Courtney Hickman is easy to pick out on the sidelines of a Yelm High School football game under the Friday night lights, operating his variety of photography equipment and donning colorful sneakers.
He roams the field searching for angles to shoot the sharpest images and tame every lighting situation thrown at him. The man known in Yelm as “C-Sharp” didn’t always have a knack for freezing moments in time at sporting events.
In fact, aside from using a Kodak or disposable camera, Hickman had never shot photos with a professional digital camera until about four years ago.
While attending his youngest daughter’s gymnastics meet, he attempted to take photos of her with his cell phone, but he realized he couldn’t quite capture the memories that he and his family wanted to cherish.
“I realized that it wasn’t going to get it done. Somebody said to me that I needed to get an actual camera,” Hickman said. “I got a Canon T6 with an interchangeable lens, and it was so intimidating with all these dials. From there, I really just fell in love with it because the essence of it was I was trying to capture something beautiful, which was my daughter doing something she loves to do.”
Through trial and error, taking “a million horrible shots” and watching tutorial videos on what he called “YouTube University,” Hickman quickly learned the ins and outs of photography. He began snapping professional shots of his wife and portraits of friends. He realized that he could do more than just capture moments for his family and friends; he could share what he dubs the “gift of photography” to local communities who may not have someone to capture such moments.
Hickman reached out to YHS and expressed his interest in shooting athletics for the school, and Athletic Director Rob Hill gave him his first opportunity to shoot high school sports.
“They were the first ones to open the doors to me,” Hickman said of YHS. “They showed nothing but love and hospitality.”
Along with sporting events, Hickman now shoots senior photos, wedding photos, portraits, corporate shots, fashion and branding photos, and images for special occasions, among others.
Before Hickman was considered a sharp-dressing and sharp-shooting photographer behind the lens, he served in the U.S. Army for more than a decade up until January of 2015. His grandfather served in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and Hickman grew up outside of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, so the military environment was always around him.
He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, serving as a non-commissioned officer for multiple brigades and battalions, including for the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment “Tomahawks.”
“I think it was just in my DNA to walk that particular path for that season of my life. It was a matter of coming into alignment with things that God already set for me,” he said.
Hickman, who also serves as a pastor for Encounter Life Church, said the path from military to ministry to photography was not initially his plan. But, he added, he is grateful for all of the chapters of his life, especially ones that make him uncomfortable because he learns how to make them the opposite.
“I never actually wanted to be in the military. I didn’t want to be in leadership or be a pastor. But everything I didn’t want to do turned out to be the best things,” Hickman said.
Despite being the owner of C-Sharp Images and a familiar face with many in Yelm and the surrounding communities, Hickman is hesitant to call himself a professional photographer. He admits that while he has learned plenty of tips and tricks in the last four years, he has much more he wants to learn and accomplish.
“I want to always give my best gift. There’s a picture I see in my mind of the perfect picture. I don’t know if I’ll ever take it, but I’m going after that image,” he said. “In that, in every session, I want to grow from it and reevaluate. My thought is how can this be better for someone else. As a pastor, I get to help people see who God is. As a photographer, I get to help people see themselves the way God sees them.”
“C-Sharp” gets his nickname from those around him who complimented his attire, and it also derives from his love of music and his favorite key. He plays piano and drums, always keeping a keyboard at his side in his office. When it came time to name his business, he chose his nickname because it offered personality and a promise for quality. In every social media post showcasing his photography, Hickman receives plenty of positive feedback from friends and supporters.
“It’s very humbling. I was emotional because I’m this kid from Duncan, Oklahoma, and the things and the places that I’ve gotten to do and be is nothing I ever sought out to do and see,” he said. “When I hear that type of feedback, it’s very humbling. It gets overwhelming a lot of times.”
Hickman’s oldest daughter has also struck up an interest in photography, and the two enjoy going on photo walks. He said the gift of photography has added something new to the family’s dynamic and has taught them that the camera is an extension of the photographer, allowing them to open their eyes to the small moments around them with and without cameras.
“She goes to games and stuff with me. It’s cool to be able to do that and get shots of my youngest. It’s something else to bond with my children,” he said.
Hickman thanked YHS and all of his clients for taking a chance on him and trusting him to capture some of the most important moments in their lives. He said one of his most impactful shoots was an elderly couple that booked him to shoot photos for their anniversary and their obituaries.
“It’s an honor to be able to take a photo for them that means something to them. To every client, every person, every athletic director, to everyone who has opened the door, thank you is not enough, but thank you,” Hickman said. “I’m grateful.”
To learn more about C-Sharp Images and to view Hickman’s portfolio, visit his website at c-sharpimages.com.
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