Hey! I’m Corey.  This is where you will learn about me.  Feel free to skip sections, or just look for what you want.   Basically, I have 3 things to talk about:

1.  Why I’m a wedding photographer.

2.  What makes me different.

3.  What I can do for you.

Here goes…

1.  Why I’m a Wedding Photographer.

In 2007, I proposed to my super sweet fiance Ashley (who is now my wife).  Believe it or not, when she mentioned getting engagement photos taken… my response was “What are engagement photos?” and “Why would we do that?”  After she explained it to me, I reluctantly started looking for engagement and wedding photographers.

During the process, I found many websites of great photographers.  Some made me laugh, and some made me cry.  Wait a second… why in the world was I crying when I looked at pictures of people I didn’t even know?

I realized then that wedding photography is about much more than just taking pictures at a party.  It is about documenting the events and emotions of one of the biggest days of a persons life.  Those photos will tell the story of the wedding day for decades, possibly centuries to come.  Giving someone the chance to relive the love and emotion of their wedding day is so valuable.

So I emailed a few wedding photographers to tell them I admired their work.  One photographer emailed me back and said she needed a second shooter and asked if I was interested in helping out at some weddings.  I had a camera and I had taken a few pictures of people before, so I gave it a try and loved every second of it.  I ended up assisting at over 50 weddings over the next two years, and even started photographing some weddings on my own.

Over the past few years, I have thought for many hours about why I want to be a wedding photographer.  Part of it is because I just love weddings.  I also get excited about people who are in love (maybe because I am in love with my wife, and I’m sad that more people are not in love with their wives).  Probably the biggest reminder of why I do what I do is taking a look through my parent’s and grandparent’s wedding albums.  It always makes me happy to have them show me their wedding albums.  As they flip through each page, you can see the feelings from the images coming back through their expressions (even 50 years later).  If I am creating those moments for people in the future, everything I do is worthwhile.

Lastly (but most important of all), I believe that God set apart marraige as a holy gift to help individuals see Him more clearly.  I think that’s why I love photographing people who are in love.  It’s because God invented love between two individuals so that we can better understand His love for us.  So, my job helps me understand Gods love for me.

2.  What Makes Me Different.

You can ask my friends… there isn’t much normal about me.  But who defines normal anyway?  However, when it comes to wedding photography, there are a couple of main things that set me apart from other photographers.

First, I’m a young, full time photographer.  Being young has its advantages and disadvantages.  The major disadvantage is that I don’t have years and years of experience.  However, there are several advantages to being young.  One of the biggest advantages is that I keep up with new technology and styles.  That doesn’t mean I follow every trend, but it does mean that I understand where photography currently stands.  I’m not afraid to try something totally different or unique.  In fact, I WELCOME the thought of doing something unique.  It’s not unusual to see me on the ground, in a river, climbing a tree, or pulling some other crazy stunt to get the right shot.

Being full time is another difference between myself and many other young photographers.  It seems like the photography industry is currently being filled with part time photographers who have second jobs (and often that job comes first).  As a full time photographer, I am able to dedicate my time to learning my trade and serving my clients.

Another major thing that sets me apart is my dedication to learn.  I am a member of PPA and PPSC and regularly attend workshops, seminars, and meetings.  I am constantly trying to learn more about being a photographer.

Speaking of learning, I am also a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP).  And speaking of being unique, I am one of only 18 CPPs in the state of South Carolina.

3.  What I Can Do For You.

When it boils down to it, you need to know what I can do for you.  Why am I a good choice as a wedding photographer.

If you choose to hire me as your wedding photographer, your satisfaction is my number one goal.  When you hire me as your photographer, I become a part of your wedding day.  My mission is not to get a certain list of photos at any cost… my mission is to serve you (the bride and groom) on your wedding day.

You can be confident that I will deliver a high quality product when everything is said and done.  I want your grandchildren to be able to view the photos that I capture on your wedding day.

I will try to get to know you before your wedding.  I don’t want to show up on the wedding day and be some awkward person who doesn’t know anything about you.  If you (the bride and groom) have no desire to meet your photographer before the wedding day, I’m probably not the guy for you.

As a CPP, I have studied and been tested on the technical aspects of photography.  As someone who has photographed over 100 weddings, I have encountered all types of situations on wedding days.  While I can’t make the impossible happen, I will do my best to make great photos in every situation.

If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll take some time to check out some of my work.  You can find some recent galleries on my Facebook Page (click here).

If you’ve already checked out my work, and you’d like to meet me in person… please go to my contact page, and follow the instructions there!

4.  Random Facts…

• I am addicted to Chick-Fil-A sweet tea.
• I have a pet snapping turtle.
• I love hiking and camping and swimming in mountain streams.
• I had a paper route from age 15-22.
• I like to cook.
• My first camera was a Canon Rebel XT. (I now have 2 Canon 5D’s and a 5DMKII)
• I’m a PC. (don’t hate, I like Macs too… just not as much as PCs)
• I had my own web design business in high school.
• I skipped Algebra 2 in highschool and in college.
• My wife is 10 months and 10 days younger than me.
• I am the oldest of 4 children.

5.  Facebook

Anything else you want to know? Leave a comment below and I’ll either update the page or reply to your comment!