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

Hi Teresa, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and I’ve always loved photography. When my boss of 25 years retired in 2017 and closed her medical practice, I started thinking very seriously about my next adventure. With lots of prayer and the encouragement of family and friends, especially my ever supportive husband, I began pursuing my love of photography more seriously and contemplating how to turn what was mostly a hobby, into a vocation. First, I displayed my photography at local shops, art shows and expos. As things progressed I added commissioned work and service photography, such as event, portrait and family photography. All along I envisioned having my own gallery and studio; a charming, relaxed, fun place where everyone felt welcomed; where I could be there to personally greet customers and tell them the stories behind each photograph (as I love to do at art shows and expos), and a comfortable, inviting studio setting for portraits and head shots. So the search and wait began for just the right storefront location to become available in Downtown Cartersville. In October of 2019 it did and on February 6, 2020 we celebrated our Grand Opening at 12 S. Wall Street!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I never thought of myself as an artist. Just someone that loves having a camera in my hand and capturing images of animals, landscapes, people, rustic barns, historical monuments, old churches, anything and everything that catches my eye. There is so much beauty around us, just pause and look around. Nature has so much that’s worth patiently studying and capturing. Setting up for art shows and expos are hard work. But to get started and get your name and products seen, it’s worth it. A good deal of my sales and business relationships have developed from having a booth at local art shows. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the excitement of having a customer walk into my shop and recognize my work from a previous art show or from one of the shops where my photos were displayed before we opened our gallery. When someone points to one of the images hanging in my gallery and says, hey, I have that photo hanging over my fireplace at home, or wow, my wife bought that canvas for me and I am so happy to get to meet you, it is the craziest, most humbling, amazing feeling ever and I am grateful every single time it happens. The main thing that sets our business apart is that we’ve combined our photography gallery with a gorgeous bridal boutique. Our shop is filled with beautiful local art and stunning wedding gowns from top designers in New York and California. A perfect match!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Downtown Cartersville, Georgia is such a wonderful place. https://visitcartersvillega.org/attractions – There are so many opportunities for outdoor fun, shopping, dining, festivals, farmers markets, camping, fishing, hiking, boating, museums, sports and entertainment.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
That’s a very easy question. My biggest encourager, my constant supporter, is my husband Tom. He saw that I had talent as a photographer and, quite honestly, I don’t think anyone else could have convinced me of that in the beginning. I will never forget the day I informed him that my 25-year long job was coming to an end with my boss’s retirement. I asked him, “What am I going to do now?” For the past 25 years I knew what I’d be doing pretty much each day, and all of a sudden my life was about to change drastically. He looked at me and said, “Have you ever thought about taking your photography seriously?” In that moment, it was as if all those days and years and hours of taking pictures, whether with my phone or my old camera, instantly made sense to me. I remember just a few days before that, taking tons of pictures as we drove around exploring northwest Georgia back roads, and thinking why am I taking so many pictures? Why do I waste so much time doing this? Why do I keep asking Tom to turn the car around or pullover here so I can get a picture of that barn or that horse or that field or that mountain scene? But when he said those words, it was like everything lined up, all the pieces fit. He has worked so hard helping me to renovate our shop and turn it into the vision we developed together. He handles all the financial aspects of our business and continues to support me however he can. He prefers to be behind the scenes, not wanting any spotlight on himself, but he is truly deserving of it.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernshotsgallery/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernShotsGallery/

Image Credits
Teresa Adams

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