The story of Ryan Sawyer Photography...
My love of photography goes back to my teenage years. I remember asking for cameras for my birthday, and even loved using the disposable cameras, then having to wait to find out how they came out because you have to drop them off at the local photo center. Then came technology and relationships, and my dream of photography was pushed to the wayside. At the age of 25, I got pregnant and had a beautiful baby boy named Ryan Adam. If you knew my son, he had SO much hair, so you can imagine I had A TON of pictures and videos on my phone. Unfortunately, my time was cut short with my son and at the age of 3 months old, my son passed away from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). This experience completely changed my life, in so many different ways and brought me down many different paths. To add to the heartbreak that I was already experiencing, two weeks after my sons passing, my phone went through a reset and never recovered and I lost every single picture and video I had ever taken of my son. In that moment, I was faced with a reality check of how important photos are. Printed photos at that. You know, sitting on the living room floor with your family surrounded by boxes of pictures and laughing at the ridiculous outfits you used to wear; one of my favorite childhood memories.
Several years went by, and I was dating my now husband and he gifted me a new camera, which is how Traci Burt Photography was born. I took countless pictures on that camera, from newborn pictures to wedding photos, from family pictures to dog portraits. The camera is what brought my dream back to reality. My husband and I were in a long distance relationship for almost a year before I made the move from New York to Georgia, which led to tons more pictures being taken as we were going to be together more often. Then we got a puppy together, so that added to the camera time!
Then...tragedy struck again; when my husbands best friend passed away unexpectedly in 2018. It was a blow to our family, to his friends, and to the community they all grew up in. It came time to plan the funeral and the family was collecting photos of family and friends of Matt, and I was reminded once again why photography is so important. I’ll never forget my husband saying to me “if it wasn’t for you taking these pictures, I wouldn’t have any with him”. In that moment, that fire I thought was burnt out was ignited again because I knew deep within my soul that this is the path I am meant to be on.
In 2023, I did some rebranding and wanted a name to truly represent those important milestone moments that changed my life, which is how Ryan Sawyer Photography came to life.
Ryan representing my son in Heaven.
Sawyer representing my rainbow baby, Reagan Sawyer.; who just so happens to be born 1 day after my son’s birthday and the same day as my husband’s best friend, Matt, who passed away.
God is so GOOD.
And I’m living proof of it.
#BeTheLight
#YouAreNotAlone