We recently connected with Morgan Cowperthwaite IV and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

If I could go back years and tell my past self what to do, I’d tell myself to jump into the creative sphere even quicker and to really take it seriously. I’ve been a hobbyist photographer for over a decade, yet I’ve reached a point in my life where I have a business that specializes in several sectors.

One example of this is selling prints. I sold my first piece just in this past year, and I think that if I started an actual print store earlier, I would’ve sold many more. The same goes for photographing events, shows, etc. What I’m shooting now may have been doubled or tripled depending on how seriously I took it earlier on. I was doing small shoots here and there for pennies on the dollar, and although building a photo business has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, I never took it seriously enough to build anything early on. Some advice to others: just do it.

Morgan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a freelance photographer and videographer based out of Charleston, South Carolina. I’m currently a senior at the College of Charleston, with a major in finance and a minor in history. When I’m not in classes, I’m either taking photos of the beautiful Charleston landscapes, or I’m photographing the local real estate. Back in January I started a real estate media business, specializing in professional listing photos and videos. Although it took awhile to get going, I’m proud to have a consistent and growing client list of realtors who repeatedly come back to me for media.

For over a decade I took photos and videos as a hobbyist photographer – I was making a few bucks here and there off odd-jobs and shoots, but in the past year or two I’ve grown my business and found my niche that really helped me grow and expand. The thing I’m most proud of is the gallery of images I’ve built in the last few years, both photographs taken here in the US and overseas.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My creative journey is driven by one thing: creating memories. This is something I’ve said for years and will continue to do so. A camera has a very unique ability: it can capture any scene you want, and allows you to unleash your creative side to create anything you want. I can freeze a scene from a vacation, a beautiful sunset, or a unique event that will never happen again, and I can look back at that photo in twenty or forty years and remember exactly where, when and how I took it. I document everything, so if there’s ever a reason to look back through my gallery to remember something or reminisce about the good ol’ days, I can do so.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a photographer is having the ability to show others my work, whether that be friends, family, or complete strangers. I post most of my art to Instagram and my website, and I’m very fortunate to be able to show others what I do, especially when it comes to work I’m most proud of. I feel I have a very distinctive style that separates myself from others, and I’m happy with how I’ve grown as a creative artist over the years.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.morgancivphoto.com
• Instagram: @morgan_civ
• Youtube: @morgan_civ