BUFFALO, N.Y. (NCC News) —A viral photo from the Olympics has brought attention to a gender disparity in sports photography.
According to data from Zippia.com, 62 percent of sports photographers are men, while 38 percent are women.
The photo in question shows a majority of men among the photographers in the bleachers. Rebecca Torncello, a sports photographer from Buffalo, expressed disappointment but was not surprised at the image.
There’s a lot of women out there who are amazing at their jobs and deserve to be photographing major sports events,” Torncello said.
Torncello shared that she often feels undervalued in her role. “They’re like, ‘Stay off to the sideline, you’ll get hit.’ And it’s actually like well, I’m here to photograph the sport and the athlete and I’m here knowing that intense things are happening, and I’m here to showcase that.”
Despite the negative impact of the photo, Torncello found it motivating. “It makes me want to work harder to prove people wrong that women can also be in the field.”
Torncello remains committed to her career and advocates for a more inclusive future in sports media.
