SHOUTOUT SOCAL INTERVIEW
I was recently interviewed by Patrick Harris of Shoutout SoCal, part of the SD Voyager media family. In this feature, I share my journey from military service to becoming a photographer with a purpose — serving military families, honoring bereaved parents, and capturing the quiet beauty of everyday life. It’s a heartfelt look at the “why” behind Morning Owl Fine Art and what inspires my work.
Meet Morgan Liberatore | Military Event & Lifestyle Bereavement Photographer
May 28, 2025
We had the good fortune of connecting with Morgan Liberatore, and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Morgan, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
I’ve heard repeatedly that you have to separate emotion from business, keep things strictly professional, and always present a polished, perfect image. I disagree with all of that—because my business is personal, and the work I do IS deeply emotional by nature. I walk into some of the most sacred, vulnerable moments of people’s lives—whether it’s the tender chaos of welcoming a newborn with or without a heartbeat, the bittersweet pride of a military homecoming, the quiet joy of a courthouse elopement, or the unimaginable grief of saying goodbye too soon. To show up to those moments disconnected would be a disservice. It is okay to stand shoulder to shoulder with your client and feel the emotions they are feeling.
My own journey as a Navy veteran, a mother, and someone who has personally experienced loss is woven into everything I do. That’s not a weakness—it’s my greatest strength. It allows me to hold space for real emotions, to honor each family’s unique story without trying to make it look “perfect,” and to remind them that their messy, raw, beautiful reality is enough.
I believe the most meaningful work comes not from staying detached, but from leaning in — with empathy, honesty, and a willingness to feel it all alongside my clients. That’s where true connection happens. Whether I’m working with a grieving parent or a four-generation family gathering to take their first professional portrait together, I want my clients to feel seen. And that’s the kind of legacy I want my art to leave behind: a true connection from one to another.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is rooted in capturing life unscripted—through a process I call Promptography. Rather than orchestrating perfectly posed images, I gently guide my clients into natural connection, prompting real emotions and authentic moments. Whether it’s quiet joy, sacred grief, or the chaotic beauty of parenthood, my goal is to reveal the truth of each story as it’s already unfolding.
This approach is especially meaningful in the spaces I serve—as a bereavement and event photographer, A Legacy Storyteller in the simple and complex. These are not moments that fit neatly into picture-perfect boxes; they are raw, sacred, and worthy of being preserved just as they are.
Getting to where I am today professionally has been anything but easy. Like so many, I had to be flexible when the unexpected hit. During COVID, I made the difficult decision to temporarily close my business—twice. But each time I returned, I did so with a deeper sense of purpose and an even stronger conviction that these stories deserve to be told and the way you tell them matters. In my most recent pause, I learned how to homeschool my daughter and serve my community by teaching dozens of high schoolers about photography and keeping their faith in focus, striving to present their art as authentically as they can.
I’ve built this business while going to school for accounting, serving in the military, homeschooling my daughter, navigating my own seasons of grief, having a deployed spouse, managing PTSD, and overcoming the pressure to present a polished, perfect image of success. The greatest lesson I’ve learned along the way is that real beauty lives in imperfection. People don’t need staged memories—they need someone to help them see the beauty in their reality.
I also know what it’s like to have few or no family photos of your own. I didn’t have a professional photographer for my own courthouse elopement, and I grew up without legacy portraits to look back on. That absence has shaped how deeply I value the work I do now—creating visual legacies others can hold onto and pass down.
What I want the world to know about me and my brand is simple: You don’t have to wait for perfect circumstances to preserve your story, the weight doesn’t need to be lost or the abs chiseled for your children to love a photo of you. The most powerful moments often happen in the unscripted, in-between spaces. And it’s my greatest honor to help families hold onto those moments—creating timeless legacies of life, loss, and love that will endure for generations to come.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were visiting San Diego, she’d bring her kids and camera along, too. It wouldn’t just be about sightseeing—it would be about making memories together. We’d start our mornings slow with great coffee at home and venture out to explore some of my favorite third-wave coffee spots like Tyne Coffee, Rob’s Brewpoint, and Idego Coffee. Of course, we’d have to try them all and probably debate which one steamed their milk best for that perfect, velvety latte art.
For breakfast or brunch, nothing beats the spinach mushroom crepes and the potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream from Richard Walker’s Pancake House—the perfect balance of savory and sweet! And we’d share an extra-large German pancake with fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar for good measure while there.
But the best moments wouldn’t be found just out and about—they’d be right at home. We’d spend a day baking and cooking together, probably making Dutch babies topped with fresh raspberries and my homemade lemon curd. Our kids would join in the joyful chaos, and both of us—being photographers—would naturally have our cameras close at hand, casually capturing the beauty in the mess, the laughter, and the quiet little in-between moments. We’d trade off taking self-portraits, snapping candid shots of each other with our kids, and preserving the kinds of memories we know we’ll treasure most. Board games, crafts, storytelling, and spontaneous dance parties are also an important part of our trip.
We’d balance out all that good food with plenty of time outdoors, hiking the scenic trails of East County San Diego and searching for hidden natural springs to swim in—or snow patches to play in, depending on the season. There’s nothing quite like adventuring, learning, and watching the kids explore with wild, carefree joy. We’d share a rhythm—two homeschool moms embracing real-life learning alongside the beauty of connection.
For me, that’s the perfect kind of trip—good coffee, good food, meaningful conversation, lots of laughter, and the kind of everyday moments we both live to document.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the grace of God and the people He’s placed along my path. First and foremost, all glory goes to Him—His strength has carried me through seasons of both unimaginable loss and incredible joy, continually refining me through the fire and calling me to support others in every season they face.
I’m also deeply grateful for my daughter, who is the heartbeat behind everything I do. She reminds me daily of the beauty found in simple, honest moments and the importance of preserving them. Even though she never met her brother, Giovanni, my six-year-old carries his memory with such tenderness, sharing his name with anyone willing to listen. To my family, friends, and community who have walked with me through my own grief and equipped me to serve others with compassion—thank you for helping me carry this calling.
To the bereaved families who have welcomed me into their most sacred spaces—many, more than once—I am honored beyond words. Your courage and openness give my work its deepest meaning, and I am forever grateful for the privilege of telling the stories of your loved ones. I also carry the memory of my late shipmate, FCA2 Bridgette Strzok, whose life and loss have pressed me to keep moving forward and prioritize my own mental health. Her battle with mental health and the loss of her precious baby remain a solemn reminder of why this work matters so deeply.
Through this journey, I have been blessed to serve the San Diego community as a bereavement photographer, military event photographer, courthouse elopement photographer, and most importantly, a Legacy Storyteller for extended and multi-generational families. I do this work because I know what it’s like to have only a handful of blurry photos from one of the most important days of your life, or to grow up without family portraits to pass down. That absence has fueled my desire to create lasting, meaningful imagery for others. It is my greatest honor to preserve powerful moments of life, loss, and love—creating timeless legacies for generations to come.
