Sam Fahmi — Sports Photography, Film to Caffenol & Learning Photography the Unconventional Way
The moment before the moment. Sam Fahmi from the right spot at the right time. Photo Credit: Sam Fahmi Photography. Used with permission.
Sam Fahmi started with a Kodak 110 camera and an allowance he had to ration for film development. Today he’s shooting OSU football, the Columbus Crew, and professional soccer from the sideline, and he once developed film with coffee grounds.
In this episode Sam breaks down his unconventional path from a Canon Rebel bought on an Andre Agassi endorsement to shooting professional sports in Columbus, and shares the advice he gives every photographer trying to earn their place in a new room: don’t be a jerk, keep shooting what you love, and the rest follows.
Why It Matters
Sam didn’t have formal training, a journalism degree, or connections when he showed up to his first Columbus Crew game with a camera. He had curiosity, consistency, and the good sense to accept mentorship when it was offered. That combination got him on the sideline, kept him there, and built a reputation that now precedes him in every photography room in Columbus. For anyone trying to break into sports photography, Sam’s path is the blueprint.
About This Guest
Sam Fahmi is a Columbus-based sports and wedding photographer who shoots OSU football, the Columbus Crew, and the Columbus Fury, among other assignments. He started with a 110 film camera as a kid, taught himself the craft through reading, experimentation, and mentors like Greg Bartram, and has been a fixture in the Columbus sports photography community ever since. He’s also a former managing editor for several photography websites and runs his own studio at Studio 79.
Sam’s Bonafides
“
Keep doing what you like, what you enjoy, and you’re gonna grow into that and make a space for yourself. And most of it has nothing to do with skill. Don’t be a jerk.
”— SAM FAHMI, SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER, STUDIO 79Hear This Episode
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Episode Timestamps
Your ZoomPod — Exit Ticket
After this episode, you'll know:
- Why showing up consistently and accepting mentorship early builds a career faster than raw talent alone
- How digital photography accelerates the learning curve that film photography teaches you to respect
- What it means to read the game before you raise the camera, and why that separates good sports photographers from great ones
- Why attitude and humility in the photography room matter as much as the images you make
Gear & Affiliate Links
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Check out our other great podcast episodes. Link and follow for more great learn-photography content: IG @tvcommandomedia | FB @ZoomWithOurFeet.
Sam’s story started in the stands. Then someone with a credential waved him down to the sideline and everything changed.
Stop Shooting From the Stands →BUILD NOTE: Full transcript pending paste-in from Buzzsprout.
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