Conversations with Anthony Cavale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Cavale.

Hi Anthony, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been chasing creativity since I was a kid. My mom once won a small camcorder at an office Christmas party, and I taught myself stop motion with my Legos. After that, I started sculpting my own clay figures by hand and filming little action-packed shorts with them. I even put on comedy sketches with my friends in the neighborhood. That was my world: creating, experimenting, and finding joy in telling stories my own way. Growing up in a broken home, raised mostly by my single mom and grandparents, life wasn’t easy. I spent years in special education and often felt invisible, but creativity gave me a voice when nothing else did.

By high school, I set the camera down to play sports, mostly to fit in and to appease my father. It gave me courage in a different way, but it wasn’t where my heart was. After graduation, I picked the camera back up — this time a cheap DSLR — and started grinding my way into photography. I had no connections in an industry built on privilege and nepotism, but I found a way to break through. That path has since taken me into concert pits with The Weeknd, Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Green Day, Charli XCX, and A$AP Ferg, wedding aisles on couples’ biggest days, championship sidelines at the Big 12 and Peach Bowl, and even the press line for the President of the United States.

Now I’m building a career that blends all of it. I’m a concert photographer and interviewer for Blaze Radio, a photo and video intern with Sun Devil Athletics, and the first Multimedia Trainer at The State Press. My sports coverage earned recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists, and I continue to tell stories as a senior reporter and photojournalist. On top of that, I’m in grad school at ASU pursuing a master’s in Learning Design and Technology. My goal is to use my background in media, storytelling, and AI to reimagine classrooms — so that kids like me, the ones who often feel invisible, can finally be seen for the potential they truly have.

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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I grew up in a broken home, raised mostly by my single mom and grandparents, and spent my entire school years in special education. For a long time, I felt invisible and believed I wasn’t capable of much. On top of that, the media industry I’m in is built on connections and privilege — two things I didn’t have.

Because of that, I had to fight harder just to be taken seriously. There were times I was overlooked, doubted, or flat-out told “no.” But those struggles gave me grit. They forced me to outwork everyone around me and get creative about how to carve my own lane. That’s how I went from teaching myself stop-motion films as a kid, to breaking into concert photography, to now covering championship games, photographing the President, and building a career in storytelling.

The challenges are what shaped me. Without them, I wouldn’t have learned how to push through walls that weren’t supposed to be broken. And now, those experiences fuel me to help kids like me — the ones who feel unseen — realize that they’re capable of so much more than the system might tell them.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a freelance photographer and videographer, and what I really specialize in is capturing high-energy, emotional moments — whether that’s on a concert stage, a sports field, or even at a wedding. I’ve shot major artists like The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, Charli XCX, Green Day, and A$AP Ferg. On the sports side, I cover everything from field rushes and championship games like the Big 12 and Peach Bowl, to college football at Notre Dame, and even the Territorial Cup — where my coverage won me an award from the Society of Professional Journalists. I’ve also had the privilege of photographing the President of the United States twice, along with other political figures.

Beyond that, I’m proud to work with ASU as a photo and video intern for Sun Devil Athletics, a concert photographer and interviewer for Blaze Radio, and the first Multimedia Trainer at The State Press — a position they created specifically because of my skill set. I’ve built my career on telling stories across music, sports, culture, and education, and what I’m most proud of is that I carved this path without connections or nepotism. In an industry where “who you know” is everything, I had neither — but I found a way not only to break in, but to stand out.

What sets me apart is that I don’t just take photos — I bring storytelling into every project. I come from a background of film and media production, and I see my camera as a tool for creating narratives, not just snapshots. Whether it’s a player celebrating after a win, a crowd lit up during a concert, or a couple saying “I do,” I focus on capturing the energy and emotion so people feel like they’re right there in the moment. And I’m proud that I’ve been able to grow this career while also pushing forward with grad school, where I’m studying how to redesign education using creativity, visuals, and technology — because I believe the same skills that set me apart in media can also help kids unlock their own potential.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
What I’d like to share is that my ultimate goal is to create my own movies. Everything I’ve done up to this point — from stop-motion shorts as a kid, to concert pits, weddings, sports fields, and storytelling through journalism — has been building toward that. Photography and videography opened the door, but filmmaking has always been the dream. I want to tell stories that connect with people on a deeper level, stories that make someone feel seen the way creativity made me feel seen when I was growing up.

I think all of us have a bigger purpose behind what we do, and for me it’s always been about storytelling. My hope is that readers can take away the idea that no matter where you start, your path can grow into something much larger if you keep pushing forward.

Pricing:

• Concert / Event Photography $300 – $600 per event
• ports Coverage / Media Days $400 – $800 per session/game
• Weddings $1,800 – $3,500 per wedding
• Portraits / Lifestyle Shoots $200 – $450 per session
• Commercial / Brand Content (Photo + Video + Drone) $1,200 – $2,500 per project

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_cavale/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthony.cavale
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-cavale-163648150/

Image Credits
Anthony Cavale