Jean Fruth
Jean Fruth is a photographer who captures the heart of baseball and its communities, celebrating the game’s power to connect cultures around the world.
Heavy Hitter
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Pro Sports Photographer
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Game Changer
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Heavy Hitter • Pro Sports Photographer • Game Changer •
More about Jean
One of MLB’s and NFL’s preeminent photographers, Sony Artisan of Imagery Jean Fruth has built a career documenting America’s favorite games. After capturing the attention of Major League Baseball and the National Football League with her front page-worthy shots, she spent a decade covering the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, and San Francisco 49ers. Who would believe she started her career shooting her son’s Little League games?
In between pro seasons, Jean found herself chasing baseball, covering the Caribbean League in winter months, then traveling with La Vida Baseball, a digital media company that tells the story of Latino baseball across the US and Latin America. Jean soon became the Baseball Hall of Fame’s traveling photographer, adding a contemporary voice to the museum's rich history in an effort to attract a younger audience through social media.
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Together with her partner, former Baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson, Jean formed the non-profit organization Grassroots Baseball, to promote and celebrate the amateur game worldwide and encourage interest and participation at the youngest levels. She documented their journey in a series of books, starting with Grassroots Baseball: Where Legends Begin (2019), Grassroots Baseball: Route 66 (2022), and her most recent, Grassroots Baseball Women: See Her Be Her (2024). Jean made her film debut between World Series 2024 games 2 and 3, when MLB Network premiered her documentary SEE HER BE HER, following the lives of several women who are playing the game at its highest level in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan, South Korea, Cuba, and Uganda.
Speaking Topics
Sports
Culture
Watch Jean in action
Presentations
Inside America’s Favorite Pastime
As one of the few women to cover the Majors, Jean Fruth has brought a fresh perspective to America's favorite pastime. Drawing on her extensive interviews with baseball legends, the all-women league that inspired the film A League of Their Own, and the trailblazers of today, she paints a vivid picture of the sport's rich history and exciting future.
Grassroots Baseball
Grassroots baseball captures the thrill of your first glove, the pride of wearing your team’s jersey, and the joy of belonging to something bigger. In this behind-the-scenes look at baseball worldwide, Jean Fruth and life and work partner Jeff Idelson share unforgettable stories and images—from young players discovering the game to Hall of Famers in action—celebrating the sport’s heart, passion, and timeless spirit.
Sports Photography 101: From Grassroots to the Pros
What goes into making an iconic picture? Whether you are shooting the World Series or a Little League game, the goal remains the same: to make startling, unforgettable images, full of energy and light. Sony Artisan and leading MLB photographer—one of only a handful of women to break through—Jean will share her insights on what constitutes a great picture and how to shoot one.
“Baseball is a sport of failure, so it's character-building. It gives players a stronger skillset for going out into the world."
– Jean Fruth