With a mission to leave people feeling better than she found them.
Casey Vaughn, the photographer for Stroll The Village who shot this month's cover of the Reynolds family, is bringing her photography, mortgage and design work together under one brand, Howdy. A former resident and a Fort Mill High School graduate, Vaughn began in darkroom photography classes and has spent 17 years refining her craft.
Today she offers a luxury, editorial-quality photography experience designed so that every person, regardless of experience in front of a camera, feels comfortable and celebrated.
"I was inspired early on by my father, who rarely had a moment without a camcorder in hand. I love that it created the appreciation of catching life as it unfolds," Vaughn says.
Calm behind the lens
Vaughn knows that standing in front of a lens can feel vulnerable. That is where her background as a 500-hour certified yoga instructor comes in. Drawing on years of studying mindfulness, patience and nervous system regulation, she builds a calm, compassionate atmosphere on a shoot. Whether she is putting camera-shy clients at ease, supporting people with special needs, keeping energetic children engaged or guiding nervous first-time homebuyers, her approach means no one feels rushed. Clients leave feeling confident, relaxed and cared for.
One brand, many hats
Beyond photography, Vaughn is an entrepreneur, mortgage broker, homeschool mom, interior designer who has flipped eight homes and aspiring app developer building her first app. Built around creativity, service and community, Howdy offers photography, videography, mortgage services, interior design and local events.
Celebrating milestones runs through all of it. As a mortgage broker, Vaughn gives homebuying clients a professionally framed portrait in front of their new house. She also hosts "Real Estate Resets," which pair relaxing yoga sessions with professional headshots to help local Realtors recharge and connect.
At the heart of Howdy is the belief that everyone deserves to feel seen, beautiful and valued, and that every client should feel comfortable and cared for at every step.
This story appears in the November 2026 issue of Stroll The Village, which you can read or download in full.