We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sydney Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sydney below.

Sydney, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I first picked up a camera when I was in middle school. I started photographing my friends’ sporting events and posting them on social media to share with families and athletes. The more I did that, I knew I found something I loved but never thought I could make a living doing it. I didn’t pursue photography naturally in college. I majored in Sport Management at Cazenovia College and with encouragement from my professor, Dr. Trachsler, I was able to obtain photography related internships all while completing my degree. My internships were some of the best experiences I had in college because they helped me understand that there was a way into a creative profession without having a specific degree in the arts. I constantly emailed colleges that were within driving distance of Cazenovia to try and obtain credentials to help build my photography portfolio, specifically in sports. Many rejections later, I was finally able to photograph my first Division I athletic event. I took all of this experience and made the decision to move to Virginia Beach, where I found many new and exciting opportunities in sports. My bravery and persistence pushed me to reach out to the Norfolk Tides to see if I could photograph some games for them and they were kind enough to bring me in! Since then, the Tides have been a huge part of my career and have helped me become a better photographer. Because of these experiences, I was able to land my full time job at Christopher Newport University as their sole Staff Photographer. The beauty of photography as a profession allows for a unique journey in creativity, which is so special to me and is something I am exceedingly grateful for. What I’ve learned is that there is not always one clear path to the place you are striving to reach. I would not change any of my successes or failures along the way because I know I’ll get to where I want to be through my consistent hard work and determination.

Sydney, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hey! I’m Sydney! I’m a sports photographer originally from upstate New York but currently working and living in Virginia Beach. I work for Christopher Newport University full-time as their Staff Photographer and part-time for the Norfolk Tides as a Team Photographer. The Norfolk Tides are the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, so having the opportunity to work for them and cover so many of baseball’s top prospects that come through Norfolk before making it to the big leagues has been an amazing feat. The Tides hosted the International League playoffs in Norfolk and I was able to cover all 3 games. They won the series and I was allowed to be in the locker room for the champagne celebration which was one of the biggest highlights of my career. The photos I captured throughout that series and celebration I note as some of my best work and I am forever grateful to have been a part of such a major accomplishment for the team. One of the things I find most noticeable in my work is how I highlight the team’s colors to make them pop and stand out from the other sports teams I cover. Having this type of differentiation on my social media platforms allows specific posts to catch the viewers’ eye as they scroll. In my first year at Christopher Newport University I had the opportunity to travel to Indiana with the men’s basketball team for the Division III National Championship. The team won the game on a jaw-dropping buzzer-beater and the atmosphere was extraordinary. Being able to cover the team winning was an amazing experience and the photos I captured are something that I will cherish forever. My job isn’t all about attending and photographing games while the athletes are playing their respective sports. I also love doing media days with teams. I get to see the athletes banter with each other in a setting that isn’t as serious and that lets their true selves shine. Media days also allow me to get more creative with the shots I take, like bringing in different colored lights, trying different poses that the teams and I come up with collectively, and even using props; anything goes! I’m proud to cover all of the athletes and am always welcoming new opportunities to see how I can evolve as a photographer and mentor.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I use Instagram as my primary platform for my work. I faced a major setback two years ago when my account was hacked and I lost all access to my posts and the followers I worked to gain over time. Fortunately, I was able to gain back followers on my new and current account, which has been more successful than my previous account ever was! I’ve started to capitalize on Instagram’s collaboration feature in many of my posts. It allows me to collaborate with the official accounts of teams and athletic departments, specifically at Christopher Newport University. When we collaborate, it allows people who don’t follow me and and wouldn’t necessarily see what I post get a glimpse into my work through the collaborative post. I think that is very beneficial for the growth that I am seeing in my Instagram presence. Instagram also allows me to see where some of my new followers come from and how they found my account. For example, when I receive new followers, it will tell me that they’ve found me because of a specific post I made, typically due to a collaborative post, which I have found to be so helpful in making my presence even bigger. Instagram specifically is always changing what drives viewers to an account, whether it be hashtags used in posts, music, or reels. My account is constantly evolving, so I like to change my style of posting as well, whether it be creating photo carousels, collages, cover art photos, GIFs, etc. Switching it up from time to time keeps my viewers on their toes and potential followers intrigued by my styles and allows them to see the wide range of what I am capable of doing. My biggest piece of advice for people who are new to bringing their business to social media is to never feel like they have to stick to one style of post or one way of captioning photos. Social media is always changing; why not adapt to its ever evolving dynamics?

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I’ve always said that someday I’d like to work with a professional sports team or in a Division I athletic department, whether it be specifically with a team or covering multiple sports for the same university. I love what I’m doing now but my ultimate goal is to shoot solely athletics. I’m trying to perfect my craft at this point in my career to hopefully put my work in the hands of someone who can help me reach that milestone. I am constantly reaching out to people I know in athletics for advice and additional work, even if it’s just for fun. Building a network and making new connections are what will help me get my foot in the door. I am also working to diversify my portfolio. I never know what type of event I may need to cover or what type of studio portraits I may need to take, which is why I have made it my goal to learn more about using the studio to try new things, stay creative, and learn new techniques. Everything I’m doing now will hopefully lead me to where I want to be someday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sydneysmithphoto.weebly.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ssmithphoto_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydneysmithphotogrpahy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneysmith-/
• Twitter: https://x.com/ssmithphoto_
• Other: Gondola: https://gondola.cc/sydneysmith