About Me

Growing up, I was always passionate about sports.  If I wasn't playing organized sports back in my hometown, I was playing some kind of sport in the backyard or watching the pros on tv.  Sports was my favorite pastime up until high school when I injured my back playing the thing I loved most, football.  From that point forward I could no longer compete at the same level that I once did, so I turned my focus to art.  After graduating high school with an essential course of study in art, I made the decision to serve my country and in 2001 I enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  During my time in the Navy, I worked as an Aircraft Mechanic and was lucky enough to travel the world.  My time in the military is also how I met my amazing wife Thalia and where we started the amazing family you see above.  The feeling of repairing an aircraft and having it return to it's mission is a rewarding feeling but I really wanted to find a way to express myself through art.  In 2015 I purchased a digital camera and began making art through photography.  Now, I could share my experiences in the military, document my travels around the world, and most importantly, capture the precious moments of our children growing up.  Although my initial plan was to serve four years and return to civilian life, when all was said and done, it turned into serving 20 years and retiring as an E-7 with an Honorable discharge.  In 2021, my family and I departed our final duty station in beautiful Washington state and moved to New Braunfels, Texas where we call home today.  I must say that, 2022 was a very exciting year for me personally.  This marked the inception of JJ Schrader Photography as well as something even bigger.  In the fall of 2022, I completed my Bachelor's Degree in Digital Photography through Southern New Hampshire University.  The whole reason that I started JJ Schrader Photography and started this journey in sports photography, is because sports and art have been a major part of my life in one way or another, so I decided to combine the two and make it my new profession.  I no longer repair airplanes for the U.S. Navy but I still get that same rewarding feeling when I am able to provide priceless memories through my photography to clients.