Payton Shumaker (b.1991) began his photography and art career after discovering his grandfather's film camera. Since then, he has pursued his passion on a non-traditional path. Payton is highly influenced by his fascination with history and how individuals either persist or enter self-destructive behavior in the face of great troubles. After completing his Associate of Arts degree, he entered the commercial photography business working for Ford & Brown, an architectural photo and video studio based in Moline, Illinois. Simultaneously, Shumaker has stepped into the role as a filmmaker, creating many short films, including an award-winning comedy. In 2020, Payton and his twin brother Paul, made the experimental short documentary Flood Plain. Which won Best Documentary Short at the Frostbite International Film Festival and has been an official selection at the New Wave Short and New York Flash film festivals. Currently Payton is finishing his Bachelor's degree and working as a professional freelance photographer.