Students in Fayetteville-Manlius High School’s photography classes recently had the opportunity to meet professional sports photographer and F-M graduate Ben Girardi during a special virtual visit arranged by teacher Brittney Culican.
Girardi was Culican’s first AP 2D Design student back in 2008. His journey into sports photography began close to home, shooting snowboarding photos with friends at Labrador Mountain. That early passion eventually grew into a career capturing the action and beauty of sports. After graduating from F-M, Girardi went on to study photography at Rochester Institute of Technology. He now lives in British Columbia and joined the students via Zoom to share his experiences.
During the presentation, Girardi discussed the ups and downs of sports photography, how he composes images using light, and the unique challenges of working in remote backcountry locations. He gave students an inside look at a career that combines creativity, technical skill, adventure, and perseverance.
The virtual visit gave students across the photography classes a valuable opportunity to learn directly from a professional photographer and see how a passion that started on the slopes can grow into a career.