Joey Meredith - The man behind the university's lens

Behind every university event, performance or athletic event, there’s a photographer to document it. Students may be familiar with Troy University’s photographer, Joey Meredith, but they don’t know the full story. 

Meredith is a Troy, Alabama, native who has been taking photos for the university for 13 years. Before working for the university, Meredith worked for Troy Public Radio, The Troy Messenger and the Montgomery Advertiser.  

While at the two newspapers, he began work as a photographer, shooting Troy Football.  

In 2012, he came back to the university, working as an IT webmaster and shooting photos with Troy’s former chief photographer, Kevin Glackmeyer, who passed away in 2017.  

“I’ve met a lot of really cool people doing this job, and there are some great photographers out there; some of them have since passed on, but they left their mark for sure,” Meredith said. “Kevin was a great friend and a great photographer.” 

Meredith is a part of the University Photographers Association of America. He networks with other university photographers around the country, and he laments how each university offers a different experience for each photographer.  

As the only full-time photographer at Troy, Meredith’s schedule is quite busy. He often finds himself working on the weekends, editing photos late into the night. 

To help with this, Meredith mentors two student workers. These student workers are often at events with Meredith, shooting from different perspectives. He also has an intern and multiple student volunteers and has had alumni photographers volunteer, as well. 

“We were fortunate to be able to access good students, but it does take some time as far as getting them to the point where they can be sent out and getting the quality of work that we’re expecting,” Meredith said. 

Meredith loves his job as chief photographer, and he loves the connections he makes with students as they go through their college career. 

“I love being around all the different people that come across Troy University,” Meredith said. “Getting to watch students learn and grow, and then when they leave years later, and they begin their careers and adult lives –  

it extends past just university life, because I’ve had a lot of students that I’ve gotten to know.  

“I’ve been asked to come take pictures of their families or their weddings. It’s cool to keep up with them.” 

A typical day for Meredith includes shooting photos for multiple university events, shooting headshots in his studio and attending athletic events. On gamedays, he and his team of photographers begin their work three hours before the start of the game. 

Homecoming week is a busy week for Meredith, with all of the events going on. He has taken headshots of the homecoming court, and he and his photographers will be at all of the events this week. 

If students need a headshot done, or just want to meet the man behind the camera, the photography studio is open from 2 to 5p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays on the first floor of Wallace Hall.