Courtney Moore Of Cmooreology is not just a photographer; he is the true definition of an artist. He connects with his subject, and captures a side of them that they may have not known was there. His work speaks volumes, and always tells an endearing story. Courtney is a visual philosopher that captures moments in society that we at times miss with a blink of an eye. His attention to details is one of his many gifts, and that in itself will take him all the way to the top.

What do you do?

I am a photographer, a photojournalist for society, but really a Visual Philosopher.

What inspired you to become a photographer?

Life, and everything around me. Music, people, places, things and anything that catches my eye and I feel like I need to capture.

How would you characterize your style?

My style at least of right now, is focused on showcasing the beauty of what makes an object or form important that most people don’t really look at or notice. So I guess the details or the form of it or its relation to the world.

Is there anyone in your field that you look up to?

Right now I would say I look up to this photographer named Greg Washington. I believe he’s from Toronto, and moved to Vancouver for a bit, but I think he has returned. His shots are something VERY similar to somewhat the journalistic way I would want to shoot. The way that he shoots is very inspiring. Its kind of the way I would shoot in the everyday life, almost like a lifestyle but at the same time it’s in its natural element, so it’s a person or a place in that specific moment.

Do you or did you have a mentor?

No. I did not have a mentor and I don’t have a mentor.

Do you recommend a mentor?

For anything that you don’t already know I would recommend a mentor. For me personally and creatively I wouldn’t want a mentor for that, but for business aspects I think I would. Just to be more confident in where I want to be aiming my work/my art.

Where do you see yourself/your business in the next five years?

In the next five years, well at least of now, I would want my work to be more in magazines and in art galleries. I want to go more into the art field.

What advice would you give to someone that is trying to pursue his or her dream?

I would think that they would need to believe and have faith in what they do, and keep pushing. There will be a lot of stops along the way and hard times, but if you can believe that this is what you want to do then do it. Sacrifice everything to make yourself happy, in a time when all odds are against you then that’s what you have to do. Keep pushing.

Did you ever fathom you would be where you are now?

No! Definitely not! I just kind of kept going with the flow. Whatever made me happy at that moment I just kept shooting, finding inspiration around me, and finding other visual artists. I just went with the flow.

Why do you love what you do?

I love what I do because it gives me a free feeling. I feel liberated and just capturing anything that is happening around me. I don’t really like forced shots as much, like poses. But I like capturing the lifestyle/the element of what that object is or person is doing, or even a place in that time.

Do you regret any mistakes you’ve made, or have they made you who you are now?

I feel that me not finishing Ryerson made me feel like I wasn’t confident in doing what I wanted to do going forward and shooting. But that’s mainly for the business part of things. On the other half I taught myself a lot through the Internet; Wikipedia and YouTube were my schooling, and other inspirations around me to continue to pursue what I am doing. That’s what makes me who I am today. Finding my own voice, and style without being conformed into a certain way that you need to shoot this way or that way.

What do you do when you have the naysayers, people that say, “oh you just push a button”?

It makes me angry because I do more than just push a button. This is me, this is what I believe in, and what I represent. It's my art, and because this is my being I keep going with it, it just feels right.

Who or what is your motivation to keep going?

First I would like to say myself because there are so many times where I feel like I would have given up, but then I always find a way where it works out later on and it makes sense to keep going. Other than that, I would also say family and friends, they tell me that my work is powerful or to keep going. So I would say for sure myself and family/friends.