My journey as a photographer may be different from others you’ve heard. I don’t come from a long line of photographers and I didn’t discover my passion as a young boy. In all honesty, I’m just a “gadget guy” who will spend hours discovering the ins and outs of the newest technology, or anything for that matter. I graduated from George Mason University in 2001 with a degree in psychology and wasn’t exactly sure what to do with my life. Coming from a large family with a lot of kids, I thought education might be a good choice. I decided to go back to school and began teaching 1st grade in 2006. Little did I know, I’d meet the woman of my dreams in the classroom next to mine. She really was “the girl next door.”
Two years later, I moved to Arlington, VA to be closer to my soon-to-be wife, Allison. As my life was changing I decided to purchase a tiny “point and shoot” camera, the Canon PowerShot SD1000. Every now and again while playing with my camera, I’d snap a photo that gave me new perspective of otherwise typical things, and this is where it all began. Over time, I developed a passion for photography that I couldn’t ignore. I must give props to my mom, who saw this new passion and bought me my first DSLR, a Nikon D60.
Fast forward to 2010 - I was a new husband with a new home, and the desire to take this photography thing to a new level. I must admit, when I began my photography business I had no idea what I was getting into. Tackling teaching full time, with dreams of excelling as a photographer, was tough. When I wasn’t grading papers or emailing parents, I studied material from the New York Institute of Photography, poured over books and watched videos from photography gurus like Scott Kelby and Peter Hurley. I reached out time and again to experts in the Northern Virginia area, inquiring and offering to work for free in an attempt to gain experience. Len Spoden, a well-known local photographer, brought me on as his assistant for weddings and other corporate assignments. My work with Len gave me opportunities to take risks in photography; I developed confidence in my ability to work with my camera and people from all over the country.
After exploring many different types of photography, I’ve realized that what I enjoy most is telling the stories of the people and families I have the opportunity to work with. In a headshot, I want to convey who you are through your most natural expressions. In our family sessions, I aim to capture everyday moments of your family with candid and genuine photographs. Covey Photography is focused on capturing the true essence of professionals and families. Everyone has a story - I look forward to sharing yours...
