Today we’d like to introduce you to Charity Davey.
Hi Charity, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Once upon a time, a little girl received her first Fujifilm camera for her birthday. It was a beautiful ombré of light to deep aqua blue, complete with a matching case. This was, of course, after years of using up disposable cameras and excitedly bringing the film to Wolf Camera for prints. That little Fujifilm camera took my adventures to the next level, and from that point on, I rarely went anywhere without it.
I’ve always been a creative spirit — from singer-songwriter to painter — but photography has been the one artistic medium that has given me the privilege of both providing for my family and doing what I love for a living. And truly, I believe that’s every artist’s dream.
When I graduated from high school, my ambitions were split between moving to Nashville to pursue a music career and becoming a graphic designer to secure a stable income. The dreams felt worlds apart, and only one seemed within reach at the time. Fortunately, I landed a graphic design internship at my dad’s church just two months after graduation, where I trained extensively in Adobe Photoshop and InDesign.
That internship grew into a position with the nonprofit Wisdom for the Heart. But working behind a desk in my hometown, especially with undiagnosed ADHD, proved difficult. I struggled to thrive in a traditional office environment, often taking long lunches and working late to compensate — seeking quiet hours where I could focus without distraction. I stayed in that role for seven years, until 2015, when I decided to pursue a degree in Graphic Design with a minor in Marketing. My hope was to build a business that fit me — my creative rhythms and unconventional schedule.
However, I believe God had other plans. Halfway through my junior year at Full Sail University, I hit a breaking point. To explain why, I need to revisit that little girl with the aqua camera. At fourteen, I was prescribed opioids for chronic pain. The night before high school graduation, I was hospitalized for a ruptured cyst — and that’s when I first took more pills than prescribed. That moment was the beginning of a brief, but powerful, struggle with addiction, as I unknowingly sought to escape childhood traumas, the pressures of being a pastor’s daughter, and the crushing expectation to have my life figured out.
By nineteen, I had a “come to Jesus” moment, flushed the pills, and asked my doctor to put me on a no-narcotics list. It worked for a while. But when I reached college age, what felt “normal” for others — drinking, partying — wasn’t safe for me. Without truly understanding my earlier addiction or the vulnerability of my brain chemistry, I fell into dependency and depression, nearly losing my life on more than one occasion. Yet even during the lowest points, I clung to photography. I remember telling my brother I didn’t see beauty in the world anymore — but in hindsight, I was still finding it through my lens.
Within months of leaving school, I entered rehab and sober living in Georgia. My camera came with me. I became the resident “artsy girl,” helping peers and their families with creative projects. Sobriety was like discovering a window where I thought there was only a concrete wall. I saw beauty again — in the dance of light through swaying trees, in the colors of sunset over the highway. The world felt vibrant once more.
I moved to Iowa for love, and though that relationship became an unsafe, isolating marriage, it’s where I experienced my greatest blessings: I became a mother — twice. My son arrived first, and even before his birth, he inspired a kind of love I hadn’t felt in years. My daughter followed soon after, and with her arrival, I found the clarity and strength to leave the dangerous situation and build a safer life for my children and me.
What followed was a slow, steady return to photography — first as a personal healing practice, capturing the forest on long walks, and eventually, as a business. People who had hired me years earlier began asking for photos again. I offered seven sessions at $150 each to pay off a new camera — they booked within a week.
From those early sessions, I learned invaluable lessons:
1️⃣ I had a good eye, but I needed to sharpen my skills in prompting and posing to reduce my own anxiety on shoots.
2️⃣ My editing style had evolved; I had to refresh my knowledge of Photoshop and master Lightroom.
3️⃣ Most importantly, I rediscovered my deep love for capturing human connections — delivering galleries that made both me and my clients proud.
Today, that once-elusive beauty illuminates every mother cradling her newborn, every family laughing together, every couple exchanging vows. Through my lens, I see life’s small, sacred moments and do my best to honor them through color, light, and composition — preserving them for generations.
I’m recently engaged to the most caring, genuine man I’ve ever known. His belief in me has carried me through moments of doubt. My parents have also been unwavering in their support — investing in me, encouraging me, and guiding me as I grow C. Bree Photography. And my children remain my greatest inspiration, steering me toward a future where hard work and deep love are the foundation of everything I do.
