Meet Casey Simon

We recently connected with Casey Simon and have shared our conversation below.

Casey, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

From a very young age, I have always been drawn to capturing the moment. Growing up I would bring a camera everywhere I went. As I got older I started wanting to document moments that were special to others, not just myself. Getting to not only be a part of, but be the one capturing and documenting these once in a lifetime moments for people (a proposal, their wedding day, a newborn baby, etc.) brings me so much happiness and makes me feel so fulfilled.

I went to college in Reno, NV where I studied community health sciences. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with that, but it seemed like the “smart” choice. Over the next 4 years, I worked in so many different positions, from the health department, to being a 3rd grade teacher, to a waiter at a restaurant, even to a nanny, and nothing quite fit. I was not happy, I felt lost, they were all just jobs and nothing more. The one thing I never stopped doing that brought me so much joy was photography. It was very much a side job until I had this moment realizing that documenting peoples lives was what I was meant to do, it was my purpose. Now, everyday I wake up feeling like I have my dream job.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a photographer, I document peoples lives. I often times joke calling myself a “professional 3rd wheel”, but that is exactly what I do. I photograph a couple’s big moments, everything from the proposal, to their wedding, to the birth of a new child, to family photos as that child grows, to the addition of another child, etc. I not only get to capturing these moments, I get to witness the big moments and watch as two people grow into a family. Most of my clients start with me capturing their proposal or doing an engagement session and years and years down the road, their walls are filled with photos I have taken as they grew together and now have their own family.

I feel so passionate about what I do and I put 100% into each session, each client. I feel emotionally invested in every person I work with, every story I photograph, every moment I get to be a part of. There isn’t a wedding I photograph were I don’t cry, or a newborn session where I don’t ask to hold the baby. A lot of my clients end up becoming friends, because we connect so deeply, you can’t and don’t want to just walk away forever.

To me, being a photographer is not solely about taking pictures, anyone can do that. What makes a photographer great is being able to take photos that feel like the client. My goal with every session is to of course give my clients beautiful photos, but I want them to walk away from working with me and say “that was so much fun, I loved being in front of Casey’s camera”, and when they look at they photos they feel like them, they don’t just look like every other posed couple taking photos, it feels like them.

I am currently booking weddings for 2026 and each wedding booked has the option to add a discounted engagement session to their wedding package. I am also booking engagement, family, and senior/graduation sessions for this fall, winter, and into the spring.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I am really lucky because my dad does video production and taught me everything I know about cameras. While we work in very different worlds, I photograph private clients and he generally films for large companies, I would not be where I am without him. He has pushed me and encouraged me to take the chance with photography and pursue it, he has helped with all the backend business work every step of the way and still does, and he is my biggest supporter. Almost every post I make on Instagram I get a call from him saying something along the lines of, “that one you just posted is amazing”.

While my dad has helped me greatly, I taught myself how to edit photos and find my own style. But I think the most important skill I have learned is how to listen and make people feel seen. Being a photographer, I want my clients to feel comfortable and relaxed with me and in front of my camera. The best way to do that is ask questions, get to know them, share stories that allow us to relate and connect. I want to know who they are, how they got to this point, why do they love each other, what do they do for work, what is their favorite ice cream flavor, and everything in between. One of my goals with each session is to walk away feeling like I know these people after just one hour together. If I can do that, then the photos will reflect it. My clients will be laughing, having fun, be relaxed and comfortable, and the photos show it and turn out much better.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

A lot of people go to college, they get a degree, a good paying job, and that is success. I feel so so lucky to have parents who not only viewed happiness as success over a good job, but also encouraged me to follow my dreams no matter how crazy or uncertain they were. They helped me when I struggled financially, they encouraged me to follow my heart rather than what was the “smart choice”, they have been there supporting me and being my biggest fans since day one. I am so so lucky to have them.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All images are mine

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