PPA MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER, PHOTOGRAPHIC CRAFTSMAN, & CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Ty has been telling stories with his camera, capturing milestone moments in people's lives for over four decades. He has traveled to 65 countries, creating portraits for people excited to have their lives documented and stories told for generations.
Ty specializes in Chesapeake, VA Senior Photos and Virginia Beach, VA Senior Photos.
FATHER • PHOTOGRAPHER • EDUCATOR • ARTIST • AUTHOR • TECHNOLOGY NERD • TRAVELER • VETERAN • STORYTELLER
PROFESSIONAL LIFE
As a Master of Photography (M. Photog), Photographic Craftsman (Photog.Cr.), and Certified Professional Photographer (CPP), I adhere to the highest standards of quality and ethics in my work. I also mentor emerging professionals as a photography educator for the Virginia Professional Photographers Association (VPPA), Texas Professional Photographers (TPPA), and the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). I have guided my students to earn awards and certificates in competitions and exams. I specialize in educating and preparing aspiring graphic designers, photographers, and videographers to earn their Adobe Certified Professional Licenses in Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and InDesign. I also mentor professional photographers in developing repetitive processes to decrease production time while increasing their ROI in developing client projects.
With over 40 years of experience as a professional photographer and educator, I am passionate about teaching and inspiring students to pursue careers in Visual Design and Communications. I create and deliver instruction in these subjects to 150 students annually at Virginia Beach City Public Schools and developed the Landstown Governor's STEM Academy's STEMarketing & Communications Career Pathway curriculum and program.
EDUCATION
I am an expert in photographic pre-production through post-production, specializing in training proficient workflow processes and database management for Adobe Lightroom Classic. Additionally, I educate professionals in web design, management, social media content creation, in-person sales techniques, and customer experience.
I am currently a Ph.D. (candidate) in K12 Educational Leadership through Regent University with a robust understanding of developing effective and efficient long-term educational programs. One day, I envision creating a professional photography educational program tailored to adult learners that encompasses business, marketing, and photographic education. I hold a Master of Education (Ed.S) in Educational Supervision from Regent University, a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Project Management from Brenau University, and a Bachelor of Science in Workforce, Education, and Development with a Specialization in Training from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. I spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy as a Photojournalist, Broadcast Journalist, and Public Relations Officer. I have a graduate certificate in Communications from The University of Oklahoma and advanced education in Journalism, Videography, and Photography.
NATIONALLY ACCREDITED
Ty Swartz is recognized by the Professional Photographers of America and Virginia Professional Photographers Association as a nationally Certified Professional Photographer and earned the Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degree from the Professional Photographers of America. Ty is also an Adobe Certified Professional in Visual Design and Adobe Certified Professional in Video Design with certifications in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, and Premiere Pro, as well as a Certified Adobe Creative Educator.
Ty is a proud member of the Professional Photographers of America, Virginia Professional Photographers Association, and Texas Professional Photographers Association. Ty's images have appeared on over 18 front covers of magazines and hundreds of newspapers and websites internationally.