Meet Canyon McCarty | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Canyon McCarty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Canyon, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
One of my main habits I’ve adapted is just being laid back and going with the flow. You can’t control everything. Whether it’s technical difficulties, the client (mainly children), or the weather, not everything is going to go perfectly according to plan. It’s super important to keep a cool, level head. With that you also have to think on your toes and adapt to the situation. I love to think of solutions to a problem and work with what I’m given.

Maybe it’s switching from strictly posed photos to candid shots to keep kids entertained, maybe the planned location has bad lighting and so we bite the bullet and go somewhere else that looks great on camera. If the wether is bad, I’ve found it’s best to embrace the storm and you’ll get some dynamic photos out of it.

Being calm and flexible in stressful situations, really puts the client at ease. They trust my input, trust my process, and end up with photos they love and cherish at the end because of it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think my creativity sets me apart from others. Obviously every photographer is a creative and has creativity, but I really enjoy getting into conceptual ideas with my work. When it comes down strictly to business work. I just try to capture the client’s day in a real, raw, and beautiful way. I want to have a positive impact on whatever event they are capturing in photos.

I’m most excited for an art show I have coming up this next year at the Burlington Art Center in Iowa. I’ll begin planning shots in the coming months, doing the shooting in the fall, the editing in the winter, and printing and show prep in the spring. I’ll post the show date to my social media when it is officially set.

I think I got to where I am today by trying to be creative everyday. Whether it was shooting a photo every day for a year, or just trying to think a creative thought each day. It’s never easy to pursue a creative career, but you just have to push through the tough days and find a balance in your day to day life.

The story to how I got into wedding photography was because I wanted to make a lasting impression on the day that stays with people for the rest of their lives. I want to help people navigate the chaos of the day, give them assurance and confidence, and most of all deliver them pictures to cherish that memorialize the day for them for the rest of their lives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I don’t do specific itineraries, but if you come to Keokuk IA, we do have a few awesome spots, some are outside of town but no more than 10 minutes away. I’m super into vintage mopeds, so if we’re doing any traveling it’s gonna be on one of those. This area has a lot of beautiful roads to ride that are best viewed from a bike.

For food and drinks in town there’s Rascal’s Pub, Kayvan’s (get the Dody burger), The Cellar, and Angelini’s. Outside of town there’s El Camino Real in Hamilton IL, and Fat Jimmy’s BBQ in Montrose IA.

There’s a rad arcade joint called Joystix in town that serves some great pizza along with pin ball. And 2 winery’s about 30 minutes outside of town. You can get all your tattoo needs taken care of about 15 minutes away in beautiful Montrose IA at Montrose Classic Tattoo. Mainly, we really just enjoy nature and the mighty Mississippi.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I honestly have the best mentor and support system you could have. My buddy Doug Ewing of Doug Ewing Photography has mentored me and has been there for every question I’ve ever had in this business. He’s a solid dude and a solid photographer, I’m very grateful for him and his guidance.

My family is an amazing support system. My mom, grandpa, brother, sister, girlfriend, and many more have always supported what I’ve done. They encouraged me to quit a corporate job, and go full time with my passion, which has now become my career. I couldn’t imagine it any different now, and I’m so thankful for all of their love and support.

Lastly, I think my community deserves a shout out. My area has given me some great models for my creative work, and they are also the reason I stay busy with professional work. I definitely owe so much to this wonderful small town.

Website: canyonmccartyphotography.com

Instagram: @canyonmccartyphotography

Facebook: Canyon McCarty