Studio Stories

Traveling Alabama Photographer Makes Team USA for the 2026 World Photographic Cup

Dec 09, 2025

International Photographic Competition Judges should NOT continue reading 57 countries are participating in the highly anticipated international event This post may be updated in December and New Year's Day. MONROEVILLE, ALABAMA – Monroeville photographer Corey McDonald recently won a spot as a finalist on Team USA at the 2026 World Photographic Cup, to be held in April, 2026 in Reykjavík, Iceland. McDonald’s image “The Dive,” ...

Starbuck - A Story of Hello and Goodbye

Sep 02, 2025

Routines It would be time to wake up. There was no need for an alarm clock – my internal clock always wakes me up around six o’clock in the morning. I’d roll on over and grab my phone to check the insane number of emails I get during the night, check the time, then spend fifteen to twenty minutes scrolling social media to see all the good news, bad news, and really dumb stuff available. After fifteen minutes, I’d hear the inevitable click-clack, click-clack of ...

So...about my phone

Apr 21, 2025

If you've tried to call me sometime in the last couple of years and never heard back—first of all, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t ignoring you. I just didn’t know you called. Seriously. Somewhere along the way, my phone stopped doing the one job it’s supposed to do—ring. Calls were either going straight to voicemail (with no voicemail showing up), or just ringing endlessly with no answer. And on my end? Crickets. No missed call, no notification, nothing. Just ...

From Behind the Shutter to the Front of It

Apr 08, 2024

For years I’ve preached the importance of portraits, any kind of portraits, hanging on the walls of your homes. I’ve explained how it boosts confidence and speaks volumes of the love and memories you share with your family. They affect self-esteem and create an insurmountable value that only increases over time, unlike a car or a cell phone that depreciates the moment you purchase them. I can confirm the above because I’ve lived it. I never had portraits made growing ...

The Importance of High School Senior Portraits

Mar 20, 2024

As graduation approaches ever-closer, parents and seniors alike embark on a journey of reflection, anticipation, and celebration. Amidst the flurry of preparations for the next chapter, one tradition stands out as a timeless rite of passage: high school senior portraits. Let’s explore why parents should prioritize booking senior portraits for their teens, with a focus on fostering confidence, nurturing self-esteem, and celebrating our Christian values.Fostering ConfidenceThe teenage years ...

A Good Death

Feb 01, 2024

A Good Death A gold medal? I’ll take it! The results of the International Photographic Competition didn’t turn out the way I wanted – but I’m in good company! I got to sit and watch with old friends, new friends, and some of the best photographers and artists in the world. Out of how many entries did my artwork make it to the top eight in the United States? I’ve heard mixed numbers so I won’t repeat them. I came home with a Gold Medal in ...

When should you have your senior portraits made?

Nov 15, 2023

Coming from a studio that specializes in, first and foremost, High School Senior portraits, I’m naturally going to tell you, “NOW is the PERFECT time for your senior portraits!” Right? How could I not? Let’s be real here, when you have your senior portraits made, it needs to be when YOU love them the most. Okay, so what does that even mean? Let me go off on a tangent. My favorite time of the year is fall and winter. So what looks better, fall or winter? Fall ...

What do guys need to wear?

May 08, 2023

I’m going to talk about something that guys don’t really want to hear but it needs to be talked about anyway. What are you wearing? Don’t laugh. Ok, laugh. I am. But seriously, when we’re talking about portraits, there are a few do’s and a few don’ts. For example, do bring plenty of outfit choices, even if your portrait session only has two outfits. Don’t come in short-shorts and flipflops, especially if we’re in the ...

Shaking in my chair

May 01, 2023

I am very much overwhelmed at the moment. Amid the chaos of reassessing my studio and rebranding from the ground up, the Master Photographers International announced today the top winners of the International Imaging Competition for 2022 (last year’s entries). I want to first of all say that God gets all the glory and praise for this. Without Him, nothing about my career would be possible. It’s hard, sometimes, to make art and continue to provide for myself and somehow, God ...