Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Brown.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carrie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started way back in 2011. At that time, I was stationed at Joint Base Charleston on the Air Force base. I had just lost my second pregnancy to complications out of my control. My husband recalled that I wanted a “nice camera” as his mother had. I honestly had zero how to use it but like everything else I have come to do, I would figure it out as I went. So, right before he left for his second deployment, he gifted me a D3300 (I actually still have it sitting on my bookshelf and refuse to get rid of it) an HP printer and a new laptop. I came home and was so excited!
A few months go by and we find out that we are expecting, again but he has to leave for his deployment and will be gone the entire pregnancy and the first three months of her life. In the meantime, I am here stateside and started to take photos of landscapes and the great things about Charleston, I’m sure if I tried I could find a few of my first photos floating about.
After my daughter was born, I was like every other new mom. I took ALL of the little baby photos and soon started to venture into other types of photography. I piddled in weddings for a little bit while I still lived in the low country. I started to build that side of my portfolio but honestly, I was NOT great at my craft. I thought I was… but I really wasn’t looking back at it all.
Fast forward to about 2015. I’m out of the Air Force now and I am a full-time college student working on her Welding Certificates. I am now adding boudoir to my portfolio as well as maternity. I found out weddings were NOT for me. At all. The long hours at weddings as well as the months of editing the one-day event. I put out a model call for a boudoir session and someone reached out to me.
Since that day… boudoir has been one of my favorite things to shoot. I get to watch someone bloom in front of my lens. Even if they started the session afraid or any of the like, they ended confident and ready to take on the world. It really is a beautiful thing. I wish I had more of these sessions to be honest with you. It makes me feel amazing as an artist and creative to help women embrace themselves.
I started doing my styled sessions around 2015 as well, though I didn’t really come into the style I have now until 2018. It took me a long time to find it. I have watched countless YouTube videos, trial and error, learned to sew and create headpieces. The people that have inspired my photos so much are pretty big in the photography world but they both started out as I did. In their own little room, broke, thrifting or making the attire for their shoots and doing it all alone. I think this is what helps drive me. Knowing that someone else started just like me but are now out in the world influencing other artists and helping them create. I’m sure some people out there know who they are. One being Kirsty Mitchell. Her Wonderland book has literally brought tears to my eyes because her photos are so surreal and her story is heavy on the heart. The other is Bella Kotak. She has such amazing photographs and is far different in her style. It is still ethereal and of another time but still just as magical.
I am lucky enough to have been published with Dark Beauty Magazine, Plenilune Magazine and Halation Magazine. I try to stay grounded and remember where I started. So, I am still always worried about my photos not being enough. I have worked with amazing teams along the way and really don’t think I would be where I am without them as well as my family.
I will be wrapping up my first series, “Mother Nature” at the end of November. So, stay tuned for that magical photo!
Has it been a smooth road?
I wish it has been a smooth ride. This road has been bumpy, unpredictable and completely dead ends some times. I am a self-taught photographer. I know a lot of people start this way but a lot of people give it up when things get hard. I wish I could say that I haven’t ever given up but I have. I have sold all of my equipment two times and vowed to give up photography because it wasn’t self-sustainable. Honestly, it still isn’t since my sets cost so much but it is an outlet for my creativity and my anxiety/depression.
It is still hard for me. I would love to work with more designers that collaborate. It would ease my stress by doing it all alone and help create images of their work at the same time.
My advice is. Find someone to look up to. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them and ask for some advice. You may be surprised at the people that will respond. Also, stay humble. I know this is said a lot but I can not say it enough. Once you think that you are the best, you will stop striving to get better. Aim to progress with each click.
We’d love to hear more about Carrie Brown Photography.
I like to think I am a Fine Art photographer. I specialize in Fine Art portraiture and maternity. I’m proud to say that I have not found anyone in the local area that has a style like mine. I love the surreal feeling of Fine Art and Fantasy photography. I hand make most of my outfits and my headpieces since my budget is pretty small but I have very large grand dreams of how I want things to look.
I want people to be able to have portraits that give you a feeling when you look at them. Really look at them.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
Honestly, I feel like Females dominate the industry. From me, as a photographer to my team, we are all females. Anytime I ask for someone to work with me on a shot 98% of the time they are female. I feel I’m pretty diverse as an individual and have gotten to work in many Male dominate fields like the welding industry. I absolutely loved being the only female to show the guys I am just as good or better than they are. There are only barriers if you let them be there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carriebrownphoto.com
- Email: carriebrownphoto@yahoo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/carriebrownphotography1
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/carriebrownphoto
- Other: www.patreon.com/carriebrownphoto
Image Credit:
Models:
Victoria Demarco
Nicki Stoker
Shayna Barber
Joy Simmons
Molly Nadolski
Olivia Phillips
MUA:
Rachael Cawthon
Adora Ashley
Alex Gault
Barbarian Costuming: Paracosm Creations
All other Costuming and headpieces: Carrie Brown
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