Ruth Ayala Terrazas ’29
Staff Writer
Since arriving on the hill, freshman Trevor Smith has showcased his talent for photographing the Holy Cross Crusaders.
What began as a personal interest in car photography quickly evolved into something much bigger after high school friends encouraged him to bring his camera to sporting events.
Since then, Smith has become a consistent presence across multiple Holy Cross athletic teams, capturing home games and team practices.
Smith, for the most part, is self-taught. He credits hours of watching online tutorials for helping him build both his technical skills and unique editing style.
“When I started, it was a lot of YouTube,” Smith said. “There are so many ‘how to edit’ videos out there. I spent months just watching content on my computer, learning and absorbing everything I could, and then took all that information and morphed it to create my own style.”
That dedication has paid off. Over time, Smith has developed a visual identity that he can immediately recognize.
“Whenever I see a photo posted on one of the many Holy Cross accounts, I know [when] it’s one of my pictures,” Smith said.
Fans see the final images on social media, but often not the precision and timing it takes to capture them. Smith relies on fast shutter speeds often between 1/1000 and 1/4000 of a second depending on the lighting to freeze action. Another camera feature is burst mode, which allows him to take up to 40 photos per second depending on the lens.
“A lot of it is [also] luck, honestly,” said Smith. “It comes down to knowing where to position yourself and trusting that you can do it.”
Smith’s work highlights a less visible aspect of college athletics: the relationship between photographers and athletes, especially during practices.
While games draw crowds and attention, practices are where athletes put in the majority of their work and often go unseen by the public. But through photographers like Smith, those behind-the-scenes efforts are documented and shared with a wider audience.
A solid photography presence at practices offers a window into the preparation, intensity, and discipline that define college athletics. Smith has also been present for some of the biggest moments in Holy Cross sports this year. In fact, his favorite photo so far came during the Patriot League women’s basketball championship.
“The photo I got of the coach [Candice Green] holding the trophy with all the confetti coming down next to President Rougeau, it’s pinned on my Instagram,” Smith said. “It’s a great photo. I just love it so much. It shows the emotion, the scene, the setting, everything.”
Moments like that do not solely live on in personal memory or social media feeds. These moments play a crucial role in shaping the identity of Holy Cross athletics as a whole.
In today’s digital landscape, visual media has become essential to how programs present themselves, connect with fans, and attract future athletes.
“If a recruit is looking at a team’s page and sees pictures of the players out there in practice, they can picture themselves out there,” said Smith. “That’s such a huge part of athletics on every level.”
For an institution that takes pride in its Division I status, that visibility is key. Not every student, alum, or fan can attend every game, but photography helps bridge that gap.
Through images, the entire Holy Cross community can still experience the energy, emotion, and achievements of its athletic programs. At the same time, student photographers like Smith are gaining valuable experience and carving out their own place within that ecosystem.
His work not only elevates the athletes he photographs but also contributes to the overall storytelling of Holy Cross sports. For Smith, what began as a simple interest has turned into something far more meaningful.
“It just opens up a world of possibilities for me,” he said.
As he continues to refine his craft, those possibilities and his impact on Holy Cross athletics are only just beginning.
Featured image courtesy of Trevor Smith ’29
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