Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Hamilton.
Hi Anne, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My interest in photography began as a child. I was fortunate to grow up with a family in the Florida Film Industry. I did a little modeling as a child, but I think looking back, it was evident that I did not want to be in front of the camera. As I got older, I was fascinated by the film industry and visited my aunt onset any chance I could get. Growing up, I watched my aunt scout locations and develop the film in her darkroom at the Biltmore Hotel in Miami, Florida. I remember one year my aunt orchestrated for my small 5th-grade class to visit the set of the movie The Pest to be extras in the Calle Ocho scene , and it was then I knew I wanted to be a part of the arts. I had my first gig in the film industry working alongside my aunt Maria Chavez in Bad boys two and what an experience that was! On that movie, I worked in locations, which a lot of people don’t realize how important photography is to scouting locations… your photos tell a story and also sells the producers on narrowing down locations. From there, I went on to work in wardrobe on the movie Justin to Kelly and learned that was not the avenue for me.
The following few years, I was really finding myself and I worked various productions jobs from MTV & VH1 video music awards in casting to working small indie films and reality tv. Eventually, I fell in love with a Marine and my priorities changed. We moved halfway across the court and made a beautiful life together. We have been married for 12 years and have four children. My children, the experiences in the film industry and my memories growing up looking through my grandmother’s many photo albums is what drove me to do what I do today… creating memories through photography. However, the success of my business I attribute to the support of my husband , kids and also the example my Aunt Marie Chavez set for me as a successful women in the Film industry.
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?
Absolutely not, but throughout my life, I have been met with many challenges, and I think that’s what continues to drive me. I am a survivor of sexual and physical abuse growing up at the hands of my stepfather, and at the age of 18 years old I ran away and pressed charges. Eventually, I was able to see my abuser sentenced to 53 years in prison, but that didn’t deliver me from the painful memories I live with. I mention this because I live with PTSD and ADD, which affects my ability to stay on task and also my self-esteem. