Today we’d like to introduce you to Cinnamon Johnson.
Hi Cinnamon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I tell people there were two beginnings to my photography passion. The first was gear, my deciding that I wanted a “good” camera. My son was little and starting to play soccer and T-ball. He was so cute and really into it, out on the field. It was so hard to get a good picture of him way out on the field moving so quickly. That’s what started my G.A.S. Gear acquisition syndrome, it’s something a lot of photographers struggle with. I needed a camera good enough to catch all the silly things he did. He’s 16 now. The second beginning of my photography passion was when I figured out what I want to photograph. When I was 6 years old, I lost my mom. I grew up looking at pictures of her. Unfortunately, my mother was as my dad called “camera shy”, so there were only a few pictures of her at all. My sister and I grew up both self-labeled as camera shy and avoided the camera. I could have lived the rest of my life avoiding the camera and would have been fine with it, but that changed when my sister had her second child and hadn’t lost the baby weight as fast as she felt like she should and I saw her self-image decline further than I’d ever seen it. Watching her avoid the camera while playing with her sweet boys made me want to take the best picture, she had ever seen of herself. I wanted to show her a picture of herself that was so beautiful that she would have no choice but to see how beautiful she is. I watched her blossom and grow personally. I was already addicted to learning creative photography, but now I was addicted to the experience. I want to photograph every woman in a way that she can see how beautiful she is.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Photography is a really diverse art form, there’re a million ways to be a photographer, so I think a big part of the challenge has been defining who I am as a photographer, what my style is, what my genre is. I’ve done a lot of personal work to be able to learn into my style as a creative and also what my brand is as a business owner. The creative aspect comes much more naturally for me. I’ve really had to learn how to run a business as well.
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?
I’m a contemporary portrait photographer. My style has a beauty aspect to it. I give my clients a make-over and design their sessions based on how they want to see themselves. I take the stress out of standing in front of a camera, I make it fun and easy.
I direct my subjects’ body language and expression to help them look more relaxed beautiful.
I customize the lighting and the colors to create works of art with my clients that they can share with their loved ones for generations. I want to show my subjects looking confident and gorgeous. My goal is always to make my clients call in love with how beautiful they are, but also for the next generation to see women in this way.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Something that I’ve learned about people is that most of us have a warped self-image. There’s this thing we sometimes do where we see an image of ourselves and think, “Geeze! Do I really look like that?!”. Our image just feels wrong, but it’s a funny thing because we’re used to seeing our reflection in the mirror and a picture is flipped. This causes our brain to say that’s wrong when we see pictures of ourselves. We can actually work past this feeling by just taking lots of pictures and videos. You eventually just kinda get over it, because your brain is now more use to seeing yourself image that way.
Our self-image affects so much of how we navigate life.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.cinnamonrosephotography.com
- Instagram: @cinnamonrosephotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CinnamonRosePhotography
Image Credits
Alyssa Russo
Ellie Schwartz
Brandi Schwartz
Maricel Felipa
Ori Clare Shannon
Hannah Morris
Purity Chebet
