Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Caroline Russell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mary Caroline. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Beaumont, Texas where there was surprisingly a lot of local music and artists around. I would go to shows at motels & in random ballrooms around town and take photos with a disposable camera. Shooting music for a living always felt like a far-off dream, but shortly after I moved to Atlanta I met someone who for whatever reason decided to get me into a ton of shows.
The first “real” show I ever shot was Paramore at the Tabernacle & from there people thought I was a professional, so I went with it. I said yes to every job that came my way and shot every show I could get into so by the time I graduated college I was shooting music full time.
Has it been a smooth road?
I guess that depends on your perspective. I’ve definitely hit a lot of roadblocks along the way, but I have always believed each swerve, bump, mishap or whatever you want to call it is full of purpose & carves your path for you.
I have heard many times that “having a girl on the road is harder” or that an artist prefers to travel with a male crew & there are legitimate reasons for that I guess, but from the first time I heard that I knew I would need to create a product so captivating it would trump those biases.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’ve been taking photos professionally for 9 years now. I specialize in documentary photography with a heavy emphasis on covering the music industry. I think what sets every photographer apart is their perspective. Each person who picks up a camera has a unique way of seeing things & therefor photographs in a unique way.
Apart from my own perspective, I draw most of my inspiration from photographs from the 60s and 70s. The photographs that came out of those decades seem so timeless & iconic. I am always striving to create that same iconic feeling for the artists I work with.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think Atlanta is a great place for anyone in the creative field. The city is just now coming to life & with that, the art scene is so open to new people & really supportive of each other.
Specifically for music photography, there are a ton of local shows happening all the time & loads of musicians to connect with. It’s a good place to get your feet wet & the proximity to Nashville helps widen the net when you feel like you have covered all the music you can in Atlanta.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marycarolinerussell.com
- Instagram: @marycarolinerussell
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