Meet Anthony Ferrell | Visual Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Ferrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Nowadays, anyone and everyone can take decent pictures. So I often question why still clients preferred to work with me when there are many options to choose from. I found out that it all boiled down to the experience. I realized that everyone could pick up a camera, but few could create a connection with their subject in front of the camera. Portraits shouldn’t just be about creating “perfection” in a picture; I like to focus on the emotions of an image. The success behind my brand comes from being able to create a comfortable environment, allowing anyone I work with to be captured in their genuine expressions.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Growing up, I always leaned on artistic expression to process my thoughts & emotions. Most people have no idea, but I was a music producer & engineer years before I even thought of picking up a camera. Best decision I have ever made, next to marrying my wife!

When I first started using a camera, I had no intention of working directly with people. I wanted to do travel and street photography. The only problem with that, I was in college and too broke to travel and take pictures. So that dream quickly died, but I didn’t let that stop me from taking photos of any and everything. I was that kid that literally carried his camera every day around campus. Eventually, people started asking me to shoot their graduate photos. This is what started my journey into portrait photography!

I was hesitant at first about shooting portraits, but I’ve always been willing to try something at least once. Quickly I realized that I had an aptitude for it, but I knew if I was going to do this, I needed to make sure I did my research.

The journey was not easy; I think I made all the mistakes you could make as a creative. I have undercharged, overcharged, shown up to sessions without batteries or memory cards. One time I was shooting a couple and somehow slipped in the mud, fell on my camera, and completely broke it. That lesson taught me a lot about the struggle of not having insurance. I honestly could tell story after story of hard lessons I have had to learn in this passion, but what matters the most is that I made sure I learned from every one of those lessons.

I’ve grown to realize that to be successful in this passion; I have to be willing to be a lifelong teacher and student to the craft. It’s not enough to constantly learn; it’s important to pass that knowledge along so you can solidify that knowledge within yourself.

At this point, it may sound like I have had a lot of failures, but I’ve had even more wins. I am thankful to say that I’ve worked with some amazing and talented individuals like nobigdyl, Andy Mineo, The Shindellas, Lecrae, and so on.

Transitioning to how I approach my artistry today, I would say that I have evolved more into a storyteller. I started a fantastic series called Black Luv in 2019, and it showed me just how creative I could be. So now I am taking the time to really push myself beyond the boundary of just holding the camera. I want to create pieces that could one day move the world. That’s how big I’m thinking!

If I had to offer any advice to anyone thinking about pursuing a career as a creative, I would recommend not giving up on the journey before it even gets started.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Anyone that knows me knows that I am truly a homebody. I only come out of the house to shoot projects and eat. So I definitely have food suggestions.

Some of my favorite restaurants in the area are Slim & Huskies, Koji (if you ever find yourself in Murfreesboro). Oscar’s Taco Shop (reminds me of the awesome tex-mex places back home in Texas), Smokin Thighs, and Prince’s Hot Chicken!

As far as hang-out places, I am a big advocate for just peace and nature, and Percy Priest is definitely my favorite place to go to achieve that.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A good majority of the success that I have earned goes to the scene of the Black Nashville creatives. During my time of learning and exploring, the support that these creatives offered really helped mold the creative vision I have today.

Website: www.anthonyferrell.net

Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamaferrell

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-alexander-138aaaba/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/iamaferrell

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AnthonyFerrell