Madeleine Penfold is a visionary photographer/director with a passion for capturing the immense potential of sports to achieve social change. 

Mads tells powerful stories authentically, creating portraits and films that engage audiences and feel alive. She is now one of the most recognised photographers operating in the world of sports and storytelling.

Growing up, Mads didn’t see people like her in mainstream media and noticed how alienating this was for peers who also didn’t fit the narrative. After teaching at an American summer camp, she saw how some images perpetuate cycles of exclusion, whereas others foster a sense of belonging and confidence.

With over 15 years behind the lens and despite rapid changes across the industry, Mads believes this is still true, especially in the world of sports. Her mission is to create work that encourages people to put their energy into pursuing passions, not repressing them. Ultimately, image shapes perception, and sport shapes culture. This is why sport has the immense potential to achieve social change.

From documenting the rise of women’s football to interviewing leading athletes on sensitive subjects - her most recognisable work has been devoted to giving women’s sports the platform it deserves. She has photographed global campaigns for the Women's World Cup, Pepsi, New Balance, and more, working directly with talents such as Mary Earps, Simone Biles, and Marcus Rashford.

Mads' projects unfold important narratives that inspire progressive change through a positive lens for local and global communities. Most recently, she held a solo exhibition with Hillary Clinton at New York's Christie's to showcase the power of women in sport and host a discussion asking, “What next?”.

Recent projects include:

• Launching the Women’s World Cup for the BBC with a powerful line-up of well-known figures such as Alex Scott and Gabby Logan. 

• Billboards across Australia celebrating the Matildas greatest players for the Women’s World Cup.

• Nike’s first campaign in Saudi Arabia encouraging girls participation in sports.

• Telling the stories of Lucía Garcia and Laia Aleixandri for the Players’ Tribune on sexist controversy in the Spanish national team. 

• A campaign for the first-ever Lion’s women’s rugby tour displayed across famous London Landmarks. 

• A documentary on Bury Football Club to expose the financial mismanagement and spark conversation around the importance of protecting football communities.

• A documentary on professional Gambian football player, Ola Buwaro and her club, the Red Scorpions, highlighting severely limited resources, gender inequities between men and women as well as between countries. 

• Working closely with McLaren to build the presence of female racing drivers and women in F1.  

Ultimately, Mads wants to platform stories of change and this extends to within her industry. Caring deeply for every project she touches, her collaborative nature means she strives for an equally representative and inclusive visual landscape, both in front of the camera and behind it.