Meet Anna Gray Smith | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Gray Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna Gray, how do you think about risk?
When I was younger, I was scared of everything. I struggled with anxiety to the point of getting physically sick, and would not set out to do things on my own unless there was someone glued to my side. For most of my teen years, I lived in my head and would imagine accomplishing these amazing dreams and goals and deepest desires of my heart. I wanted to experience the world, pursue my dreams, and craved so badly to be the kind of person who could talk to anyone without a care in the world. I’d sit and daydream within the bubblegum pink walls of my bedroom, chicken scratch my angsty thoughts and desires, but my reality remained the same. That is, until I finally decided to jump. Embracing discomfort became my greatest superpower. To me, taking risks is the art of pressing into that place of discomfort within yourself; the kind that makes you feel squeamish and vulnerable. I used to live with the anxiety inducing mindset of, “What if?” but as I pressed into the fears more and more, that question became, “What could be?”

The thing about fear and risks is that over time – slowly but surely – the more you face them, the less power they have over you. Actually, they begin to become powerless. What once seemed daunting…suddenly becomes a close friend. The realization that my fears were merely a feeling became a game changer. I made it a goal to do the very things that scared me or seemed too big or too uncomfortable or too far out of reach. I packed my bags and drove across the country and moved to Los Angeles. I ran the marathon. I traveled solo overseas. I forced myself to talk to people and learn to ask good questions, despite my social awkwardness and immense introversion. I picked up a camera again. I gathered the confusing tax forms and multiple layers of the unknown and lack of answers or guarantee and opened a photo business for bookings. You either make a nest, or you fly. There is great risk to flying, and there is also great joy and adventure and new beginnings to be found.

Just a mustard seed of faith is required.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Nostalgia, mood, and the early 20th century are incredibly captivating and inspirational to my work. Actually, my great-grandmother’s musty box of old, sepia prints are what compel me to creating things of beauty and that tell a story. I often think about death, legacy, and the stories left behind. What will be said of me? What will people remember? What will live on after I am gone? Photographs have the power to retell stories and legacies, even if frozen in time. In my work, I focus heavily on emotion, interaction, and connection between people. I love photographs that make you feel something.

The toughest obstacle for me when I began was my taste in art vs. what I was creating. I’d sit and admire these great works from other artists, knew exactly what I liked and disliked, and developed my own aesthetic palette of sorts. When I would set out to shoot, my vision looked one way, and the actual work looked quite the opposite. I was always sorely disappointed. Over time though, the constant practice and constant failure ended up producing fruition. I played the newbie card, asked questions, shadowed those better than me, and refined my work until it looked how I actually wanted it. I highly suggest admiring and appreciating other forms of art – painting, mixed media, film – and developing a “palette”. Developing taste is not wasted time, but actually an asset in cultivating what you like and dislike (remember, art is subjective), and in turn, challenging you deeper in the works you are creating.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am an NC native and have only had the privilege of visiting Phoenix, but I 10/10 recommend Lux Coffee! It’s a great spot for a cup of jo in a retro environment, or great to people watch and/or mingle with other creatives and wonder how some of the men get their mustaches so wickedly styled. It is a vibe!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly, there are so many people who mentored me and truly saw me, even when I was a shy, hermit of a teenager who had just picked up a camera. I owe so much gratitude to Megan King of Megan Travis Photography, who so graciously let a newbie 15 year old AG shadow her and then 2nd shoot a wedding season. When I first bought my entry level DSLR, all I wanted was to shoot a wedding, and Megan was an incredible photographer, mentor, and teacher to my novice skillset. Next is Kristin Wall, founder of Only7Seconds, and formerly, Delight & Be, an arts community for teenagers/young women. If it weren’t for Kristin, I would not have met an entire online community of creatives, photographers, and artists who poured into me, challenged me, and felt like the first people who really “got me” as a teenager!

Website: annagraysmithphoto.com

Instagram: annagraysmithphoto