C.Marie's Photography, Dayton

At a family bonfire, Courtney Frederick, then 15, took some pictures to cure her teenage boredom, according to a SnapKnot interview with the young owner of C.Marie's Photography. The developed shots caught the eye of a fellow churchgoer who owned a portrait studio in the mall. Courtney landed a job and spent her high-school years snapping the same shots of every customer, eventually growing weary of the creative restraints. She decided to enroll in the Ohio Institute of Photography and Technology and, once she had received her degree in portrait photography, went into business with her own camera. Nowadays, Courtney travels throughout Ohio, capturing genuine smiles in portraits and snapping brides watering their flower girls during wedding shoots. She also takes pictures of party guests with her signature fauxto-booth, a kiosk-free photo zone that lets anyone get their picture taken with professional equipment against a simple backdrop. For charity, Courtney draws on her expertise as a wedding photographer for Wish Upon a Wedding, a nonprofit that aids people with a terminal illness with their wedding plans.:m]]