Meet Hannah. The agency founder, photographer, journalist and producer on a quest to raise the profile of women in skateboarding.
‘Everything I do falls under a mission and a message. It’s easier to talk about the things you love, isn’t it.’
Hannah Bailey is an award-winning Scottish photographer and journalist who has built a career telling stories about outdoor sports, adventure, nature and people. She’s passionate about the stories she tells - honing in on being the megaphone for people who wouldn’t typically attract as much attention. Her truest calling? Raising the profiles of women in Skate. Everything she works on follows a similar message and mission - a positive portrayal of action sports for environmental or societal good. If it doesn't do these things, she’s out.
‘When I was working in the industry early on, I noticed these gaps within the ladies side of the industry and the way it was exposed or not exposed. It was only when I switched across to the skateboard industry when I was working for DC shoes, I found there was a real lack of awareness, championing and showcasing what women in skate look like.’
Hannah’s initiation into sports photography wasn’t your typical one. She was kicked out of university and found herself at a loose end. After what she described as a ‘frantic’ Google search, she came across the concept of working seasons. Ten days later, her bag was packed and she was headed to the snow. Here, she found everything she was looking for at that stage of her life; purpose, connection with people and connection with a community. She worked in the snowboarding industry for a while before moving to Skate, which is where she noticed the true disparity between the stories told about male athletes and those told about women - so she made it her mission to change that.
This episode of Pack Heavy, Chase Light is all about doing what you love, standing steadfast in your beliefs and championing the people who deserve it the most. Watch now.
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