Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Ray.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew in a college town (University of Florida – Gainesville, Florida) and watching collegiate sports was a staple childhood memory for me. I was inspired by the Florida gymnastics team to do gymnastics. After getting a season-ending injury, I picked up a camera as a way to stay close with my teammates.
There is truly something special about giving someone photos of themselves doing what they love the most. I was passionate about capturing these kinds of images for my teammates.
I carried this passion into college with me and became a student intern with the photography department at the University of Florida. I was blessed to work with a wide variety of athletes and sports at UF. My favorite memory was capturing the Men’s Golf Team winning a National Championship in 2023.
After graduation I worked at the University of Maryland as a photography assistant. Currently I am the Directory of Photography with the University of Illinois Athletic Department.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road. Working in sports can be very demanding and challenging for a variety of reasons.
It is a very competitive industry and getting your foot in the door can be challenging. At one point in my career, I received three job rejections in one day. It can be disheartening at times when all you get back is rejections.
Another challenge of working in sports can be the schedule. You will be working long hours, travel a lot and work weekends and holidays. As someone who lived in Florida my whole life, I have loved getting to visit places. While travel is still fun, it can be tiring and learning to navigate new venues can challenge your adaptability. Working in college there are always multiple sports going on at once. Even if I am traveling with one sport, I am still coordinating multiple other sporting events at home.
The last challenge I have faced is the pressure. Especially with social media there is always this pressure to create the best images, not miss any shots and produce new content.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a sports photography, specifically working in college athletics. My current role is Director of Photography for the Athletic Department at the University of Illinois.
I am in charge of providing coverage for all 17 sports teams at the University of Illinois. This includes studio assets shoots, practices, home & away competitions, donor events and more. I elevate the brand of Illinois Athletics by providing photos that are utilized on the website, graphics, social posts and much more. Through digital asset management, I provide a timeless archive of Illinois Atheltics that can be utilized by a variety of entities. I also lead a group of seven student intern photographers.
I am most proud of how hard I work I put into my work. I would say I am most know for my gymnastics photography. My background in gymnastics has allowed me to capture unique angles of the sport. One of these photos recently won Bronze in the Worlds Sports Photography Awards competition.
What were you like growing up?
I was pretty introverted growing up. Being a photographer really allowed me to grow out of my shell. I was very athletic growing up and tried a variety of sports. Ultimately I stuck with gymnastics and was a competitive gymnasts for eight years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ashleyrayphotos.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyray.photography/
- LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/ashleychristineray
