Anna Bourget ’26: Embracing Photo Opportunities with the Portland Sea Dogs

Anna Bourget ’26 followed an interest in photography to Emmanuel College. Now she’s creating lifelong memories while building a portfolio from behind the camera. 

A communications major with a minor in photography, Bourget was recently hired by the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) to capture finish line photos at the Boston Marathon. This summer she’s living the dream as an intern for the Portland Sea Dogs, the AA affiliate of her beloved Boston Red Sox.  

All of this comes two short years after Bourget began building her professional portfolio from the sidelines with Emmanuel College athletics; first as a volunteer and later as a work-study student. A lot has changed since then, and she credited the opportunities and support she found at Emmanuel for helping to lay that foundation. 

“I think just being at a smaller school, there’s much more room for opportunities to shine,” said Bourget. “Everyone had a lot of faith in what I could do, and I really appreciate that.” 

These days it’s the Sea Dogs putting their trust in Bourget, as the primary gameday photographer to capture the feel and excitement of the ballpark for the team’s website and social media. 

It’s a wide-ranging assignment that includes a mix of pregame pageantry, surveying hardball action from the dugout, and sampling the fan experience from the bleachers or behind home plate. Reporting directly to the Sea Dogs Vice President of Communications and Fan Experience, she’s learning behind-the-scenes essentials of being a team photographer, both through hands-on experience and by working alongside a former Sea Dog intern who now works for the league.  

“They really let me take the reins, that’s for sure,” said Bourget.  “It's fast-paced and a quick turnaround environment, but…there’s always something fun.”

Getting Started in Photography    

The internship is a homecoming of sorts for Bourget, who discovered a love of photography while growing up in Maine. She took photography classes in high school and senior photos for friends, and decided that would be her focus in college.   

Boston was her target destination all along, and the college search for all intents and purposes ended shortly after arriving at 400 The Fenway for a campus visit.

“I knew right away this was it, because it’s right in the heart of Boston, but with a close-knit community feel,” said Bourget. “I knew that's what I would be getting.”

As someone aiming to work in sports media, Bourget chose the communications major to build a deeper understanding of the industry and its mediums. She supplemented that with a photography minor, which brought greater technical knowledge and compelling photo assignments that helped her grow as an artist.

“All of my classes really mesh together very nicely,” said Bourget. “It’s the best of both worlds.”

Experience was another vital component. A huge sports fan, Bourget decided that would be her area of focus. The next step was building a portfolio; she started as a first-year student, volunteering to provide photo coverage for all Emmanuel lacrosse home games. 

It’s a role she embraced wholeheartedly, and the results impressed Emmanuel’s Director of Athletic Communications David Rixham. He hired her for a new work-study photographer position the following year, and she’s been a difference-maker there ever since. 

“I cannot say enough good things about Anna and her contributions to our department,” said Rixham. “It's safe to say that the level of messaging and promotion that Emmanuel Athletics does would be impossible without Anna's assistance.”

Rixham added the new position after being approached by Bourget and fellow shutterbug Anna Majowicz ’26. The initial expectation was that they’d provide some photos for the website, slideshows, and occasional social media post.  

“The two Annas” --as they are known in EC athletics circles-- far exceeded that baseline, providing bandwidth to add media days for all of Emmanuel’s athletic teams, photo coverage for almost all home games, and a dramatically increased presence on EC Athletics social media. It was a great opportunity for the photographers, which greatly benefited the athletics program as well. 

“I have been beyond blessed that these two are a part of my career and the Emmanuel community,” said Rixham. “They have revolutionized what Emmanuel Athletics can produce because of their hard work and dedication to spreading the message of Emmanuel and Emmanuel's student-athletes.”

Connecting with the Sea Dogs and Boston Marathon  

Photographing EC athletics has been a mainstay for Bourget, but she’s also expanded her network off-campus. 

Armed with a year’s worth of EC athletics photos, she applied for an internship with the Sea Dogs last spring. She didn’t get the gig-- but was invited to work a couple of games that summer by her future supervisor.  

“It was amazing, better than I could have imagined, and it definitely made me want it more,” said Bourget. “When the internship was posted again this spring, I applied and was pretty optimistic, based on what I had done there before.”

Bourget’s drive to embrace opportunities also landed her a spot at the Boston Marathon finish line, as one of a handful of photographers hired by the BAA, which organizes the annual race. 

That story began a few months earlier, in the Sports Management course taught by Emmanuel Lecturer Dan Holbrook. A longtime fixture in the Boston sports scene, Holbrook knows the importance of networking, whether it be through internships, shadowing someone on the job, or just having a meeting to pick someone’s brain. 

Bourget was there when Holbrook invited students in the class to get in touch if they need help networking or wanted to discuss career goals. Bourget took him up on the offer, and Holbrook remembered it when he heard the BAA needed quality photographers. 

“She made a point of reaching out to me, and by doing so, her name was top of mind when the marathon was coming up,” said Holbrook. “It was perfect timing for her.”

Holbrook followed up by asking Bourget if he could forward her portfolio to the BAA. They loved her work, and soon she was hired. 

“I am forever indebted to him,” said Bourget. “He told me it was no big deal, but it was the biggest deal to me.”

Holbrook said Bourget really deserves the credit, for stepping up to make connections in the world of sports. 

“What she did is a model for what all students should do, in terms of getting to where they want to be after school,” said Holbrook. “She did a great job of putting herself out there.”

The marathon itself was an amazing experience. She had full access, from the press room to the photo bridge above the finish line. It was fast-paced, intense, and utterly unforgettable.

“It was so incredible to be sitting right there at the finish line and watching those runners go by,” said Bourget. “I definitely cried multiple times that day.”

Future Plans 

Bourget will be with the Sea Dogs through the end of summer and plans to continue working the sidelines of EC athletics during her senior year. Her dream job is to be a staff photographer for the Boston Red Sox. In the meantime, she plans to continue networking, building her resume, and taking great sports photos. 

 “I love capturing all of the emotions that come with sports, whether they be good or bad,” said Bourget. “You never know what you're going to see at a game, and that keeps me coming back.”