Why I Started a Photo Management Company
You might be wondering what photo management is. I was in the same boat for a long time. As a professional photographer and someone who loves to take pictures, I spent years organizing my own photos. For over a decade, I’ve also created photo books for my family and friends. After years of procrastinating, I finally worked my way through my parents’ prints and photo albums. A family member encouraged me to explore this path as a career, but it took me a while to find the right name for it until I discovered The Photo Managers. I started working with Cathi and her team, and I haven’t looked back since.
I have been a professional photographer since the 1990s, but if you ask my childhood friends, they would tell you that I always had a camera in my hands. I began my career as a music photographer, but around 2001, I found a passion for storytelling through images. This passion led me to attend graduate school for photojournalism at the University of Texas, where I sought to engage with my subjects and share their stories. It was during this time that I began photographing The Texas Rollergirls. For over a decade, I followed them around the world, capturing bouts and tournaments, which culminated in the publication of my first book, *Texas Rollergirls: Flat Track Derby*. The book was successful enough to lead to a second edition titled *Rollergirls: The Story of Flat Track Derby*, which remains my pride and joy.
In graduate school, I also started working in the film and TV industry, where I honed my skills in organizing and editing images. This became my main photography niche for many years. However, as the industry in Texas began to slow down over the past few years, I knew I needed to find a new source of income.
Having always loved storytelling through photos, I brainstormed ways to make a living doing what I enjoyed. When my uncle suggested I look into a career in photo management, it struck a chord with me. I have a deep appreciation for family and have been telling my own family’s story through photographs for years. I realized that if I was good at it for my family, why not extend that to others? That’s when I found The Photo Managers, which felt like a perfect fit. I dove right in, excited about the prospect of helping others manage their ever-growing photo collections.
Today, it’s much easier to digitize old prints and restore faded images. For families with extensive collections, converting them to digital formats makes it simpler to pass them down to future generations. My work doesn’t only involve printed photos and memorabilia; I also organize even the most overwhelming digital photo collections.
Another wonderful aspect of this industry is creating photo albums and slideshows. This is where true storytelling shines. I enjoy not only crafting complete legacy books but also creating albums for specific family members, time periods, or special trips and events. I can even design slideshows for weddings, graduations, or memorials honoring lost loved ones. I cherish the book I created for my dog, Jack; it brings me immense joy.
All of this work brings me so much happiness. I am honored when people let me into to learn the story of their family when it brings joy to remember or even sadness to think of a lost loved one or a hard time in life.
