INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Oct. 29, 2021/National FFA Organization) – While raising crops and livestock has always been the core of agriculture, talented workers with a variety of skills and specialties help ensure the industry’s success.
Tyler Ertzberger, with the Franklin County FFA chapter in Georgia, has one of the most unique ag jobs of all: livestock photographer.
“It started on my parents’ farm, doing some of the marketing for their cattle,” Ertzberger said. “Which then turned into me doing some shows, which then turned into more growth.”
Ertzberger started his supervised agricultural experience (SAE) while he was in high school. Now, at 21 years old, he works full time running Square One Agri Marketing, his photography and marketing business with 18 part- or full-time employees.
Before becoming a photographer, he exhibited livestock for 13 years and won several events. He said he was inspired to pursue livestock photography because he was never satisfied with the quantity or quality of the photos taken at his shows.
“Livestock [photography] has a very specific angle and direction,” Ertzberger said. “Not everybody has the eye for that.”
As a profession, livestock photography is focused on taking pictures and videos of farm animals for marketing purposes. This is often done by visiting farmers directly, but Ertzberger is also regularly asked to cover livestock shows, auctions and state fairs.
“We’ll cover the pig, cattle, sheep, goats, and dairy cattle shows going on,” he said. “We take all the official backdrop pictures; then we take pictures of them in the ring. Then we post them on our website for sale.”
For large events, such as the Georgia National Fair, Ertzberger said his team would take as many as 50,000 photos over a two-week period. They also do video, and they’ve been livestreaming events online during the COVID-19 pandemic so elderly farmers can safely watch along.
Because of the uniqueness of his career, Ertzberger said his ag teachers have been tremendously helpful in keeping him focused on finding the right path forward.
“They’ve been my backbone,” he said. “They’ve been the ones that have pushed me and helped me get through stuff when I’ve been defeated.”
Ertzberger’s advice to FFA members looking to start their SAEs is to never take “no” for an answer.
“I can’t tell you how many people have told me that I need to go get a desk job or do a nine-to-five job to be able to make it,” he said. “If it’s your dream and you have the desire to do it, you will make it.”
Ertzberger discusses the details of his business with Broadcast Desk Intern, Lydia Johnson.
About the American Star Awards
Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, four FFA members are honored with American Star Awards for outstanding accomplishments in FFA and agricultural education.
The American Star Awards, including American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience, are presented to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of an SAE. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows students to learn by doing, by either owning or operating an agricultural business, working or serving an internship at an agriculture-based business, or conducting an agriculture-based scientific experiment and reporting results.
Other requirements to achieve the award include demonstrating top management skills; completing key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earning an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.
Sixteen American Star Award finalists from throughout the U.S. were nominated by a panel of judges who then interviewed the finalists this fall. Four were named winners during the 94th National FFA Convention & Expo this year, which was held in Indianapolis. Winners received cash awards. Case IH, Elanco Animal Health and Syngenta sponsor the awards.
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