Cory Adams Photography has been taking School Picture, Sports Pictures, Dance School Pictures, School Dance Pictures, Prom Pictures, and Family Pictures for a long time. We are dedicated to producing the best quality image and highest level of customer service available.
Robert Darius Adams, was one of the early photographers of Southern Utah and Nevada. For five decades, he took pictures of individuals, families, street scenes, parades, celebrations, and school children. His photographs of Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Cedar Breaks became some of the first postcards sent from these national parks. Many of his images are available for viewing at the SUU website here. Photography is more than just clicking a button. In RD's time being a photographer meant making your own negatives in the dark with a bottle of light sensitive emulsion. Loading it into your camera, many of it's components were custom made by him. Exposing it for the proper amount of time, there were no built in light meters or automatic settings. Then the development and printing process began. The photographer controlled every aspect of his own photography. Not from capture to drop off at the lab, from preparation to print and archiving. We at Cory Adams Photography work under a similar premise. We make sure to prepare well ahead, making for pleasant and smooth picture days. We do all our own processing right here at our lab. We make sure the highest quality is maintained throughout the entire process from preparation to capture to printing to delivery. Below are some more images of R.D. and his old studio.
Rex Adams, continued the legacy of his father. After serving in WW2 as a radiology technician he picked up the camera and went to work. He traveled to many towns, sometimes going door to door to find the families who needed a portrait made for their walls. He worked in the industry for many years. He has seen many changes in the world of photography. He saw the change from glass to plastic negatives, from sheet film to rolls, from hot lights, to flash tubes, to electronic flash, black and white to color, and even the digital revolution. He's enjoying retirement, has a great sense of humor, and has made friends with everyone he has met. Known as the original Chickenman for using a plush chicken toy to bring the smiles out of almost any child. Expression is something Rex would always talk about. "Equipment and lighting are important, you can retouch someone old to make them young, but if you haven't got the expression, you haven't got anything."
This is the old studio in Richfield, UT 1916. It's amazing the way photographers have always had to be part artist, part inventor, businessman, and everything else. Carpenter, Welder etc. You have to be innovative and see beyond the manufacturer's ideas about the equipment they sell. You have to put your own stamp on it and make something uniquely your own. Looking at the inventions and equipment of these pioneers in the industry can astound someone from the computer age. They had to bend the light or shape it at capture. Everything was mechanical and manual. A real hands on experience. Some of this has returned with digital capture, as odd as that sounds. Photographers worked their own negatives and printing back then. With film, most sent the unexposed film out to come back as prints. Now with digital, we are again working on our own prints, getting back into the darkroom so to speak. Taking control of the entire creative and scientific processes to release our vision into print and digital formats.
Cory Adams has continued the legacy of his father and grandfather. Cory grew up behind the camera and in the darkroom. People sometimes joke he's got developer running through his veins. Not many can truly say they have a lifetime of experience in a given field, Cory truly does. Also specializing in portraiture Cory continues to capture the smiles and personalities of those he photographs. Cory remembers what it takes to make a great portrait. It's not all about cameras and gear, the elements that engage us in an image, the elements that keep us interested are timeless. Emotion and personality are what we should see in a portrait. You should be able to see the person in the image, not just a printed page, a real person. That's what makes the difference in an image of a person.
Joseph Cory Adams, like his father before him, has a lifetime of experience with photography. Learning the technical aspects of cameras and image making at a very early age. Tagging along as an assistant, changing film and helping with props. Joseph is a great photographer. He realizes the importance of teaching the next generation the things that make lasting images. It's not the technology, it's the smiles, it's the attention to detail that makes an image last forever.
Jon Adams, Like his brother, has been immersed in photography his whole life. He got his first manual camera when he was 8 years old. Jon has always been intrigued in new techniques and technologies. He keeps us updated about new technologies and how they can be leveraged to help up produce the highest quality portraits, keep the best prices, and return orders quickly. Still, it's important to realize that new cameras and computers don't create lasting portraits on their own. It's important to mast all the tools available. There is no replacement for a well trained eye. Jon also does web design and makes amazing fine art prints from his images. You can see his work at reflectedpixel.com. Inspired by the pioneering achievements of RD and his exploratory spirit. Jon has retraced many of the steps of his Great Grandfather to photograph many of the same places He did about a hundred years ago.
Jessica Adams Antillón has continued in the family business as her older siblings. She has proven herself to be a very talented photographer, but is most often found behind the scenes working at the lab to bring you beautiful finished portraits. Her brother Jon has taught her the in's and out's of color adjusting and how to give that little extra "pop" to make your photo stand out from the rest. She enjoys the outdoors and working with animals. Especially her Golden Retriever "Daisy Mae." Jessica has been married just over a year. She and her husband have a home in American Fork and they are expecting their first little boy in May.
