How showing up with a camera helped turn live radio moments into visible, lasting stories rooted in community.
Before I ever had a formal title, I had a camera and a reason to show up. iHeartMedia in Albany, GA was one of my first real opportunities in media, and one of the first places I ever got paid to create video.
What started as me and a friend showing up to support his radio gig turned into a crash course in content creation. Stations like ours didn't have dedicated photographers or videographers back then. By showing up consistently, we carved out that role for ourselves.
Eventually, host Miss Monique became a mentor and brought me in to shoot her shows and community events on 96.3 WJIZ and 98.1 Kiss FM—from the annual Steve & Marjorie Harvey Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway to a city-wide 5K for HIV/AIDS awareness.
These events had heart, but they didn't always have visibility. Radio is live and fleeting, so many listeners missed the message if they weren't tuned in at the exact moment. The community didn't see these moments reflected online, good causes still struggled with turnout, and the radio teams didn't have the time or tools to fill the visual-content gap themselves.
I helped introduce a story-first approach built on real photo coverage and consistent posting—not polished promos or static flyers. The goal was never to go viral. It was to be visible and real: candid stories of families, volunteers, and local leaders; the energy of each event; and a steady presence before, during, and after so the station became a familiar face rather than a one-off post.
The content plan combined heart and hustle. I produced event highlight recaps and photo galleries, streamed live from the Turkey Drive and community festivals when Instagram Live was still new, and captured behind-the-scenes moments like volunteers setting up in the rain. I worked closely with DJs and on-air talent so the coverage reflected the story behind each event, not only the event itself. There was no content calendar or big strategy document—just instinct, consistency, and respect for the work.
Followers began tagging friends and sharing their own experiences. People showed up in person because they saw a photo online first. The station grew from a music destination into something people felt part of—it wasn't only heard on the radio anymore. It was seen, felt, and experienced in real time.
This was a front-row seat to what community and storytelling can do when you show up with what you have—even if all you have is a borrowed camera and a good idea. It was my first real taste of media rooted in purpose.
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