Today we’d like to introduce you to Peyton Fennell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Peyton. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m Pey, a 24-year-old black creative born and raised in Queens/Long Island, NY. The shooter behind the lens for TheFennellFocus. I first started shooting in high school in an advanced design class. My childhood friend Jovan who is one of the dopest photographers I know, really inspired me throughout that course. I was able to learn a bit of swag from him and I can see his influence in my photos now. Before I even knew DSLR’s existed, I was using a blackberry and iPhone to take my photos. It was more about the composition than the quality of the photos that caught my teacher’s attention. She kept saying there was no way I could have taken the photos for my project on the phone. From then on, I knew photography was something that came naturally to me and also something I enjoyed doing. However, I would always put the camera down and not take it seriously.
Finally, my junior year at Fisk University, it was like the camera was then glued to my hands once I started shooting for the Fisk Forum, which was the school newspaper at the time. I couldn’t get away from it and I decided to stop running. I created an Instagram strictly for my photos and didn’t even touch it until about two years later when I began shooting a lot during graduation season using my line sister’s camera. I booked enough shoots and finally purchased my own Canon Rebel T7i. From then, I have branded myself as a freelance lifestyle photographer. I like to focus on making people who look like me from all walks of life feel confident and comfortable in front of the camera. I do have a bit of a quirky, unordinary style to my own creative pieces however, portrait photography is where I make the magic happen.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been a bit of a challenging experience for me only because this wasn’t the path I initially envisioned for myself. I have struggled with looking for validation to feel more secure in pursuing photography full-time. I am also at a point in my journey where photography isn’t consistent income, sometimes bookings are slow and far in-between. I have full support from my friends and family so the only pressures that come with my passion is how hard I am on myself. Sometimes, we forget to recognize our progress and take a step back to be proud of ourselves and the work we do. On the flip side of things, being my biggest critic has helped me grow at an exponential rate as a photographer. I didn’t choose this career because I knew it would be easy, so I don’t have expectations of a smooth road but I will be intentional about enjoying the ride.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
TheFennellFocus Photography is my brand, officially a business as of February 2020. I am still searching for my specific style that separates my work from others. However, what separates my brand from every other brand is the amount of compassion I have for my clients and those I work with—having a strong background of customer service experience has contributed to the retention of clients and being recommended to others for business.
At this point in my career, I am still exploring and trying all types of photography so I wouldn’t say I am known specifically for anything as of yet. I’m sure that time is coming soon, though! A collection of mine titled Flower Child being featured in All She Makes first photography exhibit ‘ I Was Here: An Exhibit of Womxn In Photography ‘ curated by Lauren Zaknoun was definitely my proudest moment thus far. The exhibit was launched for the month of September 2020, very recent and I was honored to be selected amongst 20 other insanely talented womxn photographers from around the world.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I recently moved to the A because I felt that I needed to be amongst thriving young black creatives. I was growing faster than Nashville was as a city and I was feeling uninspired my last few months there. Moving here has been a great decision for me. Since relocating, I have only been reaching new heights with my brand and networking with other bright-minded young adults. I 100% recommend starting out here, the only advice I’d give is to not get too caught up in the “celeb-like” lifestyle and stay focused and true to yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thefennellfocus.bigcartel.com/
- Phone: 3476965444
- Email: thefennellfocus@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefennellfocus/
- Other: https://square.site/book/2PX6YTDZ9PSFK/thefennellfocus-atlanta-ga
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