Ammon Carter has always had a love for photography. Born and raised in American Fork Utah, Ammon remembers the chicken man taking pictures of him throughout his school years. While working as a videographer for the past 15 years and making his own short films, he slowly immersed himself in the field of photography. Ammon joined Cory Adams as a photographer in 2008. He has proved himself professional in the art of the chicken. Ammon lives with his wife and five children in American Fork.
Jessica Daniels grew up in Lehi and graduated from Lehi High School and attended Dallas Roberts Hair Academy for two years. She has worked for Cory Adams Photography for almost 3 years and loves her job in packaging and enjoys the people she works with. She loves animals, shopping, and listening to music. She currently lives in Midvale with her husband, Shawn and their Dog, Ares. In her spare time she enjoys photography and spending time with her family.
Charlotte Horner was born and raised in Utah County. She graduated from American Fork High School in 2003. Being a good friend of Cory’s daughter, she landed a Part Time Job with Cory Adams Photography while she was in High School. After graduating she continued working in the Studio and as an assistant on jobs while attending UVSC. Although at first resistant to the idea, Cory had a need for her to train as a photographer in 2005. She has become much more comfortable with being a Photographer since then but her favorite part of photography is editing the pictures after she has taken them. She lives with her husband in Salt Lake but contiunues to make the daily commute to American Fork because, after almost 10 years of working at Cory Adams Photography, she still really enjoys her job.
Jessie was born and raised in Pleasant Grove. She graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 2006 and attended college at USU and UVU, majoring in Elementary Education. She has worked for Cory Adams Photography for close to 2 years and has enjoyed learning every aspect of photography. Jessie and her husband met while working at Wingers and have been married for 2 years. Jessie loves Sushi, yoga and going out and having a good time with her friends.
Savanna Jensen grew up laughing and smiling at the camera every time her uncle told her to say, "Chicken," and has loved pictures ever sense. She started helping "deal" out senior pictures at a young age at the small schools by her home town. Then once in high school she moved to American Fork every summer and was an assistant helping the seniors look their best in tuxes and cap and gowns. Since then she has begun to learn all of the different lighting techniques, and the ways of the camera. When asked what she likes best it isn't the editing, lighting, or technical aspects of the camera. It's being able to say, "Chicken" and putting smiles on kids faces just like her uncle.
Melanie Camé the second youngest of Cory's kids, grew up thinking photography was a normal part of every day life. She can't remember when she started to work, but can't remember a time not working, so it must've been pretty young. She always loved to go with her dad everywhere, and used to tag along on shoots just to be with him. She was trained to shoot at the same time as her good friend Charlotte in 2005. Although she remembers being nervous about taking pictures for a little while, she quickly became comfortable and would rather be getting young kids to smile then anything else she does for the business. She met her husband in 2009, and although no longer has the "Adams" name, photography is still second nature her. Melanie's two favorite things are animals and kids. She loves that she gets to work with kids on a daily basis, and has also become certified as a veterinary technician and dog trainer to fulfill her love of animals.
Karen Walker is the middle child in the Adams family. She remembers playing photographer at a young age and loved to be the one taking the photos. She also loved to dress up and get her photo taken. She got to be the test subject for a lot of the new props and backgrounds. She started working at a young age and just like her other siblings she grew up with photography all around. She loves being a photographer it seems to just come naturally. She has been a photographer for 12 years and she was a photographer’s assistant for many years before that. Her favorite part of working in a family business is the time she gets to spend with her family. She has been trained in Photoshop and in other photo editing programs and she does a lot of work from home. She is married and has two beautiful daughters.
Kami is thrilled to be a part of Cory Adams Photography. She was an assistant manager at a children’s photography studio. She loved the creativity that was involved with photographing children. Kami worked there until a few weeks before her first child was born. She then spent most of her time raising her two children. Although, she was at home she never gave her camera much rest. Her husband jokes that she is their families own paparazzi. She captured her son’s true character published in the December 2010 issue of the Utah Valley Magazine photo contest section. She also has taken portraits of babies, children, engagements, families and large family reunions. One of the attributes she loves most about the other photographers is the extra time they take with the special needs children. This is very close to her heart, as her daughter has special needs. Even though her daughter’s communication is very limited she speaks the universal language of love. She believes the eyes are the window to the soul and always tries to capture the smile not only from the mouth, but with the eyes.
