Behind The Camera With Madeleine Penfold: Stories That Transform Sport

Photographer and director, Madeleine Penfold.

Madeleine Penfold

Sport is a powerful force for change, sparking conversations about equality, inclusion, opportunity, and health. It speaks across languages and cultures, often through athletes admired for their talent, grit, and authenticity. For UK-based photographer and director Madeleine Penfold, sport is the perfect lens through which to tell stories that inspire and transform.

With over 15 years behind the lens, Penfold has built a career on pushing the boundaries of how athletes, teams, and communities are portrayed, always with authenticity, intention, and inclusivity at the core. “My mission is to create work that encourages people to put their energy into pursuing passions, not repressing them,” she says.

Recognized for her collaborative approach, Penfold has worked with global brands, athletes, and organizations including Simone Biles, Lewis Hamilton, Jude Bellingham, David Beckham, the Lionesses and Nike.

But for Penfold, the end goal is always bigger than the image: it’s about rewriting the visual narrative around sport and who gets to be seen.

“We are at a pivotal moment—a time to rewrite the narrative around sport and the imagery that supports it. Critical questions need to be asked: What message are we sending? Are we truly connecting with audiences? Has the athlete’s perspective been considered? Will this resonate with the fan base?”

Connection, Collaboration And A Changing Landscape

The foundation of Madeleine Penfold’s career is rooted in a deeply personal place. “My motivation comes from not seeing myself reflected in mainstream media,” she says. Growing up, the lack of role models with different body types or those who enjoyed interests labeled as “masculine” made her question herself and hold back from the things she loved.

Her time teaching film and photography at a summer camp in the U.S. reinforced just how powerful representation can be.

“I watched how images shape confidence and participation,” she reflects. “Those who felt included thrived. Those who didn’t often withdrew from sports, and from other opportunities too.”

Experiences like these strengthened Penfold’s commitment to creating work that encourages belonging and inspires people to embrace their potential.

Bringing out the best in her projects relies heavily on collaboration. “For me, collaboration isn’t just a buzzword,” she says. “My favorite projects are the ones where I can immerse myself in a team, a club, a talent, or a movement and really become part of their world for a while. That’s when the most transformative results happen.”

Curiosity and care define her approach. “I’m always exploring new tools and formats, whether it’s motion, documentary, or film. But no matter how technology evolves, storytelling is ultimately about connection. When you’re telling someone else’s story, you’re in conversation with their life. It’s honest, it’s open. And when both people are willing, that’s when something truly beautiful happens.”

The First Nike Campaign In Saudi Arabia

One of Penfold’s most defining projects came in Saudi Arabia, when Nike commissioned its first women’s campaign in the country. The brief: capture young girls authentically across 10 sports, from skateboarding to swimming to football.

For Penfold, the assignment carried both enormous responsibility and opportunity. Girls had only been allowed to participate in school sports since 2013, and photography of women and girls in sport remained culturally limited and sensitive. “This was the first time Nike had commissioned images of young girls in Saudi Arabia participating in sport. The weight of that responsibility wasn’t lost on me,” she recalls.

To approach the project authentically, Penfold collaborated with a local art director, assistants, and authentically cast girls discovered on Instagram and TikTok. Cultural context was critical, from modest clothing requirements to issues of consent. “My opinions and approach alone wouldn’t cut it,” she admits.

Working with a group of young skateboarders, she spent time listening to their stories and brainstorming tricks to photograph. Only one spoke English and Arabic, serving as translator, but that didn’t stop the group from collaborating. After each shot, Penfold showed them the images, sparking excitement and fresh ideas. “They wanted to make each image better than the last. It became a true co-creation,” she says.

The final series captured the girls as fearless, talented skateboarders, free and joyful in their sport. Nike ran Penfold’s images as hero shots for the campaign, which also spanned running, swimming, football, dance, and gymnastics. “This project represents everything I love about my work,” she says. “It required unlearning, listening, and building with the girls, not just photographing them.”

