We recently connected with Garrett Gillette and have shared our conversation below.

Garrett , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I think the most meaningful project so far was being there when two of my best friends got engaged. Out of respect for their privacy, I’m not gonna use their real names, but let’s call them Shane and Danny. Shane and I have known each other since we were five years old. We shared classrooms, were on the same sports teams, and had the same friends our entire lives. As we got older and out of school, we found even more things that we had in common that brought us even closer together. Shane was actually the very first person I ever had model for me when I picked up the camera. Creativity was a new thing that we found that brought us closer together. We always shared a love for music, but to different degrees. Shane loves all kinds of music, I’m a little bit more picky at times. He’s also the biggest fan of live music and concerts that I’ve ever met. Me, not as much. Not to say I don’t love and appreciate it as well, I just have a really hard time being around large groups of strangers at times. It’s hard for me to occasionally let loose to some degree, when I’m nervous about getting into people’s way or being visibly uncomfortable. But not Shane. I have never seen someone shed their anxiety and morph into who they really want to be the way Shane has. From the shyest person in the group, to the head of the dance party, like that. One year, he and some other friends of ours went to Bonnaroo for the first time. For those who don’t know, Bonnaroo is like heaven for music lovers. A week long music festival in the heart of Tennessee, that is all about love, inclusion, and most of all, music of all kinds. It’s there that he really met Danny. Danny was introduced to our little group by other mutual friends, and instantly she felt like one of us. Someone who could be depended and relied on without hesitation. And someone who would always be there for you. Bonnaroo is one of the biggest music festivals in the world however, so the idea of joining them for that experience was always terrifying to me. But no matter what, I appreciated that it was a place that some of my favorite people could escape too for just a little while, to feel total freedom and acceptance. But after a few years of Shane and Danny being together, it was time to take the next step. And it just so happened that Bonnaroo was coming up, and they had tickets. That’s when Shane came to me with an idea. It was time to pop the question. Only question was, when and where? That’s when he asked if I would be willing to take a one day trip to Bonnaroo to be there to capture the moment. I could tell he was nervous to ask me, because he knew more than anyone my feelings (and fears) about going there. But I assured him right away, there was absolutely no way I wasn’t going to be there for him. Then we started planning. After six months of figuring out how to get it done, the time finally came. So with only him and one other friend of ours knowing the plan, I took a six hour road-trip to the festival. The most nerve racking six hours of my entire life. Once I got there, it was all about staying hidden. I knew that if Danny spotted me in the crowd, she would know something was up. And even among all the thousands of people, I was terrified of being found. So, I put on my disguise, covered up all of my tattoos, hid my face and stayed completely away from anyone else as to not be seen. That was a very long, and very hot four hours of waiting. Shane is a sneaky guy in his own right though. To accommodate the conditions for pictures, he chose a really great band that would be performing fairly early instead of their favorite band that would be playing much later at night. He even messaged the band on Instagram to tell them the idea. And credit to them, they loved it! He wanted to make sure one certain song was played during their set, and they waited for their very last song to play it. I had listened to this song the entire time in the car, to make sure it was seared into my brain. Then it started to play. I was tucked behind their group, hiding among all the other festival goers just watching and waiting. So Shane pulled Danny to the back of the crowd, stopped their slow dance, and got down on one knee. Immediately I ran forward to get into position, and took what are still my favorite pictures to this day. So much time, money, and energy put into this one moment. And it went perfectly. I’ll never forget the look on Danny’s face when she turned around and saw me. That was one of my first ever photo assignments to that magnitude, but it could not have gone any better. Now, they’re happily married and spending each day loving each other to the fullest. That’s what we call a successful mission. (Sorry for all the words, I’ve just waited a really long time to be able to tell that story correctly.)

Garrett , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into this thing because of pure luck honestly. A lost, twenty year old kid with no idea what he was going to do in life. A family member gifted me a camera, thinking maybe this will create a spark. And luckily enough, it did. After a couple years of playing around with it, I finally realized that I found my purpose. Picking up the camera saved me from a really dark time in my life, but the support and love from all of my closest people really showed me this was the way I needed to go. I think if my journey has any story to it, it’s to just keep going. There’s no blueprint I could give for trying to figure life out. I still very much so do not have mine figured out. Im just lucky enough to be doing something that I really love and something that others love for me. At the end of the day, that will always be enough for me. So if you’re also lost, confused or scared about the future, just keep going. Eventually, you will find what you’re looking for, or who you really are.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Without a doubt, the most rewarding part is being able to be around for some of the happiest moments of people’s lives. I’ve been lucky enough to photograph multiple weddings, engagements, and family photos for some of my best friends and family. The feeling of being there to photograph someone you grew up with on the day of their wedding is indescribable. I was always very nervous about getting into that side of the business, because it can be very nerve racking to know all the pressure is on you to capture these moments. Moments that will last a lifetime, and photos that people will want to look at and cherish every single day. But as scary as that can be at times, the outcome is always worth it. Having that level of trust from some of my favorite people in the world will always be enough for me.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Easily word of mouth from my friends, family, and clients I’ve already acquired. I’ve learned that this business is just as much about trust as it is creativity. And getting in front of the camera is a very scary thing to do. I’m one of those people who hates getting their photo taken, so I know how people feel when they are nervous or can’t feel completely comfortable. That’s what my job really is. Getting to know these people and making them feel totally comfortable getting in front of my camera. That’s the only way to capture truly great, and authentic moments for people. Luckily for me, I have a great support system who hype me and my talents up to everyone they can. And I cherish each and every one of them for that constant support.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.garrettgillette.com
• Instagram: @garrettwgillette
• Other: www.garrettgillette.darkroom.com