College Wrestling Photography

College Wrestling Photography

Author: Steve Brazill May 5, 2022 Duration: 42:51

A few days ago Jeremy Lanthorn (@Snackem on Twitter) sent me a guest suggestion:

@stevebrazill check out @LeviVentura_ and this shot of @GableSteveson at the NCAA wrestling tournament. Would make a great BTS episode.

I get a lot of guest suggestions, and while I reach out to most of them, many never answer back. In this case, I replied to the tweet, Levi Ventura answered back almost instantly, and here we are with a new show.

I wasn’t familiar with Levi before this, but I hope more people will be after this show. Levi Ventura is a 22 year old college student majoring in graphic design. He has only been working as a freelance photographer & videographer since 2019, but since that time he has been creating content for Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs’ social media. Ranging from high school sports to the NCAA, this young creative has been creating such fantastic work in a very short period of time.

Along with a clear passion for sports photography and video, Levi has also been focusing on working with small businesses and brands to help provide quality content for their social media sites. Based on looking through his site, I’d expect big things from Levi to happen quickly.

His client list already includes names like Asics and USA Wrestling, and it’s his NCAA wresting work that really jumps out – yes, a jump joke for today’s image.

Join photographer Levi Ventura and me as we explore his composite image of Gable Steveson doing his famous backflip, after winning his final match at his last NCAA wrestling tournament, on this Behind the Shot.

Connect with Levi

Portfolio: levivphoto.com
Instagram: @leviventura.photo
Twitter: @LeviVentura_
YouTube: @LeviVentura
Vimeo: @LeviVentura

Levi’s Photographer Pick

Tony Rotundo: @tonyrotundo.waw on Instagram


Steve Brazill hosts Behind the Shot-Video, a series that goes far beyond gear lists and camera settings. Each conversation is a deep exploration of the creative and technical journey behind compelling images. You’ll hear working photographers unpack the entire process-from the initial spark of an idea and the challenges of the location to the critical decisions made in post-production. This podcast sits at the unique intersection of art and practical technology, offering tangible lessons for anyone looking to improve their visual storytelling. Rather than abstract theory, these discussions provide a real-world look at problem-solving under pressure and the artistic choices that define a signature style. Tune in for honest, detailed breakdowns that reveal how memorable shots are truly built, layer by layer. It’s an essential resource for visual artists seeking both inspiration and actionable knowledge, all grounded in the lived experience of accomplished creators.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Behind the Shot - Video
Podcast Episodes
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In the time I have been doing photography there have been a few names I seem to have always been aware of, and one of those is Ron Clifford. When I receive an email from our mutual friend Rick Sammon introducing us, and…
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Duration: 1:04:12
For each episode of Behind the Shot I write a post with some information about my guest. I usually use a combination of the guest’s bio, along with pieces of info I gather through research, to try and give a bit of insig…
Capturing the Moment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
When I book a guest for Behind the Shot I usually have an idea on how I will describe them, but sometimes that is a bit more difficult. Let’s take today’s guest, Atiba Jefferson, for example. Atiba is perhaps best known…
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Duration: 53:54
One of the most enjoyable aspects of doing the Behind the Shot podcast is the wonderful artists I get to meet. All are photographers that I truly admire, and that I am inspired by. Hand-in-hand with that is the way that…
Toy Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:28
I had not heard of Mitchel Wu until my friends at Platypod mentioned him to me, and that surprised me. I don’t want that to happen to you, so I am introducing you to some of the most playful work you’ll ever see. His wor…
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Duration: 1:12:37
I have known of Joel Grimes for as long as I have been involved with photography. Joel is one of those artists that can be described as a “master of their craft”, and that skill has earned him the rare designation as a C…
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Duration: 57:36
I have met more photographers through Twitter than any other platform, and Jeff Harmon is one of those photographers. The wonderful part about Twitter to me is that I can reach out to people I might have never met before…
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Duration: 57:10
www.samhaddixphotography.comwww.facebook.com/samhaddixphotography I will never forget the night I met Boston based pet photographer Kaylee Greer. It was at Photoshop World 2019 in Las Vegas, and the first night they had…
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Duration: 51:15
Sharing your work online has never been easier, but so many sites take your beautiful images and compress them beyond recognition (I’m looking at you Facebook and Instagram). When Don Komarechka and I were looking at pla…

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