Today we’d like to introduce you to Armani Marie.
Hi Armani, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was just a small-town kid with a dream to inspire. Hailing from the peaks of the Pocono Mountains, I found myself in Atlanta, GA with a desire to tap into my artistic abilities. I started as an artist; drawing my own comics, developing my own stories, getting in trouble for drawing my teachers during class while I was supposed to be learning, to dancing hip-hop professionally. I had the opportunity to dabble with a few other areas, yet I found myself drawn to acting and entertaining. Through this, I decided to learn to take my own headshots so I could have as many shoots as I wanted and not rely on the schedule of others. It was not long after that my true journey began. My wife gave me my first camera for Father’s Day, and immediately my life took a turn. I shifted from being in front of the camera to behind it with total ease, and suddenly the world I saw around me was different. I envisioned the world through mm lenses, f stops, angles, and lighting; I saw for the first time the art that was surrounding me everyday. Now I pride myself, as I continue to learn and grow, to the understanding of how to capture photos that truly are worth a thousand words.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A proverb that I often refer to is, “Obstacles do not block the path, they are a part of the path.” I wish I can say everything was smooth from the beginning and I was a natural photographer but in actuality, I am a natural artist. My artistic nature made it so certain aspects of photography came easy, but on the other hand, there was so much for me to learn. Photography itself is a very technical skill and in learning actual shooting as well as editing in post was not the easiest for me and there is still much that I am learning. I had experienced moments where I was simply not capable of delivering what clients wanted based on my skillset at the time. Photography is also not a cheap hobby, as the progression of your equipment is a nice sized investment in itself. Then of course understanding how photography is a saturated market (everyone is a photographer nowadays) and fighting to be unique in a market where there is so much talent can be tough. But we are not measured by the struggles we experience, we are measured by HOW we go through the experience and end up on the other side.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For me, photos are not just pictures, they are emotions translated through moments in time; that is what I capture. I am a premier wedding photographer in Atlanta, GA. A client of mine has coined the phrase ‘The Armani Effect’ (Thank you Ashley and Phill Curtis) as they, as well as other clients, feel when that I capture them, I do so in a way translates so much more than just ‘how they look, feel that I capture them, I do so in a way translates so much more than just ‘how they look.’ Photos are the memories we choose to remember and share with others. I focus on a photojournalistic style meshed with quality and an artistic eye. I refuse to cut corners and am sure to deliver a photo gallery worth keeping forever.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think that my industry is constantly being challenged by artists who show the world through their eyes and interpretations. There are certain avenues that won’t go anywhere; editorial, wedding, branding photography for bigger businesses, those avenues will likely see less change of processing and more change of personnel due to natural progression of certain aspects. But industries such as social media management, as well as product photography, even fashion photography are able to be driven by the individual creative on the outside and can really disrupt things with their creativity, tools, and resourcefulness. Many creators now are regarded as professionals without even having professional equipment; they just know how to create art. But we are in a time driven by trends so it is truly hard to say where the industry will be before it gets there.
Contact Info:
- Email: capturedbyahm@gmail.com
- Website: www.capturedbyahm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capturedby.ahm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AHMPhotographyLLC
