Meet Tracy Vann: Photographer

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

Hi Tracy, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I think I am most inspired by the human spirit. I know that might sound cliché, but it’s true. I’ve watched people love, and be hurt, and love again. I’ve watched my family members and friends go through tremendous difficulty: battling cancer, facing marital issues including divorce, financial challenges, raising children as single parents, suffering tremendous loss. Yet they continue to rise up and face the next challenge. 2020 brought a lot of difficult situations to so many, compounding things they were already experiencing. I lost my own mother in the middle of a pandemic… Yet, these people, the ones whose lives I’m so proud to be a part of, continue to find love, to find joy, to find peace. They still see the best in the world and in each other. They donate their time and energy to people they love and to ones they’ve never met. They become surrogate parents for the boys on the football team, or the members of the band. They sew pretty totes bags for cancer patients. They take care of siblings, parents and in laws with major health conditions. They are nurses finding resources for patients everyone else forgot about. They bake goodies for young soldiers far from home. They are parents trying to teach their children to be good humans and to be kind and giving. They are public servants and stay at home moms. The list is endless. But the human spirit. That’s what inspires me.

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’ve had a camera for as long as I can remember. I love capturing the world around me and people’s stories. I finally decided to pursue this passion, this dream of mine full time in 2018. It has been challenging trying to grow my business during a pandemic but I am stubborn! Capturing people’s stories became even even more important to me last year when my brother and I lost our mom. There was not enough photos of her. I want everyone to have pictures of their loved ones. Make memories. Capture them. Pass on photos and albums to your children and grandchildren. Pictures are so so important. I also want to be more than just the photographer someone hires, or a vendor at an event. I want to build lasting relationships with people. I want to be cheering them on and celebrating them!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is tough! We all just really love quality time together no matter what we are doing. Since I live in the metro Atlanta area… there are so many choices! Noble & Main coffee and Ate Track in Cartersville. Cool Beans and Sugar Cakes Patisserie in Marietta. Century House in Woodstock. Of course, the Varisty. I’d take them hiking at Amicalola Falls. The High Museum of Art. Is it football season? Definitely take in a game at the Mercedez Benz. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This list is endless. My life has been touched and shaped by so many people along the way. It really is knit together like a tapestry with each person contributing so much. I have always said that I have been blessed far more than I deserve by the people in my life. God really brought amazing people to me. My mom. My dad. My brother. My aunt Michelle. Friends that I have known since elementary school, high school, college. Their parents and families. Aunts, uncles, cousins. My residence life mom away from mom in college. My husband. Nothing I say here can adequately express my gratitude to them or the tremendous amount of love and affection I have for them. I fail often and they continue to lift me up. To love me. To see the best in me. They encourage me, support me, and demand that I am the best version of myself that I can be. Daddy, Thommy, Dianna, Reva, Aunt Mich, Tabi, Samantha. Kelly. Bonny. Anita. Dorie. Becky. Jen-jen. Anita. Becka. Laurie, Laura. Jeannie. Kelly. Kristine. So so many others that I want to mention but don’t have enough space! I see you! Thank you for being you and for loving me.

Website: www.lifehappensphotography.org
Instagram: lifehappensphoto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeHappensPhotography23