We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Perry Ann Hancock a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Perry Ann , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
My intention every time I have a camera in my hand is to document real smiles and sincere expressions, and I think of my images as the puzzle pieces of an unfolding story happening in front of me. They’re little moments that capture the honesty and pure emotion of a wedding day, focusing subtlety on candid and vivid feelings, with no shot list or preconceived notion of how it will look. What you’ll find in my work are natural interactions, stolen glances, laughter, or tears in instances when people are so present they forget they’re being photographed with unprompted emotions. I feel that is what gives my photographs the candid simplicity they’re known for. A lot of the time, you will see brides want specific shots that about every photographer posts on social media, and while yes, we can get those classic posed images, I want my brides to look back on their wedding day not as checking off the shot list, but to actually relive the day of their wedding. Feel the emotions, remember little things, and me documenting it like the bride and groom had no idea I was there. I want that real and authentic gallery for each couple I work with.
Perry Ann , 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?
I’ve lived with a camera within arm’s reach for as long as I can remember. That spin of a disposable camera wheel was the soundtrack of my childhood. Well, that and Taylor Swift…who actually inspired me to get my first digital camera when she did a commercial for the Sony TX7 Cybershot! But even though Taylor Swift’s hilariously awkward camera clicking inspired teenage me to invest in a camera, my passion for moments-turned-mementos runs far deeper.
When I was very young, my mom passed away. And just two years later — on Mother’s Day of all days — my grandparent’s house, my home, burned to the ground. Before I learned basic addition, I learned what it felt like to lose, to miss, and to grieve. When I saved a tile from our home just because my mother had once walked on it — a tile I still have to this day — I grasped in my own childlike way why keepsakes matter. Although life is fragile and moments are fleeting, we can catch onto them by creating heirlooms. And when I found a photo of my mom in her wedding dress, a fire inside me started to burn. I knew I needed to turn blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments into something that lasts. And I knew I could do that through photography.
But even though my photography roots grew from something painful, the joy photography has brought into my life is something I’ll be forever grateful for. My childhood passion stayed with me through college as I graduated with a degree in Photography and Fine Art. The more I learned, the more I loved it. And today, with a camera in one hand and a Chick-fil-a frosted lemonade in the other, I use everything I’ve learned — everything I love — to create breathtaking galleries that tell the story of the day you say, “I do.” By carefully capturing dynamic movement and delicate details, I tell the whole story so it can be relived for decades to come. And, like the zesty little lemon in your sweet tea, I bring an upbeat enthusiasm to your planning process and to your wedding celebration.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Growing up in sweet home Alabama, it was easy to get caught up in editing a specific way (REALLY bright and airy) and to kind of find your groove and stay there and stay in a safe zone amongst other photographers. I noticed that the southern traditional bride that wanted the bright and airy images, the all-day posing was just not who I served best. I started noticing I was doing all of the things because it was the “thing” all photographers around me did. Same posing, same editing, going through a shot list and posing the couple in a “cookie cutter” and always make sure the mother of the bride was pleased with all the images.
In 2021, I knew I was not happy in this scene. I felt like I was running on a treadmill and chasing something, but I didn’t really know what at the time. I knew I wanted to rebrand myself, and finally, start shooting weddings and couples the way I wanted, but I wasn’t sure how I could start quite yet. Over time, I started to research other photographers in the Southeast and learned that there really is room to grow in this industry and a wedding day doesn’t have to look like a shot list. I knew that if I wanted to get to where these other photographers that are shooting so candidly, traveling the southeast, and really finding clients that let me have creative freedom, I couldn’t stay on the treadmill anymore.
As I began shooting under other photographers, I really observed their approach to shooting and how they documented these more high-end weddings. Really, I learned that you just create rather than convince. You create the art in silence, letting the bride and groom or whoever just do their thing and the person holding the camera has the power to show them what all they can bring to the table. Showing them that I am an artist and the client is the canvas. It really changed my perspective on what I wanted to do for my clients and their experience. I learned that you have to be uncomfortable and take chances to grow. It is challenging to try new things, (especially in the South where it is hard to show people a new perspective of a wedding day) and to really take chances with new ideas. But when you finally do take that risk, and it ends up being your best work? I am addicted to the feeling of being proud of my work which makes clients feel taken care of. It has been the most rewarding thing to unlearn.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I recently pivoted my boudoir brand from classic fine art traditional styling to a more modern and minimal brand. Referring back to the lesson I had to unlearn, I really didn’t feel connected to the lace, submissive and shy photography. I feel more connected and proud to photograph women that want to feel confident, sexy and do not have to be submissive to be sexy. This rebrand is way more modern and I personally feel like it is more real. The approach to my pivot was to reach to the girl that has a pair of jeans and a blazer in her closet. I want her to feel like she doesn’t have to play a part like “the fine art bride” but rather she just looks like herself. She doesn’t have to pretend to be someone she is not and I want her to feel like herself when we shoot. The goal is to make her leave more confident and powerful than when she entered my studio.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.perryannphotography.com
- Instagram: perryannphotography
- Facebook: perryannphotography
Image Credits
Perry Ann Photography