Rugby Photos Inspire Graduate's Career in Sports Photography

Watching England's Red Roses compete in the Rugby World Cup didn't just inspire Annabel Lee-Ellis to pick up a camera—it inspired her to join the game itself.

The recent photojournalism graduate returned home after university looking for a fresh project. Energized by the Red Roses' success, she joined the Oldershaw Valkyries, a women's rugby team on the Wirral playing in England's lower divisions.

Lee-Ellis didn't come to play, though. She came to document.

"I quickly felt that I was part of the team, even though I wasn't playing," she says. Armed with her Canon cameras, she captured training sessions and Sunday matches, building a documentary project that showcases grassroots women's rugby in all its muddy, powerful glory.

The 23-year-old photographer grew up around sports photography. Her father works as a professional news and sports photographer, and his stories from the field sparked her interest at age 15.

She studied photojournalism at the University of Gloucestershire, choosing the program because she believed it was the country's best for her field. The degree covered everything from live events to commercial work, but sports photography remained her passion.

Why This Inspires

Lee-Ellis's project highlights something often overlooked in sports coverage: the joy and community of amateur athletics. The Valkyries represent a diverse group of women who support each other on and off the pitch, demonstrating that elite competition isn't the only story worth telling.

Her work proves that inspiration works both ways. The Red Roses inspired her to join rugby, and now her photographs inspire others to see the beauty in grassroots women's sports.

While documenting her local team, Lee-Ellis continues building her professional career. She's photographed top athletes in venues like Tokyo's Japan National Stadium, collecting what she calls "a collection of memories" rather than chasing one standout moment.

Her dream assignment reflects where it all started: covering the next Women's Rugby World Cup in Australia.

For now, she's exactly where she needs to be—on the sidelines of Sunday matches, camera in hand, capturing sisterhood one frame at a time.