Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Coleman.
Courtney, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Throughout my childhood, my father always had his camera with him. I remember traveling the dusty roads of a then undeveloped Forney to shoot real estate photos with him (I played in the fields or gathered horse apples while he did all the work). One of my favorite photographs is one that he took of an eight-year-old me on our hike in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico.
Of course in my teenage years I rebelled against photography (“uh! that’s what my dad does, that’s so uncool!” or “Don’t take my picture – I have a pimple!”). But in 2012 while feeling a little low about life, I grabbed my old Sony A300 that my husband had gifted me several months before and headed to White Rock Lake with my dogs. I don’t think I made a single good image in that impromptu photoshoot but I did reignite a passion for photography.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a winding path but that’s the fun part about exploring creativity. I started with pet photography and fell in love with capturing the personality of our four-legged companions. I volunteered at Dallas Animal Services taking sweet and silly photographs of the dogs available for adoption. When one of my images received widespread attention and led to a sweet pup with a tragic story finding her forever home, I was thrilled that my budding skills could be used to help others.
At the end of 2015, I joined the team at Dallas Center for Photography. When I wasn’t managing their social media accounts or coordinating a dozen classes we offered each month, I was scouring the portfolios of the visiting instructors or pestering the Director, Peter Poulides, with questions about aperture and exposure. Peter shared his love of visual storytelling and photojournalism which led me to discover family documentary photography.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I photograph everyday life as a mother, wife, and woman. I embrace and highlight my family’s personality with un-posed imagery and a photojournalistic approach to telling our story. Whether it’s playing in the backyard under the hot summer sun, my daughter brushing her teeth while being pestered by her sister, or just a lazy Sunday morning in bed, I look for the magic in the mundane. In addition to creating something that my children will be able to look back on and find very relatable or totally embarrassing, I hope my authentic style encourages other families to embrace their everyday.
After a career opportunity moved my family from East Dallas to East Texas, I’m now sharing my love of documentary-style photography with the Tyler area. In my Day in the Life Sessions, I get to hang out with awesome families for a couple of hours while creating a sweet collection of images that capture their unique personalities and precious moments.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I feel honored every time a client welcomes me and my camera into their homes and lives. I get to learn about their history, favorite things and even pet their pigs! It’s a level of intimacy that traditional portraiture doesn’t provide.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.courtneycolemanphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneyclmn/
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