Cassy Athena didn't just pick up a camera and start photographing NBA MVPs.
When the 30-year-old first started shooting players during the 2011 lockout, she never imagined that her passion would evolve into a full-time job. Not in her wildest dreams did she think she'd be capturing candid moments from the likes of Nick Young (yep, that meme), Kevin Durant, LeBron James and more.
Back at Glendale Community College, the 6-foot former basketball player just wanted to command the court. However, she developed a brain tumor in 2009, which required immediate surgery. It was a tumultuous time for Athena. She didn't walk for nearly three months, let alone dribble a ball.
The recovery process served as a restart button for her.
Athena knew she loved sports and the arts. She just had to figure out how to meld the two without physically balling. It was time for her to embark on a new career trajectory. One of Athena's first gigs was as a visual-effects coordinator for shows such as ABC's "Once Upon a Time" and HBO's "True Blood." Working in television, another image-based medium, helped her fine-tune her skill set. Thereafter, it was game on.
espnW caught up with Athena to discuss how she put her dreams in motion.
Passion for photography
My father took pictures for fun, so I always a had a camera in my hand as a child. Typically, it was just a little film or disposable camera. Eventually, I started photographing the boys' [high school] team with my dad's point-and-shoot camera.
I went on to take art classes at California State University, Northridge after I left Glendale. One of my professors introduced me to the idea of combining photography and sports. He made a few of the [promo] videos they showed before Lakers games. It was a hobby that turned into a profession.
But, it wasn't a direct path. I even tried to get into fashion photography. But, I quickly realized it wasn't for me. Setting up backdrops and lighting and having to wait for make-up artists was something I couldn't deal with because by the time you get to the creative process you're burnt out.
First big break
It was during the NBA lockout in 2011. I didn't even own decent camera equipment. But, I found out about the Drew League, and I heard they didn't have a photographer. So, I showed up to the games one weekend and took photos. Then, I contacted the Drew League on Twitter and showed them the images. They hired me immediately.
Every week I was shooting guys like James Harden and Nick Young, but before they blew up. A lot of them would post my stuff on Twitter. Instagram wasn't big yet. The players would always ask me to send them pictures [directly] even though I thought some [of] my images were pretty bad.
However, the players liked them. It all just blossomed from there.
Tools of the trade
The one thing that drew me into sports photography was the fact that I didn't have to cart a lot of equipment. I have a backpack with one or two cameras and a bunch of lenses. I have a small flash I carry with me if I'm shooting at night, though most of my photos are shot with straight natural lighting. I don't use tripods. I like capturing the moment as is.
Making a name for herself
This business is all about being trustworthy and consistent. I only know when a player has a workout or an event if they directly invite me or if someone close to them invites me. The players trust me. The NBA is like a big fraternity, and it's very closed off. Once you're in the [inner circle] with one person and they are comfortable with you, then others follow suit.
The average work day
Every day is different. The summer is the busiest time of year for me. That's when I have full access to the players. They have free time and more control of their schedules. For example, just a few months ago, there were private basketball runs begin held at UCLA that many NBA players, like Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving played in. But, cameras weren't allowed. Luckily, through my relationships, the guys were like "yeah, you can come."
I was the only one taking pictures and videos. So, I would plan my day around the runs. As soon as the run was over, one of the agents would call me and say, "Can you shoot my player?"
But, I'm not just working. I'm friends with the players. I might shoot all day long at summer league then go out to a club with them at night, go to dinner with them, or hang out with their families. My day is unpredictable. There's no schedule.
Being my own boss
It's a constant grind. I'm always looking for my next gig. It's important to maintain my relationships, which have allowed me the ability to go directly through the players when a lot of the time there is protocol if you work for a company. I love being able to own all of my content, and I enjoy the freedom that comes along with my profession. There's more good than bad when it comes to being my own boss.
Favorite images
I photographed Steph Curry for Under Armour; the shoot was held in Toronto during the 2016 NBA All-Star weekend. I was with him while he was on the way to a mall appearance, but the traffic was crazy, and there was a blizzard going on. Steph and his crew decided that we were going to take a helicopter. There were only about five people on the aircraft including me, Steph, his wife Ayesha and security.
When we landed, and before we got into the car, we did a mini photoshoot, a mixture of NBA superstar and a blizzard.
I began taking portraits of NBA players this summer. Being an athlete has made me love challenges, and Russell Westbrook is not known for being into sitting down and posing for pictures, so I figured I would ask him to stop and stare at my camera. He knew who I was, so he was like: "OK, I'll let you do it because it's you, but hurry." I ended up getting this cool black-and-white portrait. People loved it, and Westbrook's agent was like, "How did you get him to pose for your camera?" I started asking every player I knew to do portraits with me, and it turned into this whole thing. I've probably shot about 150 to 200 players in the past two months.
On being a woman in sports
Many of the NBA photographers are men, and I'm mostly shooting men, which is an interesting scenario as a woman. At first, a lot of people were like, "Wait, why are you here taking pictures?" They didn't want to talk to me. It took two or three years of building relationships with the players and their families to gain trust and be taken seriously. If I were a guy, that would be unspoken. I wouldn't even have to defend that part of my reputation.
My next moves
It's tough to say what's next for me because I never thought I'd be here. I never went to school for photography. Being an NBA photographer is my dream job, but I didn't know it existed. I feel like I'm being drawn a lot more towards video as of lately, which you can see with my "Thru the Lens" series on YouTube.
In the beginning, my parents were like, "You need to find a job that's more secure," and now I'm introducing my dad to Steph Curry. People want security, but sometimes you have to take risks for the ultimate rewards.
Most memorable moment
My experience as a brain-tumor survivor allowed me to give back. I was filming an episode of "Thru the Lens" on the Chicago Bulls' Justin Holiday last summer. I met his brother -- New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday -- and his sister-in-law Lauren Holiday, a former U.S. women's national soccer player, during filming. Lauren was pregnant at the time and found out she had a brain tumor. Lauren knew that I was a brain-tumor survivor and wanted to talk. It turned out that she and I had the same kind of tumor except hers was on the right side of her brain while mine was on the left. Justin and Jrue told me that I was the only person that calmed her worries. I told Lauren that she'd be fine and that she'd overcome the tumor because I was living proof.
When I found out that I had a brain tumor, I would have never thought that I would help out a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was going through the same exact situation.
