Phoenix Running Event Photography & Video | Nike Phoenix x Unlisted Run Club Project PR
Phoenix Running Event Photography & Video | Nike Phoenix x Unlisted Run Club Project PR
In March 2026, I photographed and filmed Project PR, a collaboration between Nike Phoenix and Unlisted Run Club built around a simple goal: bring runners together and give them an opportunity to chase a new personal record.
Unlike a traditional race where the photography is focused almost entirely on the finish line, this event had a larger story to tell. There was the anticipation before the run, athletes preparing together, Nike footwear and event branding, the energy of the run club community, individual athletes pushing through their efforts, and the reactions that followed.
My job was to capture that story through both still photography and video, while creating a 60-second event highlight film that could bring the atmosphere of Project PR together in one fast-paced piece of content.
Project Details
Event: Project PR
Collaboration: Nike Phoenix x Unlisted Run Club
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Date: March 2026
Photography: Sports event, running, lifestyle, branding and detail photography
Video: 60-second event highlight video
Photographer / Videographer: Paul Tumpson
Photographing More Than the Run
Some of the most useful images from a sports event happen before the competition even begins.
I photographed runners checking in, gathering around the Unlisted Run Club area, preparing their gear and interacting with other athletes before they stepped onto the track.
Those moments establish the environment around the event.
They also create valuable content for organizers and brands because they show something that a finish-line photograph cannot: the community surrounding the sport.
For Project PR, that meant documenting not only athletes running but also the people, products and atmosphere that made the event feel like an experience rather than simply another workout.
Capturing Nike Product and Event Details
Brand details were another important part of the visual story.
Rows of colorful Nike running shoes immediately created strong detail photographs and gave the event a recognizable visual identity.
Images like these are useful because a complete sports event gallery needs variety.
If every photograph shows an athlete running toward the camera, the final collection quickly becomes repetitive. Mixing product details, environmental imagery, athletes preparing and wider event scenes creates a much more versatile library for websites, social media, recap posts and future event promotion.
The Moments Before a PR Attempt
There is a noticeable change in energy immediately before an athlete starts an effort.
Some runners are stretching. Others are adjusting their shoes, talking with friends or mentally preparing for what is about to happen.
I wanted to capture those quieter moments along with the running itself.
They help tell the complete story because a personal record is not only the moment someone crosses a line. It includes the preparation and focus leading into the attempt.
The photograph of an athlete kneeling on the grass tying his shoe is a good example. Nothing dramatic is happening, but it communicates preparation immediately.
Photographing Runners in Motion
Once athletes were on the track, timing became the priority.
Running photography can look deceptively simple. The challenge is finding moments where stride, posture, expression and position within the frame all work together.
I photographed athletes individually as well as within larger groups to create a mixture of personal action images and wider photographs showing the size of the event.
That variation was particularly important at Project PR because the event was simultaneously about individual performance and community.
Each runner was chasing their own goal, but they were doing it surrounded by other athletes trying to accomplish the same thing.
Capturing the Finish
The finish is where the emotional side of sports photography becomes especially important.
One of my favorite images from the day shows two runners approaching the finish together, with one athlete celebrating as they reach the line.
Those moments cannot really be recreated afterward.
You have to anticipate where the athlete will be, track the action and be ready when the reaction happens.
For brands and event organizers, these are often some of the most valuable photographs from the entire event because they show what participation actually feels like.
Photographing the Running Community
Project PR also gave me an opportunity to photograph the community around Unlisted Run Club.
From runners gathering before the event to a large group photograph on the track, I wanted the final collection to communicate the scale and social energy of the day.
Sports photography does not always have to focus on professional competition.
Running clubs, community races, fitness events and athletic brand activations can have just as much personality and emotion, especially when the athletes are genuinely invested in what they are trying to accomplish.
Creating a 60-Second Sports Event Highlight Video
In addition to photography, I filmed the event and created a 60-second highlight video.
The goal of a short event recap is not to show everything that happened.
It is to compress the experience.
That means capturing enough variety during the event to build a sequence later: establishing shots, branding, athletes preparing, details, running action, reactions and the overall community.
Short-form event videos like this can be especially useful for social media because they allow an organization to recap the current event while simultaneously promoting the energy of the next one.
Photography and video also complement each other well during this type of assignment.
Still photographs provide individual moments that can be used repeatedly across websites, graphics and posts, while video gives viewers a sense of movement, sound and pacing that photographs cannot.
Sports Photography for Brands, Run Clubs and Athletic Events
Project PR is a good example of how I approach sports event coverage in Phoenix.
The goal is not simply to document who attended.
I want to create a complete visual library that shows the athletes, action, branding, products, environment, community and defining moments of the event.
I provide sports photography and video for athletes, teams, schools, run clubs, races, tournaments, fitness events and athletic brands throughout Phoenix and Arizona.
Coverage can include action photography, event details, athlete portraits, sponsor and product imagery, community moments, short-form social video and event highlight films.
Planning a Sports Event in Phoenix?
If you're organizing a race, run club event, tournament, athlete activation or branded sports experience, I can create photography and video coverage around how you plan to use the final content.
Tell me about the event, expected attendance, schedule, deliverables and where the photos or video will be used, and I'll help determine the right approach for coverage.
