Not Me

My hope is that I can help people struggling with alcoholism and addiction to realize that sobriety isn't the social death knell you might think it is. You don't need those things to live a fun and fulfilling (but still totally wild and crazy!) life.
- Ryan Covington

What I love about photography, is that it allows me to achieve my version of perfection in an otherwise imperfect world. It gives me the opportunity to capture and immortalize a subject— be it a person, place, or backyard — in its ideal state. Life is rarely perfect, and the world doesn’t always look the way I wish it would, but if I can get things just right, for even a fleeting moment, then that person, place, or thing can remain in an idealized, stylized state forever and ever -- frozen and perfect -- until the end of time, Amen.

Are we creeped out yet? Let me freeze you in time, children. Who's ready for their school picture?

"Although I have a wide variety of interests in a great number of things, photojournalism never interested me; I couldn't stand the idea that my photos would need to adhere so closely to the truth."
- Ryan Covington
Me for Info Button Square

EVERY PHOTO HAS A STORY

I am not always very active in the sober community, but my photography (and sobriety) has taken me on a lot of interesting and spectacular journeys. While overcoming my own addictions, my international photography became something new and transformative as well, as I was able to experience (and capture on film) many different people, places, and cultures that also struggle to make sense of daily life— one day at a time.

I figured that the least I could do is share those experiences. Many of the more participatory activities I rate on a SOBER FUN SCALE from 1-10, and I explain why I think they are or are not good bets for a person living in sobriety today. They are sprinkled around my website, and like all my photo stories, you can decide if reading them is right for you.