Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Heather Carpenter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Heather, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I think starting your own business is a massive risk in itself. You’re giving up a steady income with benefits and hoping you can build enough clientele to make a living off of. Until I started this business, I never had a job outside of babysitting gigs here and there in college because I focused heavily on school. I remember thinking I had NO clue what I was doing and asking everyone I knew who ran a business in the music industry where to begin. I prayed a lot about it and felt like this was what God was calling me to do, and I haven’t looked back since. Looking back now that I’m five years in, I’m so glad I did it. I get to wake up every day and go to concerts, and I set my own schedule and get to call it work. If you’re debating starting your own business, take the risk! Do the thing you love waking up and doing and find a way to make money at it.

Heather, 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’m a photographer and videographer in the music industry! My backstory is that I loved going to country concerts in high school, and I always took this terrible Nikon camera with me to photograph every show. I friended the radio station in my hometown and even convinced them to get me free tickets a time or two. During that time, I decided to shift from wanting to be a Pediatrician to doing something working in the music industry, though at the time, I didn’t know what. I got accepted into Belmont University in Nashville and moved there to study music business. I applied for every internship under the sun and never got accepted into any of them, so I ended up interning with a buddy of mine who is a music producer in town. At the time, he was also running an artist development business, so I experienced several aspects of the industry besides just music production from that internship. During the first semester of my senior year, I wanted to try going out on the road, so he sent me to Alabama with a band he was working with, Sweet Tea Trio. Of course, I took that terrible Nikon camera with me and snapped a few photos while we were there. I distinctly remember while we were sitting in a Chick-fil-A eating lunch, one of the girls in the band told me that my photos were great and that I should consider doing it professionally. That idea wasn’t even on my radar, but I took the compliment and went and bought a professional camera. I took one class in college, and the rest has been self-taught over the last several years. I spent many hours during 2020 just watching YouTube videos and trying to learn how to improve.

Now, I’ve been the house photographer at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for the last two years, and I love every second of it. I also do freelance work including everything from show photos to album covers to music videos and social media content. My favorite part about this job is that I hear all these incredibly talented artists in Nashville and cheer them on as they chase their dreams. Many of my clients have become friends, and we have a blast working together. The part I am most proud of, however, is that when I started this business, I decided to donate part of the income from every session to causes I am most passionate about – homelessness and foster care. It may not make a huge difference, but it can make a difference for some.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

To build a reputation in the music industry, you need consistency, kindness, and be easy to work with. You’ll hear said frequently, “It’s all about who you know!” and sometimes it truly is. Almost every client I’ve worked with has been because someone else recommended me or they saw that I was working with someone they knew. People will talk about you, good or bad, so give them good things to say. I try my best to be prompt for shoots, respond quickly, deliver images promptly, and make the artist feel comfortable, even if they’re not yet used to being in front of a camera. I hope that’s what has built my reputation because, more than anything, I’d rather be known for being kind and loving people well than just taking “good photos.”

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part is watching the artists I work with succeed. While the arena shows are incredibly fun, seeing the up-and-coming artists growing gives me much joy. I’ll see a photo I took published in People Magazine or on a billboard or TV, and more than my thinking, “Oh I took that, that’s really cool.” is cheering them on and getting to be a small part of their journey. I don’t want to JUST take photos or videos. I want to be one of their biggest cheerleaders and help play that small part in helping the artist find success. That’s the most rewarding part.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artisanimagerynashville.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artisanimagerynashville
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artisanimagerynashville
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-carpenter/

Image Credits

Artisan Imagery