C. Bree Photography is more than a business — it’s a reflection of the people who have lifted me up, believed in me, and inspired me to keep going. To my fiancé Dan, my parents Stephen and Marsha, and my children Tucker and Lily: I owe you a debt of gratitude words can’t capture. This journey wouldn’t exist without you.
As I look ahead, I dream of expanding this “little bloom” of a business into a thriving creative garden — one that provides opportunities for other artists and storytellers who, like me, have so much to offer the world. I’m excited for what the future holds and would love to connect with others — clients, collaborators, fellow creatives — who share that vision.
Thank you, Voyager Raleigh, for the opportunity to share my story.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One thing I have learned on this journey is that the greatest obstacle I face is often my own self-limiting doubts and insecurities. The solution, I’ve found, is to voice those doubts to the people who love and support me — to let them out, rather than letting them weigh me down in silence — and to lean into my faith. My faith reminds me that God created me exactly as I am and that I am already enough in His eyes. He made me creative for a purpose and has been laying the groundwork for everything I’ve experienced — both in life and in business — to bring me to this point. When I remind myself of these truths, I’m able to set aside my self-doubt and focus on the path ahead. It gives me the courage to keep going, to keep growing, and to keep striving to become the best version of myself — not just for me, but for those I serve through my work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
C. Bree Photography is a brand driven by creativity, passion, and a simple mission: to make high-quality photography and videography affordable and accessible to everyone.
We specialize in portraiture—including family sessions, milestone celebrations, couples, and events—and we’re excited to now offer videography at a price point that works for a wide range of clients. Whether we’re documenting a local family gathering or traveling to Virginia for a quinceañera, we bring a professional touch with tools like our DSLRs, 5K video cameras, and drone to capture stunning, memorable moments.
What sets C. Bree Photography apart is the blend of artistic vision and technical expertise. Many photographers lean either toward creativity or technical precision—I pride myself on delivering both. Whether you’re dreaming of a fun, artistic adventure or simply need classic family portraits for grandma’s wall, I’m ready to help bring your vision to life.
Another unique offering is my background in graphic design and print. This means I can provide not just photography, but also custom-designed holiday cards, brochures, wedding invitations, save-the-dates, advertisements, and more. Couples, for instance, can book engagement photos and leave with several wedding tasks already checked off their list.
Our mantra at C. Bree Photography is “creative and affordable”—and we strive to live up to that promise in every project. Whether you’re welcoming a new baby, marking a milestone, building your brand, or celebrating a major event, we’d love to work with you. You might just find more than you were looking for, at a price that makes you smile.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Describing myself in my youth is always interesting, because I often wonder how others from that time might see me compared to how I see myself. At school, I was an introvert with a bit of an alter ego—a version of myself built for survival. I got along with most people and earned the title of class clown, but I often needed to retreat for a little breathing room. Lunch breaks sometimes meant escaping to my car or a quiet corner of the school just to recharge.
Outside of class, I was always creating. You could find me painting and selling custom shoes, recording original music for my PureVolume account, exploring the woods with a friend and my trusty fisheye lens, or falling hopelessly in love with the frontman of every emo band I saw live. I remember, during junior year chemistry finals, I tie-dyed a sweatshirt and decorated it with puff-paint formulas so I could literally wear what I needed to memorize.
If I wanted to engage with something, I had to see it as an opportunity to create—to lock in, get inspired, and slip into that meditative flow that so many artists know and love. I was part brooding, part sunshine—a typical teenager finding my way through art and music. And honestly, now that I think about it, not much has changed!
Pricing:
- Summer portraits Tier one: Minis $150
- Summer portraits Tier two: 45 minutes, up to 2 locations, 25 high resolution images via digital downloads, 1 complimentary 8×10 print: 275
- Summer portraits Tier three: 90 minutes, up to 3 locations within 25 miles, 50+ high resolution images via digital download, print release + styling guide, 3 complimentary prints (2 8x10s and 1 11×17)
- Contact for more or check out www.cbreephoto.com to schedule a consultation!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cbreephoto.com
- Instagram: @photographyc.bree
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16J4rcByMp/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/charity-davey
