At an early age, I saw things differently than other people, and as a result, I wanted to show the world the beauty of life through my eyes. To achieve that, I grew another appendage as my camera became part of me. My young love of photographic art fueled my insatiable desire to record moments and memories as they unfolded. I could be found capturing people, places, things, events . . . you name it, I was there. Nothing was too minuscule or magnanimous in nature to snap a picture of, and I thoroughly enjoyed processing and sharing the
tangible creations of my mind’s eye.
As the years progressed, my passion grew exponentially for photography. Pictures became my artistic outlet. In college, it finally cemented in my brain that I wanted to make photography my life. But I wasn’t quite sure if it was something that I could make a living doing, let alone a career. I tried different photographic techniques and decided that photojournalism best suited my style and provided me with the opportunity to capture life as I see it, as I feel it, as I know it. Utilizing a natural environment, not a formatted studio structure, I encourage my subjects to be themselves and step out of the constraints of traditional poses and move naturally. I capitalize on the unexpected and unrehearsed, be it nature’s elements, weather and location, or the dynamic of family and friends, to get the best possible shot and bring to fruition an artistic approach of storytelling. To me, every single person and every object possesses its own individual beauty, and there is nothing more rewarding than capturing a quality of beauty where none thought it existed.
The expression of art in this medium is unlike the other artistic venues, in that it is a real time gateway to record life as it occurs. I absolutely lov
e going into a shoot not knowing what exactly is going to happen, as it provides me with the ability to use my artistic license to produce the best possible images. It’s a unique stamp; my proverbial mark on your photo that defines my work. It’s something I am teaching my protégés, Brandy and Dawn, to utilize as well, as it’s a creative way to make something ordinary look truly extraordinary.
I have to say, I am blessed to do what I do. I wake up every day utterly thankfully and wholeheartedly grateful for the interest generated in my work and the subsequent invitations extended to capture life’s events. To be asked to be a part of a moment in your life that either has you laughing, crying, sighing, gasping, shouting and the whole gamut of emotion in between, is exactly the reason why I do what I do. It’s who I am and why I created Photography by Chanda.
Finding beauty in unexpected places,
Chanda K. Pope