on social media
Ryan Swartz is a native of the Shenandoah Valley, where he and his family live. Ryan started his education/work life weaving rag rugs made of scrap materials with his grandmother to be sold at arts and craft fairs and through individual orders.
After he met and married his wife, Ashley, in 2008, they set off together with their love for photography and formed their first business together, which became Swartz Company. Ryan and Ashley continue to be very passionate in their entrepreneurial endeavors and expanding Swartz Company, where he works as project manager and commercial photographer.
Ryan had always dreamed of being some sort of artist or National Geographic photographer after seeing his grandmother and great-grandmother
in the publication for the family rug-weaving business and the community that surrounded them. Ironically, in the same publication was an article on Virginia Craftsmen, where Ryan’s father worked most of his adult life and which the family now owns. The first photos of his portfolio were made on his dad’s Pentax film camera and a Polaroid that he had as a hobby photographer while serving in the Army.
In his downtime, Ryan enjoys hiking, biking, fishing and gardening with his daughters and dogs.
