Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher James.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
People ask me all the time, “How did you get into Photography?” It made me really think about how it actually happened. It’s funny because it’s something that I never intended to do. I never would’ve thought that photography would be a hobby, let alone a profession. But life is interesting that way. You can have certain goals and find yourself on a path that you didn’t expect. There are many ways up the mountain. Sometimes you gotta let go and let life do its thing.
I’ve always been an Artist. It was actually my first passion. I started drawing in 2nd grade. The first thing I remember drawing was a picture of this cartoon I was watching at the time called Mighty Max. For my first time, I thought it was pretty good. I showed it to my mom, and once she approved it, I was charged up. From that point on, it wasn’t a day that went by that I wasn’t drawing. I took an Art class in middle school and really honed my skills once I got to High School. Over the years, I got pretty good at it. One of my pieces even won 2nd place in the Georgia State Fair. I had very low expectations and was shocked when I found out it ranked that high – crazy. Art remained only a hobby, as I chose not to pursue it as a career. For it to make sense economically, I thought I’d have to get into graphic design which didn’t really appeal to me. I was ol’ skool with it….no. 2 pencil & paper and I was good. I did take a Photography class my senior year but dropped after a week so I could take P.E. It was more fun because we played basketball everyday lol. But it’s funny how things come full circle.
My art journey didn’t stop with drawing. It was just embraced it in different ways. That’s the thing about art – there are many ways to engage it. Fast forward to college and that’s where I got into acting. I did a little film and a little theatre/theatre production work. Shortly after college, I did some stand-up comedy, hitting different stages around the city and even performed in Birmingham, Alabama once. Good times.
My next introduction to art was through Photography. I can trace the journey back to 2015. I started taking pictures with my smartphone. If I went on a trip with friends or a family outing, I was the person who took all the pictures and created an album to share with everyone. Eventually, I got into editing the photos. It got to a point where I thought I’d developed a pretty good eye and even created a blog where I posted some of my smartphone pictures. It turned into a legit hobby, but I still had no intentions of pursuing it any further than that.
My focus at the time was really filmmaking. I was working with a team of people on some film ideas that we wanted to get off the ground. I went to Best Buy one day, bought a camera and the rest is history. It was like a portal opened up or something. The motivation behind getting my camera was solely for filmmaking. I still didn’t seriously consider getting into Photography. I soon learned that people had a real need for photos, so I figured I could try to help in that area since my camera was more than capable. Picking up a DSLR (I chose the Nikon) and taking pictures with it is not that simple, so I did my due diligence and really started to learn Photography and how to use my camera. I started out by reaching out to some of my friends and providing services pro bono. You have to learn first and get the experience – the money comes later. It got to a point where I felt like I really knew what I was doing, so I slowly started to post some of my work on Instagram. The next thing I knew, I was in business. People started reaching out to me, and things have been going strong ever since.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’m fortunate to say that it has been a smooth road. Most times in life, you get what you expect. My default thought pattern is that everything works out. It may not always work in your favor, but it still works out somehow. I’m still learning as I go. Each day presents its own challenges, and I embrace them. To me, the struggle part of it is realizing that you’re not going to know everything. There have been times where I’ve done a photoshoot, got home and realized that I made some errors (e.g., camera settings or improper use of lighting). Even though they were small errors that a client wouldn’t likely notice, it would still eat at me a little bit. But I realize that’s part of it. Mistakes are natural. The key is to learn from them and get better.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Montyangelo Productions – what should we know?
My business is named Montyangelo Productions. I offer Photography and Videography services. I’m still really exploring different genres, but if I had to choose I would say I specialize in portrait and event photography. I do professional headshots, lifestyle, and family portraits. I also do corporate, social, formal, and sports events.
What I’m most proud of would definitely be the quality of work that I provide and how I’m able to help people through photography. That’s the foundation of my business: Quality & Service. I believe that if there’s a meticulous focus on quality, everything else will naturally fall into place. Not saying that everything else will be easy – I think it’ll just happen more organically. Effort but not force. It’s all in the details. Often times, the small things make the biggest difference. So I’m always researching, practicing, and honing my craft.
When you deliver a quality product to someone, and they’re able to use that and advance their own life it really gives a sense of fulfillment. The right photo can be enough to open doors for someone. I received a message from a client recently, and she told me that she was able to land multiple auditions after using the headshots that I provided form a recent shoot we did. We’re all just here to help each other.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I mean, where do I start?? There are MANY people to credit for where I’m at today, whether they impacted my business directly or indirectly. I’ll list the names from previous years to present day.
My family: mom, dad, my sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. etc. for the continued love and support.
Cassandra Powell: long-time friend and very talented Artist. She’s supported me from day 1. She also provided some early connections and have provided me several opportunities through her company Yellow Dream Productions.
Qulanda Moore: long-time friend and gave me my first break in film.
Sierra Blackstone: Si! Good friend and fellow Creative. Si is always supportive and was instrumental in my decision to get a camera.
Quesa Lowe & NABA Atlanta: Lady. She’s been supportive since day 1 and watched me go from using a toiletry bag for some of my equipment to the official setup I have now. She’s been my Muse and has provided many opportunities through NABA Atlanta.
I gotta shoutout the homies: Joshua Moore (J-Mo), Corderell Cuyler (C. Cool), Austin McGuffie (Young AJ), William Brown (WJB), Travis Reeves. Most of us came up through college and have been supporting each other since.
Kia Siebie (StarLyte’s Boo’tique): Kia was my very first photoshoot and is always a pleasure to work with. Each shoot we do gets better and better.
Ashley Hernandez (Rebel Chef Meals): I keep a notepad whenever I talk to Ashley because she drops the gems on entrepreneurship. She was also key in me landing this interview.
Nikki Rumph (Shots by Nik): Supporter and fellow shooter. Nikki provided me an opportunity to teach my knowledge of Photography. She’s caught on fast and is making major moves.
Much thanks to anybody I’ve worked with in the past and will work with in the future. If I missed anybody, forgive my mind not my heart! Blessings.
Pricing:
- Photoshoot Sessions (Starting at $100/hr – price includes edits)
- Professional Headshots ($30/per – price includes edits)
- Formal Events ($100/hr – price includes edits)
- Corporate and Social Events ($30/hr + $60 flat editing fee)
- Sports Photography ($30/hr + $60 flat editing fee)
Contact Info:
- Website: montyangelo.com (going live mid-March 2019)
- Phone: 678.613.4973
- Email: montyangeloproductions@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montyangelo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Montyangelo-142365683242829/
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
