Cedric Terrell exchanged a stable career in the Marine Corps to pursue his passion for photography. Now his efforts have resulted in growing name recognition and a footprint that stretches from coast to coast. In this Spotlight Series, Terrell focuses his lens on veterans who have separated and started their own careers in the entertainment industry.
Cedric joined the Marines during his junior year, and left for boot camp a week after he graduated. No gap year, no summer break. He didn’t even tell his mother he was joining until it was too late to stop him.
At the time in 2005, the situation in the Middle East was hairy and his friends and family had plenty of questions about why he wanted to go. Even though he knew what might be waiting for him, he had faith that everything would work out, and he would have his fellow Marines by his side through it all.
As a Marine security guard, his first station was in Beijing, China, where his love of photography began to develop. He bought his first camera, and he took more and more photos.
When he stepped out of the military in 2010, everyone around him once again wondered why he would move from a relatively routine life to photography, which offered no stability. He went to school first and used photography as a side gig, but it quickly became his main focus.
Garnering success, he put his attention into expanding his business and opening a studio. He especially loves working with veterans, because he can put his trust in them and they can trust him. They have a shared background, but are all working toward their own goals.
