Meet Brynn Johnson | Sports Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brynn Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brynn, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I decided to pursue a creative career purely on what started as happenstance. I had brought my mom’s old camera to one of my brother’s high school hockey games just to mess around with. I had never operated a camera before that moment my senior year of high school. However, minutes after shooting my first few photos, I had parents asking for me to take some of their child, and the growth of my title as a photographer began. In these moments of capturing all the action on the ice, I gained an enormous amount of support and gratitude from the parents, players, and coaches of the Quad City Blues. I had never felt like I truly belonged somewhere as much as I did with this hockey team. Spending my weekends traveling to games, getting to know the players, and watching the fast-pace environment that hockey has to offer, I can honestly say I fell in love with photography and the art of social media. This continued into my college years at Arizona State University, where I now take photos for the NCAA Division 1 Sun Devil Hockey team as well as for the ACHA DIvision 1, 2, and 3 at the university. Not to mention, I was graciously honored the invitation to photograph for the USA Hockey National Championships back in April of 2021. Without the help from everyone involved with the Quad City Blues, I would not have been able to experiment with my creative outlet or grow to my fullest potential as a sports photographer. For that, I am so appreciative that I am able to capture the moments that show my love and passion for the sport of hockey through this career in sports photography.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love
for our community to learn more about your work.
My story is slightly out of the ordinary. I wasn’t the average “camera girl” who bought her own camera when she was little and took pictures of nature on walks around the park. No. I was the girl that grew up in a freezing cold ice rink cheering on her brother from the stands. I was raised on learning the difference between “icing” and “offsides” instead of the difference between “aperture” and “exposure.” Therefore, when the time did come, and I picked up my first camera, my background knowledge of hockey helped enormously. I was able to read plays and predict the next position to place my camera in order to get the best action shots. This is what has helped me to excel in the hockey environment. However, my start as a photographer for the hockey team was anything but “picture-perfect” as being the only girl in an environment full of guys was very intimidating. I was always scared to speak up about certain photo ideas I had or things about their media that I wanted to change, because I was nervous of being made fun of by all the guys surrounding me. However, after my first big photography gig at the USA Hockey National Championships, I started to gain confidence in my work and my knowledge of the sport of hockey. I officially created my photography business in December of 2020 using my first and middle names, so that my work would always be tied to the names I’ll have for life, making it: Brynn Alyzabeth Photography.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I was to plan the perfect week for my friend, I would make sure to stop at Chop Shop for acai bowls after a morning hike to the summit of A Mountain in Tempe. I’d go shopping at the small shops in Old Town Scottsdale and then travel up the road to Fashion Square. Eating at Pedal Haus for an early dinner would be at the top of my list, as well as taking in the scenic views at Papago Park. Obviously, I wouldn’t let my friends go a week without hockey, so I would also want to make an appearance at one of the Coyotes hockey games at Gila River Arena.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am dedicating my shoutout to the Quad City Blues. This hockey team is the reason I found my love and passion for not only photography, but also for the sport of hockey. Without the parents’ constant support, the coaches’ trust in my social media management, and the players’ openness to new media ideas, I would not be the photographer I am today. Every small compliment on my pictures and every gateway that an individual on the team opened up for me developed my love for game days. This included the crazy environment of both taking pictures, updating scores on Twitter, and posting highlight reels to Instagram among other things. The open arms I was welcomed with made all the stress worth it, and it made me always want to try my hardest to post the best content for the team. None of my endeavors would have been possible without the Quad City Blues, and to them I am forever indebted!

Website: brynnalyzabethphotography.passgallery.com

Instagram: @brynn.alyzabeth.photography

Facebook: @brynnalyzabethphotography

Image Credits
Brynn Alyzabeth Photography