Some people capture moments.
Others change lives while they’re capturing them.
Long after the banners are hung, the stalls are empty, and the lights in the show ring have gone dark, there will always be one thing that remains, a photograph. A single image that takes a family back to the moment years of sacrifice finally paid off. A reminder of a child’s first champion, a parent’s proud embrace, or one last backdrop picture before they age out of the junior show ring.
For thousands of livestock families across the country, those moments have been preserved by Megan Blankenship, Owner of Next Level Images the Sullivan Supply Best of the Barns Show Photographer of the Year.
If you ask the people who know Megan best, they’ll tell you her greatest work isn’t hanging on the walls of exhibitors’ homes.
It’s walking beside her every everyday.
“Megan pours herself wholeheartedly into her team, her clients, and the livestock industry she loves so deeply,” says Chad Oats. “Her positivity is contagious, and the expectations she sets for her team are the very same standards she holds herself to every day”
To her team, Megan isn’t simply the owner of Next Level Images. She is the leader who sets the pace, the mentor who believes in people before they believe in themselves, and the friend who makes everyone around her feel like family.
“She genuinely loves people, livestock, and her family,” Chad continues. “She has a remarkable way of making her team feel like an extension of that family.”
That word, family, is one that surfaced again and again when those closest to Megan were asked to describe her.
“Family,” says Payton Farmer, when asked what legacy Megan is building through Next Level Images. “At the heart of everything Megan does is the life she shares with her husband, Matt and two children, Adalynn and Aksel. Because she lives this life herself, she understands that every banner and backdrop photo is only a small part of the story. She knows the early mornings, the late nights, the sacrifices, the miles traveled, and the unwavering support that make each memory possible.”
“Through Next Level Images, Megan hopes to preserve more than photographs, she wants to capture the love, dedication, and legacy that families are building together, one show, one season, and one generation at a time.”
That perspective changes everything.
To Megan, a backdrop photo has never just been a backdrop photo.
It’s the picture a family will frame in their living room.
The image grandparents will proudly show their friends.
The memory parents will look back on after their kids have grown.
The reminder that all the early mornings, endless miles, and countless sacrifices were worth it.
It’s why every detail matters.
It’s why every family matters.
It’s why Megan has spent her career making sure every person who steps in front of her camera feels important.
“Megan’s passion for this industry is something you can’t teach, it’s simply who she is,” says Zoee Jeffery. “She pours her heart into everything she does, and that passion is contagious. Being part of her team makes you want to work harder, dream bigger, and constantly become a better version of yourself.”
But perhaps Megan’s greatest gift isn’t found behind the lens.
It’s found in the people she’s helped become.
“She has a remarkable gift for seeing potential in others long before they see it in themselves,” Zoee says. “She encourages you, challenges you, and celebrates your successes as if they were her own.”
For Emma Welch, that belief changed the course of her career.
“I can confidently say I would not be the photographer I am today without Megan’s guidance,” Emma says. “Her eye for livestock is second to none, but what truly sets her apart is her heart for people. She has an incredible ability to recognize potential, teach, and celebrate the successes of those around her.”
“Megan leads with passion, intention, and selflessness. She raises the standard of our industry while lifting others alongside her. She is the kind of leader who leaves a lasting impact on everyone she mentors.”
That same investment is something Abi Lillard experiences every day.
“She doesn’t just invest in the work we do, she invests in the people behind it,” Abi says. “She celebrates the big and little wins, encourages people through hard seasons, and builds relationships that go far beyond the job. Her support has truly made a lasting impact on both my career and my life.”
And somehow, in an industry built around competition, Megan has created something even more meaningful.
Community.
“One of Megan’s greatest gifts is bringing people together,” says Payton. “She has built more than a photography team, she’s created a family. She’s brought together people from different backgrounds who all share the same passion and somehow turned coworkers into lifelong friends.”
After thousands of miles, countless shows, and more championship backdrop photos than most could ever imagine, what stands out to those closest to Megan isn’t the awards or the accomplishments.
It’s the joy.
When asked what she’ll always remember about working with Megan, Megan Anderson didn’t talk about championships or business success.
She simply said,
“How much she truly enjoys what she does and how much she loves the life she’s cultivated.”
Maybe that’s why Next Level Images has become so much more than a photography company.
It’s a reflection of the woman behind it.
A woman whose pursuit of excellence never comes at the expense of kindness.
Whose leadership is measured not by the photographs she’s taken, but by the people she’s lifted.
Whose legacy won’t simply live in albums or on living room walls, but in every photographer she’s mentored, every family she’s encouraged, and every life she’s quietly changed along the way.
As Chad Oats put it best:
“She doesn’t simply lead by giving direction, she leads by example. Character, passion, relentless dedication, and just the right amount of caffeine are the foundation of her success. She has a ‘Better Never Quits’ attitude, and it’s infectious.”
The Sullivan Supply Best of the Barns Show Photographer of the Year recognizes excellence behind the camera.This year, it also recognizes a woman whose greatest masterpiece has never been a photograph.
It’s the people she’s inspired.
Megan Blankenship and the entire Next Level Images team we tip our hat to you agndcan’t say thank you enough for the laughs shared, memories captured and kindness passed down along the way! Here’s to you, The Sullivan Supply Best of the Barns Show Photographer of the Year, Congratulations again.