Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Gannon.
Amy, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
As a child, I secretly wanted to be a painter, however, I couldn’t paint stick figures to save me soul! My next thought was to “paint” with pictures, which to me, as a child, translated to becoming a photographer. Being that I hold a type-A personality, I did not want to start anything I could not excel at, I feared my work wouldn’t be up to par.
At the age of 12, I went on vacation to Argentina with my mother and Lola, a family friend who I loved as if she were my grandmother, she was kind, loving, and someone who supported my creativity fully. During the trip, Lola allowed me to borrow her camera, I went nuts! I took shot after shot with such excitement, Lola developed the images for me, yes, this was during a time when everyone printed their pictures. The images where simply beautiful! One image stood out, it was of a fountain with kids playing in it. Lola told me that this image should be blown out. It was after that trip, that I was hooked on photography. My mother noted my excitement and did her best to help me develop my love for photography.
Once we got back home, my mom would sometimes buy me disposable cameras, I vividly recall feeling such happiness every time she would give them to me, as I knew I would get to do what I loved most. With my mom being a single mother, I didn’t like to ask for them often, I knew money was tight and I didn’t want her to feel pressured in to it. I looked for other methods to express myself, so instead, I wrote. Creative people need some type of outlet or they fall in to a dark place, at least that was the case for me. In junior high I enjoyed writing poems, but I could not bring myself to show anyone my writing. It was during my high school years that I pushed myself to share some of my work and I received recognition from teachers and my peers.
After high school, I once again revisited photography, but this time, I begun shooting in black and white. I remember my Dad saying “If in one roll you have more than one great image, you should look into getting a professional camera”. I had about 10 good images, one of them still hangs up on my house today. In the midst of really enjoying photography, life happened, and I had my girls. During that time, I dreamed of taking photography classes, but I focused on raising my daughters instead.
Sometime in 2011, I fell in love, and as it turned-out, my then boyfriend, now husband, Grant Gannon, was also an artist and a photography lover who shot professionally. Fast forward to 2015, he was scheduled to shoot an event and he asked me to join him as a second shooter, I rose to the occasion quickly, and the rest was history! Now at 40 years of age, I love what I do! We both shoot professionally and run a successful photography and entertainment company. I specialize in Family and Child photography, and also shoot Corporate and Social Events. My husband plays the piano and provides DJ/MC services through our sister company, and often joins me on shoots as needed.
Not many people know my story, as I keep a lot to myself, but I think it is important for others to know that our upbringing should not define who we become. So many times, I had to put my love for photography aside, but once I was able to dedicate time and money to it, I fought to make my dream a reality. Being a business owner is a difficult task, there is so much that goes in to it, there are many rough patches, but there are also many moments of “I am right where I am supposed to be”. I am a mother of 3, a wife, and a professional photographer. My dream is now a reality.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I create because its fills me with enjoy! When a shoot a photo session it’s the little things that I find inspiration in. The way a child holds his/her father’s hand, or the way a child kisses their mother. Sometimes just seeing the interaction between the whole family, I find it to be such a beautiful thing, and I love to capture that. When people see their images, I want them to remember the laughs shared, and all the little fun moments that make us love life!
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
My advice would be to go for what sets your soul on fire. If you don’t, you may later wonder where the time went. You are never too old to get started, I started Gannon Studios, LLC at the age of 37, and although I wish I would have started years ago, that’s ok! all roads lead me exactly where I need to be. So, my biggest advice is don’t be afraid to fail, and when you do feel like you have, learn from it, and try again. Each failure is a lesson learned. So, I say, embrace failure because no one made it after just one try!
Contact Info:
- Address: Miami, FL 33139
- Website: http://www.gannonstudios.net/
- Phone: 3055887210
- Email: amy@gannonstudios.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gannonstudios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gannonstudio/
Image Credit:
Grant Gannon from Gannon Studios, LLC took the picuter or Amy Gannon by the window.
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