Alisha Lovrich is the photographer for Athletics NZ who travelled with the team to capture all the special moments at the Olympics in Tokyo, the past 2 World Champs, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Working in the creative space, Alisha is a real go-getter and has created multiple opportunities for herself by leveraging her skills, continuing to train as a pole vaulter and putting herself out there ‘networking’.
We talk a lot about creating opportunities for yourself through your participation in sports and how to turn a hobby into a full-time profession.

Instagram: @alishalovrich
Website: alishalovrich.com
Alisha's artwork of Eliza McCartney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IruvX7rsBH0

Photo of Alisha on Cover Photo: Hamish Graham

Timestamps for main points:
0:00 Intro
2:27 Getting into sports & accidentally into sports photography
9:24 Making opportunities for yourself in an industry with limited openings + networking
14:00 Overcoming social pressures
16:23 Taking big chances to get ahead
19:42 Hobby to Full-time Profession – Selling yourself
27:43 Set yourself apart
32:16 Tokyo Olympics Photographer Edition
36:42 Olympic Nerves??
43:56 Favourite Athlete to Photograph
47:59 Final piece of advice
48:31 Outro

Quotes + key take aways:
“When I was going through school trying to decide what I wanted to do at uni, I actually wanted to break away from sport. I thought it’s cool to have that, but I definitely wanted to expand my horizons and not just be in a sports world”

“If I wasn’t for that [photography being compulsory in first-year design program], I would never have bought a camera”

“The work I do with Athletics [New Zealand], I don’t think there I ever a role, I didn’t fill a role, [I almost made the role]”

“You’ve almost got to treat your work like it’s sport. In sport, nothing’s going to be handed to you on a plate, and I’ve treated my career the exact same way”

“I got criticized a lot when I was going through uni from peers for spending so much time at training… But it’s so much more than just training, it’s a lifestyle thing. But me being there a lot started to help as a marketing and network thing… And I’m still getting work from being there today”

“People want to work with people they’re going to like working with, so maybe it’s because I’m not a dick!”

“I’m more nervous for the athletes, and as a fan of the sport, that’s what you’re nervous about, so I try to harness that into my work and project. Some people say if you’re too into the sport you can’t shoot the same, but I’m so thick into it, it helps me grab those emotional things”