Posted by SMAD September 21, 2007
Story by EMILY LODSUN

HARRISONBURG, Va.- Casey Templeton, 23, is a 2005 graduate of James Madison University’s School of Media Arts and Design program and a successful photographer.

Templeton realized his natural talent and love for photography in middle school, when he found his stepfather’s camera and began using it constantly. All throughout middle school he continued to develop his skill outside the classroom and with his family, his first subjects.

Once he got to high school, he decided to submit some of his work to in competitions, winning numerous awards. In 2001, his senior year, he won the prestigious national first-place title in Josten’s Photo Contest, with a prize of $1,000.

By graduation, Templeton had been head of the school yearbook for two years and head of the yearbook photography staff before that. He also landed his first photography job, as a sports shooter for LifeTouch.

Deciding on JMU for college, he immediately found out about SMAD, and he knew it was a perfect fit for him. “I loved how I could dip into each of the concentrations of the major while only being a print journalism student,” he said. “It was a great way to grow more well-rounded and still improve on my photography.”

Learning digital video editing, writing, web design and other media skills, he was still able to practice photography through it all. His only photography class was Tommy Thompson’s photojournalism course, which he preferred over all the others.

Templeton did most of his work on his own -- various projects outside school whenever he had free time. He also spent his time at school working for JMU’s photography services.

He began his first professional internship as one of three photographers for Staunton’s local newspaper, the News Leader. He was sent on many assignments, sometime more than once a day. “It was a little overwhelming sometimes,” he said, “but I learned a lot. It was basically sink or swim. I got thrown into the world of photojournalism.”

His other JMU internships were as a photojournalist for the Roanoke Times, a one-week stint at the Washington Times and a three-month assignment as a photographer for National Geographic.

Working at "Geographic" was a lot different than the other internships. While it offered many more opportunities, he had to step-up the level of professionalism considerably, as the bar was set high. But he loved the experience.

Templeton also traveled a great deal while in school, which afforded many opportunities to photograph diverse and beautiful places -- Hawaii, Europe and the breadth of the U.S., with his grandfather.

In 2005, he was awarded the distinction of College Photographer of the Year, along with placing in many of the contest's subcategories. That same year he graduated from JMU with a SMAD degree in print journalism.

After graduation, Templeton began his career as a freelance photographer, which he still is. He has worked for a great many well-known newspapers, such as The New York Times, and has been assigned such stories as the Virginia Tech shooting aftermath.

“Working for myself is so much more gratifying,” he said. He enjoys the freedom of having the time to photograph on his own and pursue his own projects. He also appreciates having the free time to spend with his family and wife, whom he wed in June.

His family and faith in God inspire him and his work. In fact, his favorite photo subject is his family, because “you have a really good chance of photographing people being people. It’s been the best practice and still the most enjoyable thing.”

He also said he loves photographing weddings, which he is currently doing in the Rockingham County area. “I’m a hopeless romantic,” he said, plus his freelance status "keeps me close to home.”

He is living in Harrisonburg until his wife finishes grad school in May. They plan on moving elsewhere after her graduation, and he plans to enter the advertising field. He'll continue using the multiple skills he learned in SMAD. That includes continuing to develop and update his personal website.

He feels blessed with the life he's been able to lead and has faith that his future will be just as good. “They say you never work a day in your life if you are doing what you love.”

Asked what advice he has for future graduates, he said, “Pick a long-term goal of where you want to be, and take baby steps. Don’t expect that you’re going to reach it with your first job, or your first assignment … Find a job that will help you grow in your profession and use that as a steppingstone to get to where your end result is. Stick to it, and don’t start focusing on money, because then you’ll forget what you’re passionate about.”

For a man so young and already successful, he remains humble in the glow of his family and faith.

His latest published work will appear in an an upcoming edition of National Geographic. Or visit his website, www.caseytempleton.com