Daily Inspiration: Meet Carrie Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Smith. 

Hi Carrie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I found my love for photography when I was in middle school and spent an entire summer babysitting just to save up enough money for a small Canon point and shoot digital camera. I took that thing everywhere with me and photographed anything that I saw and found interesting – flowers, animals, the way the light hit a coffee cup…etc. Eventually, friends and family noticed and would ask me to take photos of their families & children which eventually morphed into my first wedding job! A friend I graduated high school with trusted me enough to capture her big day and the feeling it gave me was unlike any other. Getting to be a part of such a special time in a couple’s journey is something I definitely don’t take lightly. After graduating high school, I got a job at a photo studio in my hometown of Panama City, FL developing film, photographing sports teams, headshots, families & weddings on the beach. That job taught me so much about owning/running a business and inspired me to branch out on my own to make this passion a full-time gig almost 10 years ago – and I haven’t looked back since! I moved to Nashville about 6 years ago after deciding that I wanted to branch out from the typical beach weddings and see what another city had to offer. I’ve loved every minute of living here and experiencing this amazing city. The creative community is unmatched in the love and support each person has shown me and I am forever thankful for the amazing clients here! 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No road in life is ever smooth and finding my “brand” and what I wanted my work to make others feel is always a tough learning experience. As an artist, you have to self assess and figure out what kind of lasting impression you want to leave with your clients once their time with you is over. I personally want clients to feel like they are truly seen & heard and that they are left with photos that make them feel beautiful and captured in the way they see themselves. Just an honest depiction of joy and love. 

Finding the healthy work/life balance as a small business owner is another massive struggle, I think all photographers’ experience. Knowing when to turn off the emails, social media, and just our phones, in general, can be a difficult thing to do. So much of our bookings are based on what we put out for the world to see and it’s tough to feel like you’re not doing enough or falling behind when comparing yourself to all of the amazing talents in this city. I’ve definitely learned to just go at my own speed and that taking time for myself to rest just makes my images that much better. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think what sets me apart from others is my genuine connection to people. I always wonder what I would have been had I not fallen in love with photography all those years ago and I keep coming back to the same profession over and over again – therapist/counselor. I really love getting to know people and learning about what makes them who they are. I think connecting with others on a deeper level gives me a better chance of capturing genuine emotions. I’m laughing along with them in the photos as opposed to just asking them to smile at each other. There’s a whole other level of comfort there that really shines through in my images. I love when my clients (especially men who hate having their photos taken) leave feeling like that surpassed their expectations and that they possibly had some fun! 

What matters most to you?
In life and business – I think the thing that matters to me most is people. Humans are so dynamic and its crazy how certain people in our lives have the ability to turn our worst emotions around and make us feel better. I want people to leave sessions feeling like I’ve got their back and am on their team for whatever this process holds. I think we’ve all felt what the lack of human interaction has done to society during this pandemic and I just think that the more we’re able to be around people (especially the ones that are important to us) the better this life is. We were made for companionship (romantic or platonic) and experiencing a lack of that these past two years has truly shown that we deeply need it in this life to survive. One of my favorite authors C.S. Lewis put it this way “Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives” and that quote resonates with me on a daily basis. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.swakphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swakphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swakphotos

Image Credits
Swak photography