We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hannah Corwin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hannah below.

Hi Hannah, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I’ve always been fascinated by people. Who people are – everything about the person tells a story. Their style, skin color, accent, body shape, eye color, all tells a story about who they are and where they’ve come from and what they’ve been through and its my job to show that.

As a photographer I will look at someone and just see so much more than the person. It’s my job to encounter their personality and draw that out and show that in a photograph. I sometimes have 2 minutes to do it sometimes I have the whole day.

I have always been obsessed with coffee table books. Especially photography coffee table books, Looking at Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, and David Bailey, these photographers and books shaped me as a photographer they embodied fashion photography and storytelling and showed me that I can fuse the two.

In 2013 I had the honor of traveling to Uganda, Africa to volunteer for a month. What I didn’t realize was that was the start of my mission. I was 26 working as a full time assistant to a fashion and beauty photographer in London, England. From the outside I had a great, great life, I was traveling the world, working with every celebrity you can think of working with the world’s best. But the truth is I was very lost, very alone and no idea who I was. Just before that trip I had just became a Christian. So I had just started my healing journey.

While I was in Africa I would sit and meet with different people of all ages, who had been in some of the most traumatic experiences I have ever heard in my life. Every person I would meet had a profound impact on me. I sat there writing notes and gradually took photos of each subject.

This trip changed my life. It ignited something inside of me, I thought if these peoples stories had this much impact on me how many more people would be impacted.

What was profound to me when talking to the people of Uganda was how much they had overcome. The trauma but also the restoration and redemption in their lives. I was mad that no one knew. No one knew the joy and restoration after so much sadness.

I remember praying and asking God – “God I’m mad, I’m mad that no one knows all the things you’ve done in these peoples lives”.

He said to me – “So go tell them, “From the faceless to the famous, from the rich to the poor, no one is exempt from my love. These are my stories of hope. Now go tell them.”

In that moment I saw a picture of a book. On one side was photographs and on the other was written stories of restoration. I knew this was my mission unfolding in front of me.

This was the start of The But God Book. A portrait testimony coffee table book filled with stories of what God had done in peoples lives. Launched in 2022 with a photography exhibition and book release the But God book has gone to 14 countries, 42 states in the US and sold five times over the average first time self published author.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was able to start training as an entry level photographer from the age of 19. I was working at a family portrait store. I was so grateful for this first opportunity that taught me so much.

From there I was able to get my first opportunity in fashion in London working as a e commerce photographer. I was able to work with a fashion and beauty photographer for three years as a digital assistant.

When I was able to move to America I became a freelance photographer – working with musicians, editorials, and other brands.

I’ve had the honor of working with incredible Country and Christian artists here in Nashville, TN since moving from NY in 2017 – I’m so grateful for the people I get to work and create with in Nashville.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I have learned that there are no dead ends. There is something to learn, something to figure out and it can be figured out.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I constantly want to tell peoples stories. Yes with The But God book. But musicians and artists have a story and it’s my job to tell it.

This creative mission is constantly evolving and changing and growing photographically. But the mission is to make sure people know the good thats happening in the world. There is so much bad in the world and people need to hear hope and how people have over come. That people read stories and see the photography and feel empowered in their season and how they can overcome.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.butgodbook.co
• Instagram: @butgodbook // @hannahcorwin__
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@butgodbook2549/videos

Image Credits
Hannah Corwin