I’m so excited to have my dear friend Charisma Moran on today’s Artist Showcase. Charisma is a local photographer who is extremely talented. I’ve never grilled her too much about how she got started and what inspires her as a photographer so I’m so happy to have her here. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I do!
When did you become interested in photography?
When I was a young girl, my grandparents took a long vacation to Italy with my aunt and uncle. When they returned, they developed hundreds of images from their trip. The photos were a mixture of far away landscapes, stunning architecture, and candid snapshots. They had recently purchased a panoramic camera and they put it to good use while they traveled. When they returned from their trip, I sat up at their kitchen counter, desperate to get my little hands on all the photos. Seeing their travels through photographs made me fall in love with travel and photography in the same day.
What made you start Charisma Moran Photography and how has it effected the way you create?
I started Charisma Moran Photography the year after my grandmother and my nephew died. The year before had been incredibly hard and felt so hopeless. Through all the heartbreak, I realized that life was short and I should follow my dreams, however crazy they may seem.
Having so many photographs and wonderful memories with loved ones who are no longer here brought me an incredible amount of comfort during a difficult time and made me realize just how important photography really is. I remember this with every single image I create. After your wedding day is over, after your child is grown up, and after your loved one is gone, all we have left are memories and photographs. It is highly important that I document every memory with love, passion, and authenticity.
Where do you seek inspiration?
I am deeply inspired by music. I’m a classically trained singer and I have always felt a connection to music in everything that I do. When I am shooting, editing, or even meeting with a client, there is a song in my head that is inspiring that moment. I also draw a lot of inspiration from traveling, old movies, and my grandparent’s collection of vintage photographs.
What has been your favorite project in your career thus far?
This question may be impossible to answer! There have been so many projects that I have loved and I feel so lucky to have worked with incredible clients, stylists, and artists. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say it is a project that I am currently working on called Mixed. It is a visual representation of people of mixed race and it highlights the personal experiences that many mixed people go through.
How has connecting with others locally affected your work?
There is a large amount of amazing, creative people in the Orlando area. Connecting with other creative people has been a great way to find like-minded individuals, collaborate on fun projects, and receive constructive criticism on my work. Working from home means that I don’t have a network of employees to communicate with but being able to connect with a local community of artists makes up for that, tenfold.
What has been your biggest challenge as a creative?
A challenge I still face as a creative is being brave and bold enough to put more of my ideas out into the world. I still feel like I hold back a lot of what I am capable of because of fear how others will judge my art. This is something that I am working on getting over and I can’t wait until I do!
What advice would you give other creatives who are thinking about starting their own business?
Starting and effectively running a business is incredibly difficult and laborious and completely rewarding and wonderful. If you want to be a business owner, you will need to learn to take the good with the bad. You will also need to learn to turn the bad into good. It is not something that you can do halfway. You must put 100% into it if you expect to get what you want from it. Having a dream is one thing but having the tools, time, and determination to make it into a reality is another.
Connect with Charisma: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest  | Twitter
Her photos have a very natural feel to them. And what I found the most interesting was that everyone looks genuinely happy on the photos -which always looks amazing!
Agreed! I adore Charisma! Thank you.