Alex Subers ’15 – Harrington Faculty of Communication and Media

Former Philadelphia 76ers photographer talks profession, ardour, and the way URI knowledgeable his success. 

KINGSTON, R.I. – July 30 – It all began with a skateboard.

Alex Subers ’15 was initially uncertain what to check in school. What he did know was the enjoyment that got here from taking photographs of his buddies skateboarding and snowboarding.

Originally from exterior Philadelphia, PA, Subers made his means north after touring the URI campus. “I just instantly fell in love; it felt like home almost immediately,” he mentioned. The Ryan Center and the probabilities it held for his pictures pursuits additionally helped him take the leap.

During the summer season between his freshman and sophomore 12 months, Subers skilled a skateboarding accident that broke his collarbone. Instead of retreating indoors to heal, the harm revealed how a lot he liked pictures. He started taking extra photographs and determining his fashion. By the time he returned to campus, he knew he wished to study extra and enhance his craft.

“Annu Matthew taught many of my photography classes, and she really helped me refine my skills and important techniques,” Subers mentioned. “These became central as I learned about elements like lighting. If I were assigned a light shaping project for class, I would find a way to discover that through skateboarding.”

With the technical abilities below his belt, Subers utilized what he was studying within the classroom to moments he may seize on campus. He joined The Good 5-cent Cigar scholar newspaper, the place he started capturing occasions and audio system. During his junior and senior years, he gravitated towards sports activities pictures, notably specializing in basketball. It was right here that he started to hone his abilities.

“I’ve always loved basketball,” Subers mentioned. “Really, the end goal the entire time was to shoot for the Philadelphia 76ers.”

That purpose could be realized prior to he may have anticipated.

After graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a level in communications (and double minor in enterprise and pictures) Subers moved again to Philadelphia to work for a pictures firm as an affiliate producer.

“I wanted to keep shooting and missed the basketball games at URI. So, at night, I’d shoot local games at Temple University, for example. It was an opportunity for me to meet people around Philly and to continue building my portfolio,” he mentioned. “Eventually, I was able to get in and shoot for the Sixers.”

While the trail could not have been typical, Subers used his connections to make contact along with his favourite group. Knowing he had the steadiness of his day job, he went out on a limb and provided to flex his abilities by capturing video games at no cost. After a profitable draft get together shoot and 6 months of onerous work, he acquired a full-time place as content material supervisor/photographer.

Subers’ hustle and dedication to his craft had been the driving pressure behind reworking his purpose into actuality. However, it was additionally his eager capability to see what a juggernaut social media would turn out to be, past the filtered photographs of what folks ate for breakfast again in 2016.

“Social media wasn’t what it is now, which is a business. I saw it moving in that direction and realized this was going to be really important; there would be job opportunities for sports teams. At the time, it was just me, but now you look at any major sports team and there’s a staff of 20 people solely dedicated to content,” he mentioned.

The journey of a lifetime lasted six years, throughout which Subers oversaw pictures for the enduring basketball group. He continually traveled with the group, capturing highway video games, practices, occasions, and a lot extra. During his time with the Sixers, Alex was nominated for an Emmy award for capturing and producing an low season documentary about Ben Simmons and was an integral a part of the advertising and marketing group that gained the 2020 Clio award for Team of the Year.

While this step in his profession was greater than what he may have presumably imagined for himself, the rigorous way of life prompted an sudden shift. Michael Rubin, billionaire entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Fanatics, and Subers created a relationship throughout their time with the Sixers and determined it was time to group up once more and construct Fanatics’ digital presence.

Subers has held his place as Content Manager for the final two and a half years, throughout which he has overseen main large-scale occasions, together with the brand new FanaticsFest.

FanaticsFest started in the summertime of 2024 and lately concluded its 2025 conference in June. This kind of conference didn’t exist within the sports activities world in the identical means that occasions like Comic-Con cater to leisure and comics followers alike. It was a possibility to carry each sports activities league collectively and a celebration of the followers.

“The biggest athletes in the industry came to New York to be a part of this huge event, spoke on panels, and met fans. It was cool to see, but it was a lot of work. I was ready for it, though, based on my past experiences. There were around 150 content creators, including social media shooters and iPhone photographers, as well as Getty photographers. Additionally, there were around 50 videographers and 10 editors working in real-time. It was crazy!” Subers mentioned.

Subers’ work with Fanatics actually retains him busy, however his ardour merely can’t be contained to a typical work week. With over ten years of expertise within the sports activities business, he has efficiently linked with quite a few high-profile athletes. These relationships have blossomed right into a facet enterprise the place Subers is commonly contacted to help with their model campaigns. Celsius is at the moment considered one of his greatest shoppers and has labored carefully with Jalen Hurts, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jayden Daniels, quarterback for the Commanders.

When reflecting on how he has established a dream-like profession for himself, there are two key elements: the primary being specialization.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s you have to become a specialist or expert in one thing,” Subers mentioned. “At some point, you have to funnel into what you want to do and get really good at it. The fundamentals of any skill are paramount, but once you understand those, then you find your niche and grow from there.”

Second, and maybe most necessary, is constructing connections and relationships.

“If you don’t have the proper connections and relationships, you’re missing out on a lot of work. And while I know this isn’t always possible, I encourage people to make these connections by doing it for free. I would never have had my career if I hadn’t made myself available when I wasn’t at my full-time job. I still do that now! I recently took the opportunity to shoot a magazine cover in Las Vegas, and I lost money doing it. However, I now have that piece for my social media and portfolio. You never know what will come of it.”

Subers undoubtedly serves for instance of dedication and keenness as an artist. Dedicating lengthy hours, even unpaid hours, to one thing so elusive and aggressive can come at a value if “you’re in it for the wrong reasons.” It’s important to like and care about creating the very best photograph.

“There’s truly no better feeling than when you get the perfect photo,” Subers mentioned.

To study extra about Alex’s work, you possibly can go to his Instagram web page and his website.