Sam took on a commission with Bristol Sport, giving him an opportunity to shadow their Creative Content Lead, Rogan Thomson.

Boomsatsuma’s Head of Photography, Sam Fordham, connected with Bristol Sports in the summer of 2023, to set up the opportunity for students to film and photograph events for some of the City’s leading sports teams. Boomsatsuma prides itself on these professional and industry networks and partnerships, which give students outstanding skills and training in the workplace.

As an avid rugby fan, Sam was delighted to start with Bristol Bears training sessions, which soon progressed to covering a European Cup game versus Lyon. Very soon, he was pitchside for Championship football Bristol City vs Watford and capturing training sessions for Bristol Rugby Ladies.

Sam said:

"It’s been a great learning curve for me, particularly getting used to the fast pace of the workflow from shooting, to editing, to images going live in social channels.

"I’m now able to select games I’d like to shoot and it’s been an incredible opportunity to work alongside a seasoned pro in such a professional environment. Rogan has been a brilliant mentor and helped me add a new dimension to my photography skills."

Rogan comments:

"Sam has brought clear enthusiasm for his craft, and stands out in a competitive market of editorial sports photographers by bringing a creative angle to his documentary style. That approach is very current and really helps to bring the audience on the journey of a professional sports organisation.

"Both personally and as a business, it is key for us to provide opportunities for students like Sam to experience our high performance world and find their feet within it as they embark on careers in the sports media industry."

This placement is just one of many opportunities at Ashton Gate for boomsatsuma students. Dan Tiley, a final year film degree student has been employed by Bristol City to cover matches and, in March, college students were tasked with photographing the Ashton Gate Schools Summit, organised by the West Of England Combined Authority (WECA).