We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chanel White a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Chanel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

There’s something in photography that is unlike any other form of art for me. There is a level of satisfaction that I am able to receive from my photography, that I simply can not find in painting. I have always had an urge to create. Photography has been one of the most satisfying displays of art for me. I can remember vividly, the first few snaps I had taken from my Canon T6s. I was in awe. After using a cell phone to take and edit photos, I had noticed a possible talent surfacing. One that couldn’t be silenced by insecurity, or opinion. I knew that if I would just invest in a camera I could somehow translate my visions better. Seeing things through a different lens. The very next day after receiving my camera I had my first photo shoot. It was then, that I realized my talent with the camera and how beautiful of a gift it is to give someone a frozen moment in time.
I realized that, we as people need this! We need to remember these moments. Moments that we now understand we can’t get back. Once I seen the amount of joy my gift provided, it was all the fuel that I needed to keep going. I then, understood what I had to do, I had to continue.
My goal was always to provide an unforgettable experience. One that would conjure up whatever feeling the client was feeling every time they see their photo. I want my vision to bring together families, help frustrated relationships and add self esteem wherever it is needed. With my talents I provide self care, moments to just be yourself and have fun. I truly enjoy what I do. There is very little on this earth that feels as rewarding, then when I know I’ve turned someone’s day around or I helped boosted someone’s confidence. I’m all about self love.
The way one sees themselves can be very powerful, it can also be the difference between them going for something or staying hidden away. When a client steps in front of my camera, I provide them the shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, and the positive energy to help them feel uplifted and happy. I appreciate my clients as they help me also!
Sometimes it’s easy to forget how special you are, my clients never allow me to forget. They are the most kind and loving people. It really is my driving force and why I pour so much love into each photo.

Chanel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hello world! I am Chanel White, celebrity photographer and internationally published photographer. You can find my work featured on USA Today, Detroit free press, The daily journal, times magazine, msn, yahoo, voyage Dallas, as well as Prestige magazine and I’ve had my work featured in New York Time square for NYFW!! I have also graced the cover of Prestige magazine.

How on earth did a mother of 3, wife and care taker manage to emerge with life still moving ahead? Great question, there no motivation greater than your children. My littles aren’t so little, coming in at 14,12, and 8 I’m busy! However, they keep me young and motivated. My children are my best friends! They are creative and constantly challenging my creativity. My youngest Aaliyah, she’s maybe the best model I’ve seen in a kid. She teaches me so much. She is a brilliant young lady and will be a force when she’s older if ever she decided to continue in modeling. Aavorie, she is my artist, she pushes me to reach within myself and find that perfect mood to create in. She surrounds herself with music and just allows herself to create freely. This helps me so much with tuning out the noise from daily stresses. She keeps me humble. My son Nathan, he keeps my heart full of love. In order for me to be creative I have to be content. He keeps me there with his love and attentiveness. They are my why, my reason. Because if we as parents do not show them how to be great, who will?

As for how I landed some of the gigs that I have had, I’d say it’s all about putting yourself out there. Be everywhere if you can be. There’s a model friend Dandu, he is literally everywhere! Okc, Dallas, NY, Vegas etc… Drive and dedication is how you get there. Stay humble and work on your craft. I am my toughest critic as it should be. I can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes but it’s only ever served me well to be that way. Remember that your work represents YOU! If you put out unfinished work, that is what people will believe you put out. I make sure that whatever I allow others to see, it’s something that I am proud of.

Being a lover of photography and art, I can usually see the beauty in most things and situations. I look for the rare beauty in every situation. That is usually what is remembered when looked back upon by my clients. Most of my clients frown upon overly staged photos, or photos where I may lack communication to help them become less awkward. I had my husband accompany me a few times on a couple shoots and he made mentioned that I needed to communicate better. This was indeed a fact. I would go into what I call a “zone”. I would be so focused that I would accidentally forget to communicate with the client or model. That’s a huge deal! If that’s something that others are also struggling with I’ll share a few tips that I’ve used to help me remember.

First, I try to break the ice at the very beginning of the shoot. Get to know your client! Find out what makes them smile and what their day has been like. I find that when I speak to my clients honestly, and with positive energy they seem to relax immediately.

Secondly, practice in the mirror or with your family. If you seem to be at loss for words like I can sometimes get, it helps to practice. Building the confidence before a shoot can help you open up more to your client. It could also help you with finding the right words to express what you need from your client.

Lastly, be patient with yourself. You will get it in time, just be patient and keep trying. Sometimes I feel as though I make very little sense when I’m directing and yet when I slow down and focus I can find the right words to say. So slow down, and look, think, and envision.

I am grateful to have discovered this talent that’s within me. I hope to continue to do amazing things with my craft, and help many people while doing it. I have such a beautiful circle of photographer friends that are doing some of the most amazing things. I must speak on my dear friend and celebrity photographer Audri Ancisco. She has been a rocket within the community. She has been such a great motivation for me as well has a great friend. Surrounding yourself with positive influences, and knowledgeable people will definitely give you the push you may need to get up and do something. Do yourselves a favor and look her up.

Being great in what you do requires drive and dedication. You must first convince yourself that you will be great and then move in harmony with your goals and plans. I am still mastering this and it is definitely not easy, but nevertheless, it’s quite the adventure.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe that being selective about what and how you post is very important. For me word of mouth and social media helped me to grow. It helped get my work seen by many people.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As a woman and a creative sometimes I would be subjected to others perspective or opinions even if I did not ask. I have been questioned many of times on why I choose to use particular settings or out right told I had my camera set up all wrong, just to find out it was right and theirs wasn’t. I have been told that my photography wouldn’t amount to much. That a real job would be a better fit for me as a mom. I’ve been told that my photography isn’t a stable job and I will suffer without the proper income. I have heard that my prices were too high, too low, that the job is probably too much for me to handle. I use to be a stay at home mom for about 10 yrs before I became a photographer. I had completely lost myself in the process. Once I found myself, I promised that I would never lose myself again. I have always been patient, and able to receive constructive criticism, however sometimes I had to take a step back from everyone else’s opinion of me and my work. Sometimes you have to trust yourself and listen to your own intuition. My intuition has guided me to the likes of USA Today. Listen to your gut.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cwhitephotography.org
• Instagram: C.white_photography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanel-white-485198203

Image Credits
Chanel White Jalisa Bolton