Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Denney.
Hi Andrea, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Right before the world shut down in 2020, I picked up a camera for the first time with real intention. My husband and I were out for a drive—something we loved to do—and we stopped at Montgomery Bell State Park, a place full of childhood memories. My aunt and uncle were married near the old spillway there, and standing at that spot again, I took one of my first photographs. That image changed everything.
At the time, I was mostly bedbound from a debilitating neurological condition caused by complex migraines. For over a decade, I’d been in and out of a wheelchair, living with constant pain and facing a grim prognosis if I didn’t make major changes. My doctor said I wouldn’t survive five more years unless I lost a significant amount of weight. It felt impossible—but photography gave me something to fight for.
I started studying through the University of Michigan’s photography program on Coursera. As I worked to get healthy—eventually undergoing gastric bypass surgery in August 2020—I kept shooting. My husband, ever my partner in everything, would drive me around rural Tennessee while I photographed the landscapes I loved. Even when it hurt to stand, I pushed through, because behind the lens, I felt alive again.
Photography gave me purpose, faith gave me strength, and my husband gave me hope. That first photo still hangs in my bedroom today as a reminder of how far I’ve come.
In 2021, I finished my studies and began shooting real estate to support myself, learning the ropes of professional work. But chronic pain returned, and once again, I had to pivot. That’s when I found Serge Ramelli’s landscape photography courses. His mentorship reignited my vision—not just to take photos, but to create fine art that tells stories of memory, place, and legacy.
Today, I’m rebuilding. I’m working through the Social Security PASS program and preparing to launch my Etsy shop as a fine art photographer. I’m also working toward Serge Ramelli’s Master Program to deepen my craft. This isn’t just about making a living. It’s about keeping a promise—to myself and to the man who believed in me—that I will make something beautiful out of everything I’ve endured.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all—but every challenge has shaped who I am as an artist. Living with chronic illness, battling pain daily, and facing a life-threatening health crisis were more than bumps in the road—they were mountains. Learning to walk again, physically and creatively, took time and grit. On top of that, shifting careers midstream, especially during a pandemic, wasn’t easy. I’ve had to pivot more than once, from real estate photography to fine art, as my health needs changed. Then came the loss of my husband’s fight of many years of illness. But through it all, photography became my anchor. It helped me find purpose when I was stuck in survival mode.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a fine art photographer based in Tennessee, specializing in black-and-white imagery that captures the sacred stillness of rural life—barns, backroads, forgotten churches, and quiet landscapes that most people pass without noticing. My work isn’t just about scenery—it’s about memory. I treat each photograph as a spiritual and emotional archive, preserving places that are slowly disappearing from the Southern landscape.
Right now, my focus is on The Remembrance Collection, a luxury series of limited-edition prints created to honor the soul of rural Tennessee. These pieces are printed on museum-grade metal and acrylic, paired with handwritten stories and certificates of authenticity. They’re meant to be more than wall art—they’re visual altars to what still matters.
I’m most proud of how this work has allowed me to create at the pace my body allows. Living with multiple chronic illnesses, I’ve had to build my business around resilience, not speed. That reality gives me a different perspective—I don’t shoot what’s trendy or loud. I shoot what’s lasting. What’s still. What deserves to be remembered.
What sets me apart is the emotional depth and reverence in my process. I’m not just taking pictures—I’m making offerings. Each image is crafted to invite stillness, presence, and reflection. And I think that’s something people are quietly craving.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Find someone who does what you want to do well and does it as one of the top tier of quality and teachability. Then find a business coach, my suggestion… Tara Wagner of Breakthrough Boss. Then go after the learning and implementing like it’s your last hope and last meal involved and don’t quit No Matter What!
Pricing:
- Acrylics & Metals starting from $850 USD
- Canvas & Paper starting from $65 USD
- Digital Prints starting from $30 USD
- Commission Prints starting from $500 USD
Contact Info:
- Website: Under Construction: https://andreabdenneystudios.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/andreabdenneystudios
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/andreabdenney
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/andreabdenney
