Fox Cities News

Kenton Barber, an Emmy-award-winning camera operator, will be honored with the 2024 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Outstanding Young Alumni Award during Homecoming weekend this fall. Barber's work spans high-profile live events, including college and professional football, golf, and the Olympics.

Barber, a 2017 graduate in radio TV film from UW Oshkosh who grew up in Ripon, has always had a passion for video production. “From a young age, I had a passion for video production,” said Barber, now residing in Los Angeles with his wife Gabrielle and their corgi named Cheddar. He recalled running around his house with a Handycam as a child, making family TV shows and interviewing friends and relatives.

His early interest in video production led him to build DIY equipment with his father's help while still in middle school. This initiative laid the foundation for his successful career as a freelance Steadicam owner/operator with major clients like FOX Sports, NBC Sports, and CBS Sports. His work has been featured in multiple Super Bowls, The Olympics on NBC, Golf Channel, and ESPN.

In 2022, Barber won an Emmy for “Outstanding Technical Team Studio” for his contributions to the Super Bowl LVI pregame show.

Beth Hubbard, chair of the Department of Radio TV Film at UW Oshkosh, praised Barber’s dedication to camera work. “His expertise ensures that every action is captured with crystal clarity—the last thing any viewer wants is a pivotal moment blurred or missed entirely,” she said.

Before attending UW Oshkosh, Barber was already involved in video production at a local cable access station where he convinced them to invest in Steadicam equipment. This early experience covering high school football games provided him valuable on-the-field insights.

At UWO, Barber balanced schoolwork with freelance jobs and a full-time position at a Green Bay news station. “To say that I never had free time is an understatement,” he remarked.

Post-graduation, Barber moved to Los Angeles for formal Steadicam training and later worked as the lead daily Steadicam operator for NBC Golf Channel’s Golf Central primetime show in Orlando.

Despite his busy schedule as a network freelance Steadicam/camera operator, Barber remains committed to mentoring current UW Oshkosh RTF students through workshops and demonstrations. “I really enjoy sparking interest in the arts for the younger generations,” he said.

Reflecting on his education at UWO, Barber expressed gratitude for his instructors' support. “The professors in the RTF department want to see their students succeed,” he noted.

Andrew Smock, one of Barber’s former professors at UWO, praised him for contributing significantly to media experiences viewed worldwide. “The quality of his work has been acknowledged by the media industry," Smock stated. "I anticipate more Emmys are in his future.”

The UW Oshkosh Alumni Association will celebrate 13 alumni during Homecoming weekend on Oct. 18-19. Four will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award; two will be recognized with Outstanding Service Awards; and seven will be honored with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.