sports played at The Perse has allowed me to build a diverse set of photographic skills while continuing to improve. It was the School that put forward my images from a school cricket game for publication, and that has opened so many doors for me. I am incredibly grateful to everyone involved.”

Looking ahead, he plans to continue his cricket coverage over the summer, as well as undertaking documentary photography on a school trip to Iceland. He is also working towards further opportunities in editorial and agency photography.

Congratulations to Ollie on all of his achievements. We look forward to following his continued progress in photography in the years ahead.