Meet Savannah Levell | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Savannah Levell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Savannah, why did you pursue a creative career?
I didn’t start doing photography with the idea of making a career out of it and certainly not starting my own photography business. For many years photography was a passion I saw as a hobby but as the quality of my work improved I finally had the confidence to turn my passion into a profession. After creating my portfolio online I got a plethora of inquiries from people wanting to have their families, businesses, and events documented by me. I can’t begin to describe the joy I felt when I received my first organic inquiry. It seemed very surreal at first to have strangers show interest in my work. I had always been a mixologist by trade, which allows for a little creativity, but my heart always yearned for the arts. I always considered myself a professional collector of hobbies, such as pottery, painting, textiles, but photography was the hobby which held the biggest place in my heart. I took the plunge in 2019 right after my daughter was born when I was no longer able to work full time. Starting a photography business allowed me to stay at home as much as possible with my daughter while creating an income for us. I remember in the early days I would leave the house to shoot for a few hours and then spend the whole night editing while my daughter slept. Artistic expression is part of our human nature whether it be through writing, painting, cooking, or the visual arts. By pursuing a creative career I feel like I have satisfied a primal need to express my self.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a professional photographer based in Tampa Bay, Florida specializing in business photos to enhance a brand’s social media presence. Even though I consider Florida to be home base, I spend half of my time traveling thru the Southwest between Arizona and California. While I do get most of my inquiries for business photos, I do cater to those looking for portraits, family photos, and special event photos. I got to where I am today by spending a whole lot of time behind my camera and computer either creating or researching. I spent a lot of years taking photographs as a hobby which helped me become more knowledgable about my craft. Art is subjective of course, so what one client finds sublime another might find mundane. I have always been an intuitive person and feel that this intuition helps set my work apart in that I usually find a connection with my subject matter that helps brings out his/her/their uniqueness.

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.
Saint Petersburg, Florida is a fast growing city and we’ve seen our share of changes within the community the past 5 years. I’m appreciative that there’s a still a number of historic buildings hanging around with old signs to boot. I always suggest people visiting to take a walk downtown to take in the scene and life of the city. Gulfport is another little community here that has an artistic Key West type of vibe to it. If you’re in Gulfport, you have to eat at Pia’s Trattoria which serves authentic Italian cuisine with a beautiful courtyard that makes you feel like you’re in Italy. I’m also a fan of all the vegan options the city has to offer, there’s a restaurant called Good Intentions that have some of the best chefs in the area serving up fantastic meals. And be sure to stay at Hollander Hotel which originally opened in 1933 to get a feel for the true rich history Saint Petersburg has to offer.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shout-out to my mother, Elizabeth Levell, for helping support me as a single mom trying to navigate the ups and downs of owning my own business! Besides being the most honest critic and at the same time biggest supporter of my work she also cares for my daughter to give me the freedom to expand my business. My mother was always the first person to tell me to believe in myself and pursue my passions both professionally and personally. Her encouragement helped build my confidence in my trade and in turn motivated me to level up my skills. My mother actually is a talented photographer herself. I spent a lot of time in my youth studying the eerie and macabre photos she took in the 80’s and 90’s throughout Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Florida. After I was born her subject matter changed to baby photos and those I will treasure forever. Those candid baby shots helped appreciate the sentimental worth of photographs that seem to be taken on a whim. It was her eye that made these little snapshots get to the next level of being art.

Website: www.savannahlevellphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savannahlevellphotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090916984451