From collection Person List
Brenda Lee Allen is an award winning sports photographer specializing in the sport of Professional Rodeo with the emphasis on Team Roping in later years. Her introduction to photography came in the late 1940’s when her parents gave her a “Brownie Hawkeye Camera” as a birthday present; she has been involved in photography ever since. In 1978, she gave up a promising career as an elementary school teacher to pursue a career in professional photography. Having already established herself as a serious amateur photographer she went about learning all facets of photography including working as a studio photographer as well as a darkroom technician in Philadelphia PA., while working toward her Bachelor Degree at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. She had already photographed many professional sporting events such as professional Baseball, Football (Photographing the first NFL American Bowl Game between the Chicago Bears and The Dallas Cowboys in London England), Hockey, the Indianapolis 500, and even more exciting in 1989 being hired to photograph the start of the CART Long Beach California Grand Prix from the pace car. However, it was photographing her son and his friends playing high school football that she decided photography would eventually become her vocation rather than her avocation. Allen’s career in Rodeo and recording images of our Western Heritage got its start when she began photographing her husband, a PRCA tie down roper and his friends. She discovered her love for the fast pace action and excitement of Professional Rodeo. It was not long after that that she applied for and received her PRCA card. Recognizing her talent was none other than Jack Roddy, Dale Smith, and Dick Yates who recommended Allem for her card. Allen has achieved many first in her career as a professional photographer; in 1980 Allen was the first women to win the ProRodeo Sports News “Best Action Photos”, and her first silver buckle, sponsored by Frontier Airlines at the time. In 1981, she was selected as the first women to photograph the action in the arena at the National Finals Rodeo. She was subsequently selected for this honor a total of five times. Allen’s talent was once again recognized in 1983, by being chosen to photograph the action at President Regan’s Invitational Rodeo in Landover, Maryland. In 1988, Allen had the unique honor of being selected to shoot the action at the USA vs. Canada Rodeo at the Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada. Allen’s photographs have appeared in many national periodicals and newspapers. In 1988, Horse & Rider Magazine recognized her work as one of the top 10 Rodeo Photos that year. Over the years, Allen has supplied still photographs to all major television networks ABC, NBC, CBS, as well as the BBC, CBC, and ESPN. Her images have also appeared in many major ad campaigns for various businesses. Allen’s work is also represented in public and private collections throughout the world.
