Trey Mena discovered his interest in photography and content creation during his sophomore year of college. Growing up in San Diego, California, Trey remembers quickly falling in love with basketball and embarking on a journey of his own playing the sport. It was during his freshman year playing at Trinity International University though that he confirmed his desire to pursue a career beyond the court. It was only up from there. Determined to find career opportunities that allowed him to remain close to the game of basketball, Trey transferred to Baylor University and immersed himself in the world of coaching and player development. After becoming a student manager and practice player for the men’s basketball program, Trey decided to pick up a camera during his sophomore year and explore the world of sports photography. The rest is history. In his junior year, Trey was hired as a photographer for Baylor Athletics and officially began his journey in digital media and creative storytelling. This was just the start. The following year, he dove into the world of content creation and player branding through his work with the men’s basketball program. Upon graduating from Baylor, Trey moved to New York where he began freelancing and collaborating with an array of organizations in the sports industry. He hasn’t looked back since. Currently working with the Detroit Pistons as a producer & editor, Trey is excited to continue capturing moments, telling stories of the game and its culture, and sharing players’ stories authentically and creatively both on and off the court.
Let’s dive into your journey early on! You mentioned you went from playing the game to being in the world of sports photography and content creation. What was that transition like for you?
It was interesting. It was fun. Part of it was like: “Dang, I wish I was still playing.”—that'll never go away. But I think since I played, it gave me a perspective of the game that some other people might not start out with when it comes to looking for what moments to capture or being in the right place at the right time (for the shot). You know, knowing how a play is gonna develop or where to be looking when someone is coming off a back screen or whatever. It was a really dope way to stay connected with the game of basketball. I would say (that transition) was an interesting journey, but definitely a fun one.
You also touched on your work with Baylor’s Athletic Department as well as their men’s basketball program. How did those experiences help prepare you for the next step in your career as a creative in the industry?
Very specifically, I learned how to pull content quickly. More broadly, I learned more about the business side of it and how it's not all just “do whatever you want.” There’s a lot more to it and a lot of intricacies that don't necessarily meet the eye of where to be. You know, do you get a floor spot? Do you not get a floor spot? Who owns the rights to the content? What music can you use? What branding do you have to put on it? I learned (about) all that kind of stuff that you don't necessarily think about when you’re first starting out in this world.
After you graduated from Baylor, you moved to New York and started freelancing. As you began to build your personal brand, what were some challenges that you faced early on and how did you work to overcome them?