What it Means to Belong

How a new photo mentorship program is helping young female photographers find their way.

By Peak Design

January 23^rd, 2025

Words by Brooke Warren, Photos by Micheli Oliver

Have you ever been to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language fluently? Conversations are swirling around you, people are laughing at jokes, and it’s exhausting to even ask for simple directions. You’re always a few steps behind; you are an outsider. Now imagine this isn’t temporary. Tons of people have to work harder, prove themselves time and time again, and still never feel like they’re fully accepted due to their gender, race, or other cultural or physical differences.

Roam Media Core is trying to change that feeling for women in the outdoor media space.

Mentee Taylor Amble and her mentor Emily Sierra celebrate capturing a portfolio-worthy shot of Specialized athlete Blake Hansen

This was the inaugural year for Roam Media Core, a groundbreaking mentorship program for women in outdoor sports photography. It was born out of Roam Fest, the largest femme mountain biking festival in the world. This festival promotes inclusivity in mountain biking for women with diverse backgrounds, experience, and body types. The mentorship paired six established female photographers with six emerging photographers to share insights into building successful careers in the commercial outdoor photo industry.

In September, these twelve female creatives crowded together in the backs of pickups and rallied down 18 Road in Fruita, Colorado. The excitement was palpable. After two months of online collaboration, they had finally convened to talk shop and scout photoshoot locations. As the dust kicked up in the setting sun, conversations about lighting a desert environment, networking, and location permits bubbled up. The effervescence of the moment permeated the air. For many of us, it was the first time we were connecting about photography and filmmaking without men present.

Women In Outdoor Sports Photography: The Statistics

While women are making strides toward equality in sports, the media documenting those moments still lags behind. For the first time in history, the summer Olympics had an equal number of male and female athletes. Still, only 22 percent of accredited photographers at the games were women. One in five. This gap is echoed across industries. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that less than 25 percent of commercial photographers are women, and Women Photograph estimates that women make up about 20 percent of published photojournalists. Women competed in Red Bull Rampage for the first time this year, but guess who covered the ultimate free-riding mountain bike competition for The New York Times? Two men. Outdoor sports media definitely has some gender imbalance.

“Before this, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a female media space,” says mentor Robin O’Neill reflecting on her experience. “And I’ve still never had an all-female media team, even on all-female expeditions.” That’s a bold statement from one of the most established female photographers in the outdoor sports world.

Learning skills is not the most important thing that happened in this program; it was the open, inclusive, collaborative, caring and compassionate environment.

This imbalance, however, isn’t entirely surprising. Women have less representation in outdoor adventure sports in general. Since outdoor sports media often requires that the photographers also participate in the sport, it makes sense that there is an even smaller subset documenting them. Plus, camera gear is heavy. Big production companies are more inclined to hire a 180-pound man to wield a film camera than a 120-pound woman. That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of strong, competent female athletes and photographers out there though!

Fortunately, a growing number of organizations and programs are stepping up to support women in the field. Peak Design funded the Roam Media Core, providing this unique space for emerging photographers to learn and compensating mentors and mentees for their time and expertise. Over the years, several female-focused outdoor sports workshops have emerged, both online and in person, though few have established lasting presences. Recently, Women in Action Sports Photography released a directory of female outdoor sports photographers and videographers, and it’s growing. Beyond outdoor sports photography, a range of grants and competitions support female and other underrepresented photographers, helping them gain visibility and opportunity.

Mentee Rachel Kim listens as her mentor Robin O’Neill suggests a new way to frame a subject.

Even with these opportunities, launching a creative career without a defined path can be daunting. Photography often means you’re working in a silo, rarely able to see how others do their work. Once you’ve “made it” it can feel threatening to your own success to share connections and information. Still, building community often begets more work and better work. That’s why mentorship is so valuable.

On the surface, Roam Media Core is a photo business mentorship program. Each mentee pitched and produced a photoshoot during the festival, connecting with marketing teams from big-name brands like Peak Design, Transition, Juliana, Pivot, and more. But the program’s core value went far beyond those assignments. It was about building confidence and community.

