10/09/2026
**Long post**
Looking back 25 years ago, October 2001 was when I first picked up a camera and started my journey into photography.
And let me tell you something. I learned pretty quickly that photography is about a lot more than just picking up a camera. You must learn mechanics, the lighting, the film, and everything else that goes into creating an image.
But over these 25 years, one of the biggest things I've learned is that our job as photographers is more than taking pictures. It's about capturing memories.
I've photographed weddings, parties, church services, corporate events, products, people, animals, plants you name it, I've probably photographed it.
And sometimes, when we're taking pictures, we don't realize just how important those images are going to become.
There's one wedding I photographed that has always stayed with me. I took a picture of a gentleman who later passed away. The bride was so grateful that I had captured that moment with him.
And that really puts things into perspective.
As photographers, we sometimes make a point of photographing the older family members at weddings. We know that time is precious, and we want families to have those memories to look back on.
But sometimes, life takes an unexpected turn. We photograph someone young, someone who we think has their whole life ahead of them, and tragically, they pass away much sooner than anyone expected.
And those photographs? Sometimes they're all the family has left to hold on to that moment.
That's the power of photography. We freeze a moment in time that people can come back to long after that moment has passed.
Over the years, I've had the opportunity to photograph so many different people, events, and experiences. I've even photographed some big names in the church world, and some of those individuals are no longer with us.
But the memories are still there. The photographs are still there.
And I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to capture those moments.
So, this month, I'm celebrating 25 years of photography. Twenty-five years of learning, growing, making mistakes, improving my craft, meeting people, and being trusted to capture moments that mean something to somebody.
I might not remember every single shot I've done over the years, but the beautiful thing is that I've captured so many of those moments through my camera. And now I get to look back and share some of that work with you.
You'll see some weddings, some church events, some portraits, and other projects I've had the privilege of working on throughout my journey.
And as I look ahead to the next 25 years, I'm excited about what's coming for Lyonsphotography. We're looking forward to growing, expanding what we do, and helping inspire the next generation to pick up a camera and discover what photography can mean to them.
Because at the end of the day, we're not just creating pictures. We're creating something people can hold on to.
I'm Kajuan Lyons, lead photographer at Lyonsphotography, and I want to thank everyone who has trusted me to capture their memories over these past 25 years.
Here's to the next chapter.
And thank you for attending my TED Talk!
