The camera guy

I started making videos when rewinding was part of the process. Somewhere between those VHS tapes and directing a multimedia team, making videos became my career. The curiosity that got me started never really changed.

I’m Zach, a videographer and photographer based in Rochester, NY, and the Director of Multimedia Production at SUNY Brockport. I spend my days finding stories in places people might walk past: a classroom, a research lab, a conversation with someone who doesn’t think they have much of a story. That last one usually gets my attention.

That curiosity has also taken me into remote Alaska by bush plane, to Iceland, and across the Great Plains chasing storms for documentaries. Along the way, I’ve worked with Aaron Judge, Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and a NASCAR team. I didn’t imagine any of that when I first picked up a camera, but following a story has a way of opening doors.

What I love about this work is that it asks me to be creative, technical, and human all at once. I get to solve problems, meet people, chase an idea, and figure out how a hundred little decisions can make a story click. Sometimes that comes down to the music or the edit. Sometimes it’s knowing when to put the camera down and just talk.

From documentaries and sports to commercial projects and weddings, I’m drawn to the moments that mean something to the people living them. My job is to pay attention, earn their trust, and tell the dang story.