“Learning skills is not the most important thing that happened in this program; it was the open, inclusive, collaborative, caring and compassionate environment,“ says Leslie Kehmeier, one of the mentors.

Anne Keller grabs some behind-the-scenes images while others from the program team up to capture action shots during sunset.

The Value of Mentorship

I know what she says is true because many of the mentees felt safe enough to cry. It went beyond business. Some cried from frustration: they want to jump into this career but are scared to let go of financial stability while finding footing. Some expressed that pitching feels like asking for something instead of offering a valuable skill. Most of us are crippled with imposter syndrome. Being a woman in this industry is more than just hefting a heavy pack, being business savvy, or having technical prowess and a unique creative vision. It’s about unlearning. Unlearning roles and expectations we may or may not be aware of.

As a photojournalist for a decade, I did this mentorship to jumpstart my transition into commercial photography. In all my years seeking out education, I hadn’t experienced such a welcoming environment. Instead of competition, there was collaboration. Instead of critiquing our past work, we worked with our mentors to improve what we’re creating now. Instead of determining who’s good enough to succeed, we were given the tools to make it happen.

I know what mentorship has meant for me through my career and I knew how impactful it could be to have all this collaboration in one place. It’s already helping people excel, and it’s so important that that ripple continues.

Mentee Katie Lasak and mentor Leslie Kehmeier let loose during the Roam Mentorship program.

Fellow mentee Katie Lasak mirrored the sentiment a lot of us felt, “I don't think I would've been able to grow in the way I did if it were any other environment, and I especially would not have seen the growth I did if I tried to do this all alone.”

From the start, we felt like we belonged. The six mentees were selected from more than 200 applicants and were paired with mentors who became our cheerleaders and confidants. They shared their workflows, pricing strategies, networking tips, and most importantly, encouraged us to trust our instincts. It’s scary to ask certain questions, but the mentors were warm and encouraging. On topics where I’ve felt dismissed or condescended to before, here, I felt respected.

Mentor Heather Young assists mentee Colleen Meas during an interview with Sierra Nevada athlete Annijke Wade.

All-female spaces (and affinity spaces in general) tend to be less intimidating because it’s more comfortable to ask questions to people who have similar experiences to your own. Feeling safe and supported unlocks potential in ways that don't feel possible otherwise. This program did all that and it wasn’t by accident. Patty Valencia, the founder of the program, envisioned and generated a supportive space.

“I’ve been given this one shot to create something. I know what mentorship has meant for me through my career and I knew how impactful it could be to have all this collaboration in one place,” she says. “It’s already helping people excel, and it’s so important that that ripple continues.”

Many of the mentors found their voices at a time where they were the only women in their field. Anne Keller was lucky to have an editor at Bike Magazine give her a chance. Subsequently a few male photographers made themselves available as a resource. Still, most had to figure things out on their own, turning to Google, YouTube, or tangential professionals for guidance. Some mentors noted that many women in the outdoor media space have had partners who are either athletes or photographers who helped jumpstart their careers.

Mentor Emily Sierra would have loved to have a program like this at the start of her career, “I never reached out to other photographers working in the industry because I was too intimidated,” she says. Now, she’s excited to be part of this community. “All photographers work very differently, and it's helpful for the mentees to see a variety of processes,” she says.

Robin O'Niell poses for a portrait during a lighting workshop on the program.

A Call to Action

In a world that teaches us to compete, shifting from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance takes effort. Sharing knowledge can feel like giving away hard-earned resources, yet creative work thrives when we foster diverse perspectives and promote a range of voices.

Patty Valencia’s drive to create this program stems from her own experience being encouraged by mentors. “I want to help open the gate and make space; there’s room for all of us,” she says. “We can actually work together and not be afraid of competition or outshining each other.”

Including more voices requires taking risks, a risk to hire someone who hasn’t yet proven themselves and invite them into the fold. When we pair these risks with mentorship, we give people the tools to excel and build a network of support so they don’t feel like they’re lost in a foreign country. Success becomes more likely when you speak the language and you have someone who believes in you.