Today we’d like to introduce you to Logan Cortez.
Hi Logan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My passion is professionally clicking a button. Never letting any moment fade, knowing that in sports every second mattered, and for some that second could be their last on the field. I started on Valentines day of 2022, taking pictures at a freshman basketball game for friends. I quickly learned that this is what I wanted to do. Continuing the passion into the summer and taking jobs for cheap just trying to get better. Slowly learning how to edit and operate a camera.
My sophomore year was when I started to get noticed. I took pictures for my Varsity football team and everyone loved them! Athletes reposted them, the school yearbook began to feature me, and athletes from other sports asked me to capture them too. I became a regular at school sporting events, from volleyball and basketball to baseball and soccer. I was friends with soccer players, so I naturally went to a majority of their games, posting pictures on my social media and starting to increase my portfolio.
In the summer opportunities started to fade, and I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. I would see others on social media doing much more, and I was jealous and disheartened with my own progress. I couldn’t be content with where I was at. I wanted to get better. I needed to get better.
I started emailing soccer teams in my area. I reached out to a Solar team coached by Santiago Cabrera. I asked if he and his team wanted a photographer that would come out to a few games and get pictures or videos of the boys. He quickly responded and was just as eager as I was to get me on the pitch with them! I photographed a few practices and they loved the results! I traveled for the first time with the Solar team to Oklahoma. The trip went amazingly, and everyone was happy with the results. During 2024 and 2025, the Solar team took me to a bunch of different places spanning all across America. I was able to go to North Carolina, South Carolina, Philadelphia, Miami, and Seattle.
My junior year was shaping up to be my best yet. I started for Byron Nelson Varsity football and I was doing great. As the football season went on I put photography on hold as I was participating in another love of mine. I was featured on the front cover of a Dallas News article. It was a picture of me making a tackle in a game against Lewisville. That newspaper is currently framed on my wall. After football season came to an end I was continuing my travel with Solar, and the high school soccer team began its season. After my work from the previous season, they asked me if I would be an official sponsor for the team! I asked if I would be able to be their social media manager as well, and they agreed. I was taking photos of the teams during the games, then I would create the graphics to post on their social media. This was my first chance at being in charge of a platform and designing and creating the look.
In April, I accepted the role of Director of Creative Content for a semi-professional soccer team, the Denton Diablos! This was my first true chance at being a professional. I was in charge of a group of photographers and videographers, and I would help design the look and theme of the Diablos across all social media platforms.
As I write this I am in my senior year of high school and look forward to my future. But as I finish this chapter I realize more and more the importance of capturing those special moments, because every second matters.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing is ever a smooth road. The biggest struggle I’ve faced is learning how to be content. For my entire life, whether as an athlete or an artist, I’ve been driven to be better than I was yesterday. As a varsity football player, you’re coached to never let a rep go to waste and to always strive for greatness. That mindset became ingrained in my work ethic.
When I started photography, I would constantly scroll through social media, seeing photographers older than me who were far ahead in their journeys. It was easy to fall into a cycle of comparison, but that feeling only fanned the fire, pushing me to work harder and chase bigger opportunities.
That work ethic would begin to create a new struggle: balance. I started emailing multiple colleges and professional teams, often with no replies, and the mental strain began to take its toll. During my junior year, I was a varsity football player, a photographer, a straight-A student, a volunteer at my church, and more. Juggling all of these commitments was incredibly difficult. I was constantly trying to choose between being a high school student, a friend, a business owner, and an athlete.
Though the journey has been full of bumps and detours, they’ve never stopped me—they’ve only pushed me to learn and grow. I will continue being who I am and learning who that is. While the road is still ongoing, I’m learning to be present and proud of where I am today, while still working toward my future goals.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What I do is pretty simple: I’m a sports media guy. I specialize in visual story-telling, focusing on content creation. People know me for getting those shots that are more than just a play—the raw emotion, the struggle, and the story behind the game. I’m not just there for a single game; I’m there to tell the whole story.
I am most proud of my work with my high school soccer team. I was never told how something should look or given guidelines on what it should be. I had full creative freedom. I was able to attack projects head on, from all different directions. That experience really helped me identify my unique style and voice through design.
I think what I’m known for is my ability to connect with people. When I’m on the sidelines, it’s not just about taking pictures. It’s about building relationships with the players and the teams. That’s what allows me to get the real, authentic moments. It’s what sets me apart. My work is about telling a story, and you can’t tell a good story if you don’t know the people in it.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
People. I could never have gotten as far as I have without the people in my life.
To my family: My family continues to support me everyday, not just with photography, but with EVERYTHING. They wear my name and number on the back of their shirts for football games, they like every single one of my photography posts, and they make time for every school event. My parents have done everything in their power to set me up for success, and I fully believe that without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. Thank you Mom, Dad, Henry, and Elizabeth.
To my school: Multiple teachers and coaches have helped me learn and grow, not just as a professional but as a person. Without my yearbook teacher, Mrs. Schlepphorst, I would not have been able to use top equipment to grow as a creative person. Through Byron Nelson’s yearbook she has given countless advice and opportunities. She has taught me and lended me expensive equipment through the school that has elevated my work.
To the Byron Nelson Football Program: My teammates have become non-biological brothers. The people I can go to when in need. The people I can trust. The people that have helped push me and given me some of the best moments of my life. The coaches have guided me not just in the game of football, but in life. The football lessons they have taught me translates to my everyday life. Making sure I am prepared, timely, joyful, and exceed in everything I do.
To the Solar Academy ECNL Boys 08: This team welcomed me into their family. I traveled with them, shared meals with them, and held up trophies with them. This was also a huge portfolio builder for me. With so many games at a high level of play, this team drastically improved my photography skills and made me known as a soccer photographer. But there was more to it than just a job. I wasn’t an outsider or a random person. I was, in a way, a part of the team. That is what I am most grateful for.
To the Byron Nelson Men’s Soccer Program: I was able to grow and work on my graphic design along with continuing my photography journey. The boys on this team were my friends. I wanted to be along for their journey and document their accomplishments. I am grateful for how they treated me and made me a member of the team.
To everyone else: This list could go on for days. There wouldn’t be enough trees in the world for the amount of things I could write about the people in my life. I may not have written some names, but if I have ever spoken to you in my life, you made an impact. Thank you.
Pricing:
- Game Team Package: $200.00
- Player Game Package: $35.00
- Portraits: $100.00
- Events: $100.00/Hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://logancortezphotography.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/Logan.Co.Photography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Logan-Cortez/61564437281455/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/logancortezphotography/
