Kriti Mehrotra
As a Gotham Chopra and Liam Hughes’ directorial living up to its title in every way conceivable, Netflix’s ‘Aaron Rodgers: Enigma’ gives us an insight into the life and career of the titular athlete. That’s because it comprises both archival footage as well as exclusive interviews with not just the quarterback but also those close to him to explore who he really is. Amongst those to thus feature in this original production was actually his close friend and photographer Ryan West.
Ryan West Has Often Been Aaron Rodgers’ Rock
While it’s unclear precisely when Ryan first came across Aaron, it does appear as if they started out as professional acquaintances and then evolved into friends over the years. The truth is that the former is a professional photographer while the latter is a professional football player, so it was likely during practices before games, shoots, or sponsorship events/shoots that they got to know one another. However, it was to such an extent that they grew to genuine care for one another and their well-being, which means there is significant trust between them too.
In fact, when Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into his first game with the New York Jets in 2023, Ryan changed his plans altogether to be with him at every step of the way for his recovery. According to the aforementioned documentary, Ryan had plans to travel to Paris and stay there for a few months so as to expand his professional wings, yet he chose to stay behind to help his friend. Whether it be Aaron’s initial trip to see his doctor, flights to specialists, rehab, or subsequent journey to Peru for ayahuasca, Ryan was by his side every step of the way as a true friend.
Ryan West is Flourishing in His Career
Although not much is known about Ryan’s early years, upbringing, educational qualifications, or past experiences, it is safe to assume he has had an interest in the art industry from an early age. After all, per the Netflix original, he has had a camera on him for years, so he has been capturing memories for others and himself for potentially the better part of his adult life. Nevertheless, it was seemingly only around the 2010s that he went public with his passion and turned it into a full-fledged career by taking up every opportunity he got, no matter how small it may seem.
Whether it be travel shoots, weddings, portraits, nature, architecture, or aesthetic shoots, Ryan has truly done it all over the years before suddenly finding himself amongst the football crowd in the 2020s. However, it’s evident through his social media platforms that he is not interested in limiting himself or putting himself in a box by just doing one thing, so he is still embracing every chance he gets to capture memories from behind a camera. Most recently, it appears as if he did indeed take that trip to Paris, France, all the while seemingly planning to turn the photos he took of his friend Aaron Rodgers during his recovery journey into a photobook. From black and white to vibrant colors and from people to emotions, Ryan appears to specialize in everything, making it clear he is great at his craft because he genuinely loves every bit of it.
Read More: Jordan Russell: Where is Aaron Rodgers’ Childhood Friend Now?
