We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna Warner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna below.
Anna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?
This question hit me hard! It is so difficult to define success, especially when first starting out, and so easy to try to compare your success to others. While thinking about how to answer this question, I realised that the ways in which I perceive the success of other photographers and videographers is very different from how I assess my own — personal success has become more of an intangible, emotional state of being that I use to evaluate if I’m satisfied with my work or on the right path, while perceiving the success of others is usually limited to their outward, marketing appearances on social media. It is not a useful comparison. Genuine success for me is an equilibrium that I work towards daily, making sure that the work I create is aligned with my values and helping me grow as an artist.
For me success has to start from an inner, emotional place. That includes making sure I am creatively challenging myself, taking care of my mental and physical health, setting aside time for research and education, and pushing myself to strengthen my creative eye in every situation. I truly think if your inner creative self is cared for in your work, more ‘successes’ in a conventional sense of the word will flow to your business. I am building a business that authentically reflects and enriches me, and thankfully, like-minded clients have followed.
What it has taken for me to get to this point is self-reflection to get to know my values, lots and lots of steady hard work, showing up for myself and my clients, and the ability to learn from mistakes. It is a lifelong journey. There are surely ways to grow a business more quickly, but I really want to make sure that as a commercial photographer & videographer I am still putting my artistry and creative spirit first, and attracting clients who see the value in that way of looking at the world.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Absolutely! My name is Anna Warner, and I do photography and videography in the wedding and music industries. My style is a blend of documentary and fine art. On a wedding day, I tend to let out more of my documentary side. I love stepping back, letting families be families and couples be couples, documenting a relationship and their special day as it unfolds naturally around me. I challenge myself to find the beautiful angles, light, and moments of authentic emotion, where beautiful imagery and glimpses of connection can break through without me imposing myself to make them happen. On a wedding day, there is a beauty to waiting and watching.
With projects like music videos or portraits for other artists, I take a more directorial approach. I work with the artist to bring a unique creative vision to life, making content that shares a common thread with the artist themselves and their music. If I am making work for a particular song or album, I will often have a phone call or coffee date with the musician to hear them talk about what their music really means, or get them to send me a few paragraphs they’ve written about it to tease out its full meaning and complexities. I want my work to not just be visually interesting or pleasing but also deeply reflect the significance of the music, serving as a visual metaphor.
I shoot digital and film, but my heart is with 16mm film (for video) and medium format film (for photo) in particular — I love the way shooting film makes me think differently, its timeless texture and color palettes, and the element of unpredictability that infuses each roll with a little bit of fear and a little bit of magic. Wedding films and music videos shot entirely on 16mm film are my absolute favorite projects — there is no comparison to getting film scans back after waiting eagerly for a week or two, crossing your fingers while you try to replay certain shots in your mind. It feels like Christmas morning to pull up the scans and see those first few shots open up onto your screen, clear and beautiful.
As for how I got here, I have loved art since I first started drawing and painting as a child. Art has always been a foundational pillar of my life and identity, but making a career out of it seemed incredibly daunting. I dabbled with ideas for other directions, but when I had no clue what to major in in college but knew I wanted to take at least one or two art classes every semester, I realised that it was my fear holding myself back.
From drawing classes, I discovered photography. About 7 years ago, before my second semester of college, a drawing teacher suggested I might enjoy taking a photo class. I enrolled in my first camera class after that: a 35mm black and white darkroom class where we developed and printed our own film photos. I fell utterly in love with camera arts and haven’t looked back since. From majoring in Studio Art, to photographing and filming friends and diving into second shooting at weddings, to expanding my network with musicians and starting to film weddings of my own, I gradually turned my art practice into a side hustle and eventually a full-time business. I am so excited about what I have accomplished already with photography and videography, and am eager to see how my journey continues to unfold!
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Being a professional photographer / videographer really is so expensive in the long run. There is so much equipment you may need eventually — there are camera bodies, lenses, flashes, data storage systems, tripods, film, software subscriptions, and more.
On the bright side, however, these expenses can be spread out as long as necessary, and you get to decide if you really need them or not. In college, my first film camera was my Dad’s, and I bought my first digital camera with my savings — it came with one kit lens and one small flash, and I did just fine with that combo for a year or so. As I started to go further with photography and eventually get into videography as well, I gradually made more and more purchases to expand what I could offer or to improve my business workflow. Now, I am very happy with the gear I currently own, but I also keep a list of investments I want to eventually make on a white board above my desk. After making enough profit to feel comfortable with another purchase, I’ll pick the item that I think will make the biggest difference to my business, either in quality of work or efficiency. This way, I am able to gradually spread out the costs and continuously have little upgrades. I actually just upgraded my 16mm camera from an older model with less functions to a stunning 1966 Bolex H16 — a camera I hope to use for life — and I get to cross that off my list now!
I say this to encourage anyone thinking about getting into photography to give it a shot. With less equipment, you may need to charge lower rates, but there is absolutely no need to invest in a full suite of professional equipment from the get-go. I wouldn’t want to learn guitar on the most expensive guitar in the world, and I wouldn’t want to jump into the camera world on a Leica or Bolex, with off-camera flash, using a gimbal, without knowing how to use any of those items. Use the camera you have to the best of your ability, saving what profit you’re able to, and then decide when it’s time to upgrade. Growth is supposed to be gradual.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The magic of bringing intangible concepts to life, the honor of being welcomed close to share someone’s most important day, and knowing the work I create is truly my own unique perspective — there are so many rewarding aspects of being a creative. It means putting myself in everything that I do. It means constantly learning, growing, and honing my craft. Moving forward is so important to me, so I’m so grateful to be in an industry that encourages me to experiment and push myself, while also creating work that is deeply meaningful to both myself and my clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://annawarnerphotofilms.com/
- Instagram: @annawarnercamera
- Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/annawarner
Image Credits
The photo of me is by Zack Arp-Barnett. All other photos / stills are by me, Anna Warner.