Lauded Sports Photographer Jean Fruth speaks at Lone Tree Arts Center

From World Series winners to baseball dreamers, Jean Fruth has not only seen it all, but she's also captured it on camera. Fruth is a professional sports photographer and one of the few women covering Major League Baseball.  As a woman in a predominately male industry, Fruth has experienced the pains of breaking through glass ceilings.

"In the early days, I was many times the only woman in the photo wells and you know that had it's challenges. But, the great news is today we're seeing more women in the photo wells, more women on the sidelines, and more women in sports photography. We're seeing team photographers that are women and wire photographers and it's really an exciting time," Fruth said during CBS Colorado Mornings at 9.   

Sports is particularly difficult to shoot because of all of the quick action. Fruth has perfected the art of getting the shot within the action.

"Any athlete repeats themselves, like they do the same thing over and over again. They catch the ball the same way. They throw the ball the same way. They kick the soccer ball the same way, so my advice would be the more you know the sport the more you know the athlete the more consistently you're going to get the shot. So, knowing your sport," Fruth explained. "And, you know, gear makes a big difference. Gear matters. The cameras that I have… I shoot with a Sony camera that shoots 30 frames per second, so that makes me look like a genius. And now there's a camera coming out that shoots 100 frames per second, so i would say to get the best gear that you can get for your budget because it does make a difference in capturing that fast action."

She's recently published a book called "Grassroots Baseball," which is an in depth look at how love of the game can bring people from all socio-economic groups together.

"When I travel and I shoot the professional game around the world, I also shoot the amateur game, the grassroots game. It's my favorite part of the game. It's before contracts and money. It's for pure love of the game, and that to me is the joy. So 'Grassroots Baseball', my first book 'Where Legions Begin,' I connected with Hall of Famers… Baseball Hall of Famers and asked them if they would tell their stories growing up playing baseball in their early years and tied it with these grassroots images. And, that's how Grassroots Baseball began and came about. And after that, my second book was through my not-for-profit Grassroots Baseball, is now a not-for-profit, and that was along Route 66, when i tied in all the Americana and spent 3-years along Route 66 documenting the game and documenting the Americana," she said. 

Fruth is in Denver to speak as part of the Changemakers Speaker series at the Lone Tree Arts Center. The Changemakers Speaker series is new to the center. It's designed to bring together great minds to discuss their lives and work. This first series is featuring three female photographers who have documented the world in distinctive ways. Fruth's lecture is titled "From Sandlots to Stadiums" and will focus on the role of women in baseball.

"Women aren't new to baseball. The door has opened and closed for us many years throughout history. But now the door is blown off the hinges, and we are making headlines every week.. on the field, off the field, around the globe so I'm really excited to talk about women and baseball at the theatre tonight. I'm excited to be at that beautiful theatre," Fruth said.

LINK: Changemaker Speaker Series at the Lone Tree Arts Center

"From Sandlots to Stadium", Jean Fruth will be speaking at the Lone Tree Arts Center on Friday, January 19, 2023 at 8 p.m.