We had the good fortune of connecting with Carrie Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Carrie, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I am a 100% perfectionist. Once I get an inkling of an idea I get to planning the details. When I am on a shoot everything has to look perfect before I even pick up my camera. If I do not love what I see before I click I will not love it after.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a freelance photographer/ creative. I would love to say it has been easy. I wish I could say that it IS easy now…but I can’t. I have to wake up every day and push out my brand. I will never force my creativity though! You aren’t going to wake up every single day ready to create. No matter what social media makes you feel like you need to do…you don’t. You can’t rush art. I think that’s why my followers over on Facebook keep track of what I post. I show them my process. I do not push out a new piece of “art” every day. Sure, I take session but when I release a full-on creative/ fine art piece they are really appreciative. I’ve worked with a lot of great people over the years and word of mouth has really put me to where I am today. I recently was booked by HBCU Times Magazine for a shoot with a model I have worked with a few times in the past, Jasmine Raiford. She is an amazing model and she is great at tagging people and getting the ball rolling. I couldn’t have made it this far without people like her always giving me the shout out when they work with me. I would like the world to know that I am a self-taught fine art photographer. I work for the QUALITY over quantity every single shoot. If you have a whimsical or fantasy shot in your mind, let us get together and work it up.
Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Honestly, I am kind of a homebody. I have 2 kids so we keep it down to earth and family-friendly. We absolutely LOVE a waterfall. There is a great little waterfall only about 15 minutes from my home here in Dallas called High Shoals Falls. It is the closest thing I can get to the beach just right down the road. There are a few spots we like to take people to eat when special people come to visit. One of which is the Appalachian Grill! This food…yall…is delicious. It is under a little bridge in Cartersville, Ga. You would not think this amazing little restaurant would be in this area. I adore the shrimp and grits there! Beware….the portions are hardy! The other little place we love to hit up is the Allatoona Grill, or as my children like to call it “The Lake Place.” A little restaurant little built off a boat sitting at the lake. In the summer it has a nice breeze blowing through and you can pull your boat up and walk up the hill. They serve everything from sushi and tacos to fillets. You honestly can’t go wrong.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The first person I have to give credit to is my husband. He started all of this and at the time, I don’t think that he knew it would turn into what it is today. He is the one that gave me my first camera and my first computer to edit on. I have upgraded my camera a few times over the last 9 years but my very first is still sitting on my bookshelf. I draw a lot of inspiration from the book called, “The wonderland Series”, by Kirsty Mitchell. It has her diary entries about what the shoot entail and documents the journeys of each photo. Not only the entries but the amazing art that she has created fills the pages of this massive book. If I am ever in a creative slump I just pick up that book and look through and just stare at what she has created within its pages.
Website: www.carriebrownphoto.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/portraiturebycarrie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/carriebrownphoto
Image Credits
Jasmine Raiford-Model Anja Altys- Model Rachael Cawthorn- MUA