A University of Maryland graduate had his bags packed to join the U.S. Olympic cycling training team when during a bike ride, a car hit him head-on. For the Fall 2025 issue of Terp magazine, photographer Stephanie S. Cordle photographed portraits of Ryan Collins to accompany the story of his comeback journey, from struggling to hold handlebars to racking up world records as an elite ultra-cyclist. Cordle set out to make striking images that would grab attention and speak to his struggle. The six-page feature delivered on the publication’s goal of connecting the UMD community and celebrating its people. Nearly 3,000 likes across Facebook and Instagram and dozens of comments lauded the inspirational story.
From the Judges
The judges recognized this series for its creative use of color and lighting to support the emotional arc of the story. Faced with limitations in documenting recovery directly, the work pivots to a conceptual approach, using gelled lighting to evoke the atmosphere of an accident scene while centering resilience. The bold, visual treatment enhances editorial impact and strengthens the magazine presentation.
