Randy McNeilly,M . Photog, MEI. Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP

“Even though I have been a full time professional photographer for more than 38 years, I am still an amateur in the truest sense of the word.” says Randy McNeilly.

While 99% of his work is commissioned, Randy’s passion and creativity comes in the telling of the client’s story.  He attributes this love of story telling to the traditions of his Appalachian childhood.

Growing up in rural Western North Carolina, Randy credits his career in photography to a chance encounter in high school, when he was captivated by the work of Andrew Wyeth. This led him to study art at Western Carolina University where he discovered photography.

After a series of apprenticeships, Randy started his own studio in 1979, specializing in commercial photography. Much to his surprise, he found that he preferred assignments involving people and began accepting portrait commissions.  Today he presides over an operation that has expanded to include not only his photography but also that of associates, as well as an art gallery with a custom frame shop and an oil portrait artist.  McNeilly Photography and Frame Masters Gallery prides itself on being a completely self-contained studio.  Every task from image editing, printing, canvas stretching, framing to graphic design is performed in-house.