Denver Media Day Photos

Project Title: Denver Media Day Photos

Client: University of Denver Athletics
Role: Director
Project Type: Promotional and Social Media Photos

Overview:
Conceptualized and directed a bold portrait series featuring Denver Pioneers student-athletes captured against dramatic black backgrounds with strategic red lighting accents and atmospheric smoke effects. The vision centered on portraying each athlete as a powerful, dominant presence through carefully designed key and fill lighting that sculpts dimension and intensity. These high-impact images serve dual purposes: providing the athletics department with premium promotional and social media content while offering athletes professional portraits they can use for personal branding and their own platforms. The aesthetic elevates the student-athlete experience and creates a consistent, striking visual identity for the program.

Execution:
Collaborated closely with a professional photographer, Dave Pavlina, through multiple pre-production meetings to align on creative vision, technical execution, and lighting design. Coordinated the photography sessions by integrating them into each team's existing media day schedule, ensuring minimal disruption to athletic programming while maximizing participation. Managed logistics across multiple teams and timelines, working directly with the photographer to maintain visual consistency and quality standards throughout the entire shoot. The result is a cohesive library of powerful athlete portraits that function as versatile assets across marketing channels and personal use.

Deliverables:

• Images displaying student-athletes intense, focused nature

• Cutdowns for each player on rosters