Canadian Women & Sport
A national image library created in partnership with Canadian Women & Sport to expand the representation of girls, young athletes and coaches in sport — bringing together authentic and diverse imagery to support more inclusive communications across Canada.
Canadian Women & Sport wanted to broaden who appears in sport communications — not only girls and young athletes, but also women in coaching and leadership roles.
The goal was to create imagery that could challenge stereotypes and strengthen gender equity by showing participation, skill, effort, confidence, leadership and belonging authentically.
Rather than presenting an idealized version of sport, the project created a national image library that organizations and initiatives across Canada could use in their communications.
Created in partnership with Canadian Women & Sport, the project brought together athletes and coaches from Swim Ontario, Galaxy Volleyball and Girls Just Wanna Box.
The collaboration combined Canadian Women & Sport’s work in gender equity with The Move Movement’s documentary approach to photography and storytelling. Working directly with real sport communities allowed the project to move beyond generic stock imagery and create photographs rooted in real people, environments and experiences.
The production took place across three sessions with real sport communities: Swim Ontario, Galaxy Volleyball and Girls Just Wanna Box.
The photography followed athletes and coaches in their own training environments, combining action, portraiture, technical instruction and moments of connection.
Coaches were an important part of the project. Expanding representation also means showing women as leaders, role models and people who help girls find their place in sport.
The visual direction was designed to preserve each participant’s personality while showing different expressions of strength, confidence, learning and connection through sport.
The same collaboration also created space to look more closely at the people behind the photographs — extending the project beyond representation in imagery alone and giving audiences a deeper connection to the athletes, their experiences and the reasons they move.
Galaxy Volleyball
A shared story of sisterhood, movement and belonging. For Sarah, physical activity supports mental health and has taught her to listen to her body through injury and setbacks. For Natalie, volleyball is rooted in community, teamwork and the joy of connecting with others. Together, the sport gives the sisters a place to move, connect and belong.
Swim Ontario
Jordan and Ruby came to para swimming through different experiences. After a stroke at age two, Jordan found friendship, purpose, strength and belonging in the water. Ruby’s path has included a seven-year journey to diagnosis, changing classifications, medals and new challenges. Together, their stories show disability in sport through distinct experiences of adaptation, dedication and community.
Girls Just Wanna Box
Mahon started boxing at 10 and found a place to build strength, mental clarity and confidence. Supportive coaches who cared about them as a person first shaped an experience that goes beyond the ring — and broadens who we see represented in boxing.
The photographs became part of Canadian Women & Sport’s national image library, expanding access to more representative imagery for organizations and initiatives connected to sport across Canada.
Since then, the work has continued to circulate in different contexts — from institutional communications and programming to reports, publications and educational resources related to participation, inclusion and gender equity in sport.
The project demonstrates that representation is also a production decision: who we place in front of the camera, who we show in positions of leadership, and how those images continue to circulate afterward.
The library has continued to appear across different channels and initiatives, extending the life of the photographs far beyond the original shoots.
The photographs have been used in institutional communications, programs, reports and educational resources — demonstrating how a visual library can take on new lives after the original production.
Authentic images can expand who sees themselves in sport.