Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobby Mitchell.
Hi Bobby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am the husband of 35 years to my exquisite wife, Sematha and the father to some very cool young adults… my beautiful daughter, Hailey and my awesome son, Myles and his beautiful wife, Shantaee! I have also just recently been promoted to the position of grandfather by my grandson, Maverick!
I’m based in my beautiful hometown of Savannah, Georgia but I will travel to wherever you are.
I’ve always had a love for the graphic arts. As a youngster. I had a talent for freehand drawing. Animals and cartoons were my favorite subjects. I would draw Snoopy in various walks of life like as a tennis player or musician. My father introduced me to photography as a teen by photographing family gatherings and special events. I took photography classes in high school to further learn the basics of the craft but I am mostly self-taught. There I worked with the yearbook staff covering school events.
Over the years, I’ve studied and been inspired by the works of many of the masters in the industry like Gordon Parks, James Van Der Zee, and Mario Testino as well as many of today’s creative geniuses. This along with my own life experiences have helped me to develop my style of portrait photography. Growing up here in Savannah, I have a strong appreciation for the all of the beauty that surrounds me and love to use it as a backdrop for my portraiture.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Through the years there definitely have been challenges. Being a husband and father with a fulltime industrial job did not leave much time to effectively run a small business. There were a lot of sacrifices but we made it work.
Probably the biggest challenge was the pandemic. 2020 actually started out very good for business but then came Covid 19. The world virtually came to a stop and business was almost nonexistent. The majority of my clients had to cancel their bookings because of the safety precautions that had to be taken. However, there were three brides who did not cancel. They all had to make many adjustments and changes to their wedding plans but still went on with their wedding days. I was so thankful that I was able to still create memories for them. One couple in particular actually had to settle on a very small ceremony where the only in-person attendees were the bride & groom, the officiant & his wife, and myself. They got married in the bride’s apartment. Fortunately, they were able to share their wedding day with many family members and friends via Zoom. Afterwards, we were able to go to the Augusta riverfront and get some great shots!
It was a tough time but we made it through. Eventually, business began to pickup as we figured out what to do to be safe while still creating.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are Mmagery Photography & Design (It’s pronounced “Imagery”.) I specialize in wedding and lifestyle portrait photography. I also design and produce custom luxury keepsakes such as wedding albums, coffee table books, and wall art. I’ve recently began to provide a service where I take a vintage client’s old wedding album pictures and design a new modern album.
How do you define success?
Success to me is delivering a final product to a client and it exceeds their expectations so much so that they can’t wait to share it with family and friends.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mmagery.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mmageryphoto
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/mmaginations
Image Credits
Robert Mitchell, Jr.