This Girl Can Campaign: We Like The Way You Move

Another inspirational project for Penfold is her work on the recent This Girl Can campaign by the TGC Collective, which aimed to address persistent gaps in participation among women, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in the UK, South Asian Muslim and Black communities, as well as older women, pregnant women and new mothers, ensuring that women who feel furthest from getting active feel seen, supported, and welcomed.

Street-casting women from across England, the campaign celebrated everyday movement, from walks and family bike rides to pregnancy yoga and wheelchair rugby.

The message is simple and impactful: belonging starts with inclusion.

“Madeleine’s work has always been at the forefront of creating an inclusive visual landscape across mainstream media, long before brands got in there,” says Sachini Imbuldeniya, CEO at House of Oddities and Creative Director of the TGC Collective.

“She takes the time to get to the root of these communities and connect with the people in them. With the click of a shutter, she captures the natural movements of people, unveiling not just who they are but the story they would choose for themselves.”

The Changing Tides Of Sports Storytelling

“For me, the most exciting shift in sports storytelling is seeing athletes take control of their own image,” Penfold reflects. “Social media has given them a voice, a way to share their narratives directly, bypassing outdated portrayals. The themes that resonate most today are body confidence, self-ownership, expression, and the right to own your story. On the community side, it’s about belonging, acceptance, and growth. Those are the stories that truly connect.”

She points to athletes like rugby star Ilona Maher as an example of this new era: using her platform to build a brand rooted in authenticity and body confidence, Maher exemplifies how women in sport are reshaping perceptions of themselves and their sports.

Penfold also sees this transformation happening behind the camera. “There’s more diversity on the sidelines, more women creatives on commercial shoots, and younger, non-binary talent actively seeking guidance and access. That’s incredibly encouraging.”

Yet she acknowledges the challenges that remain. “Even at events like the Olympics, photography can still be very male-dominated, ego-driven, and sometimes hostile. But that’s changing—it has to.”

With the explosion of digital content and the rise of AI, the landscape is more crowded than ever. “We’re living in a world oversaturated with content, and AI adds another layer of complexity—what’s real, what isn’t. Campaigns and images that represent tangible change will stand out and become iconic,” she says.

For Penfold, it’s the authentic moments that endure: Brandi Chastain celebrating a penalty in 1999, Kobe Bryant in the locker room, the Lionesses lifting the Euros trophy.

“As AI continues to expand, the appetite for authenticity will only grow. Real stories, captured with honesty and care, will always have the most impact.”

Looking ahead, Penfold sees potential in AI to relieve brands and athletes of the relentless demands of content production, allowing more energy to be directed toward authentic, human-centered storytelling.

Trust And Connection

Madeleine Penfold is as focused on the future as she is on the present. “When I set out on my career, my ambition was to story-tell for social good,” she explains. “Early on, I had experiences that showed me the power of storytelling, through personal projects I realized that, if used thoughtfully, film and photography can create real change. Those experiences hit me deeply, and that desire has never gone away.”

Penfold’s work has reached audiences around the world. In Australia, her images highlighted athletes for the Women’s World Cup, while another campaign used London landmarks to promote the first-ever Lionesses women’s rugby tour. West End billboards showcased Red Pitch, an all-Black play exploring the lives and challenges of three young boys from a London estate through football.

In mainstream media, her work launched the Women’s World Cup with the BBC, featuring figures such as Alex Scott and Gabby Logan. She shot and captured McLaren’s F1 development program for female drivers, including Bianca Bustamante.

“These projects weren’t just campaigns,” Penfold reflects. “They reached global audiences and often marked the first time certain stories were told. I hope my images have helped people who haven’t seen themselves in sport feel like it’s a place where they belong.”

Trust and connection have always been central to her approach. “Early on, I wanted athletes to feel comfortable with me, and I think I’ve achieved that.

Now I’m asking, what’s next? With every project, I want to connect more deeply, be more honest, and create work that leaves a mark.” At the heart of Penfold’s work is a guiding principle she calls her north star: storytelling for social good.

“From the beginning, I knew film and photography could create meaningful change,” she says. “That desire will never go away. Projects that make a difference in society will always be my guide.”