Camille Simmons: From Fencing to NFL Sidelines | Direct Elimination Ep. 11

🎙️ EPISODE 11 – CAMILLE SIMMONSThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.Hosts Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart sit down with Camille Simmons — junior national champion and NCAA Division 1 Athlete turned professional sports photographer — to trace how a fencer’s mindset translates to Professional Photography and high-stakes creative work. From first picking up a camera to shooting the Houston Texans, Camille walks through the habits, resilience, and anticipation skills that fencing built — the same skills she now uses to capture game-defining moments.You’ll hear:Origin story: how fencing started and what early training looked likeTransition to photography: picking up a DSLR, learning fast, leveling upLanding with the Houston Texans: breaking in, first opportunities, building trustWhat it’s like working with an NFL team: pressure, timing, and sideline executionThe Why Behind the Win: how motivation has evolved from proving herself to mastering the craftAdvice to her younger self: how to handle uncertainty and chase growthIt’s Just Like Fencing: direct carryovers from strip to sideline — anticipation, footwork, and composureOne-Light Answers: rapid-fire fun to closeIf you’re an athlete looking at life beyond the strip — or a creative chasing the next level — this conversation is a playbook for turning preparation into performance.⏱ Timestamps00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:57 – Camille introduced 00:04:16 – Origin Story 00:17:12 – Pivot to photography 00:19:16 – First camera & learning curve 00:22:48 – Teaching herself: “I would YouTube how to use my camera…” 00:33:20 – “What is it like working for the Houston Texans?” 00:48:15 – “If you could give yourself any advice ten years ago…” 00:56:37 – Segment: It’s Just Like Fencing 01:04:40 – Segment: One-Light Answers 01:11:58 – Closing💬 Key Quotes"The community that you get from fencing is insane""Fencing provided me with a strong backbone and work ethic"Camille Simmons Photography Socials:Website: https://www.camillesimmonsphotography.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camillesimmonsphotography/🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@csimmonsphotographyThis is a podcast about passion. Fencing For A Purpose is a non-profit organization founded by 3 young fencers to share their passion for fencing with communities that would otherwise be underserved by the sport. The organization has engaged many high school fencers across the country with the intent of giving back and paying it forward, with officers all over the country. They run camps for underrepresented community members, tutor international fencers in English, raise money and donate gear in order to support grassroots clubs that need funds in order to provide a better experience for their fencers. Website: https://fencingforapurpose.org/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencingforapurpose/GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fencing-for-a-purposeThank you for listening!🔗 Check out FencR🌐: https://www.fencr.app/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app🔗 Connect with Us🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination🔗 Prieur USA🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/