MEMPHIS, Tenn. — They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but when most people find out 8-year-old Storee Walton is the one behind the camera...many adults are speechless.
“If you’re too young, that doesn’t mean anything because if you are who you are that means that you can do whatever you want,” said Storee.
Walton is a professional photographer, just like her grandfather Thurman Hobson.
Hobson has traveled the world with the military as a photographer.
After having three daughters of his own, he thought maybe his gift would be passed down to one of them, but non-of them took interest.
That is until his one and only granddaughter was born.
“When she would see the flash she would start laughing and then she would run around and come and grab the camera again and I put it around her neck,” said Hobson.
At just one year old, it was love at first flash for Storee.
“One day I was taking a picture of pastor he was coming out of the pulpit and she came running up the isle reaching for the camera and I gave it to her. She pushed the button and the pastor stood there and posed for her and he said Thurman you know she looks like she wants to be a photographer,” said Thurman.
After that conversation, Thurman said he bought Storee a professional camera of her own.
“My mom thought she was looking at my grandfather’s pictures but she started noticing it was mine,” said Hobson.
Not long after ESPN took notice too, partnering with Storee to cover the Southern Heritage Classic at just four years old.
“I said are these Storee’s pictures, she said yeah dad you know Storee’s not going to let anyone touch her camera, and I started crying because it amazed me," Hobson explained.
Since then, Storee has shot prom photos, worked with Mayor Jim Strickland, and even the Memphis Grizzlies.
“My aunt, she was talking about me and one of her co-workers and they were like oh, Storee can take pictures for the grizzlies,” said Storee.
It didn’t take long for the Grizzlies commentator Brevin Knight and even some players to want their picture taken by Storee and with Storee.
“Some people gave me high fives and fist bumps and hugs, they made me feel like I was famous,” said Storee.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant even posing for a picture.
“She got a couple of shots of him because that’s my favorite player, I said I’m going to have to tell people I took some of these (laughing),” said Hobson.
Now, Hobson has a lifetime partner in Storee, helping to get the perfect shot.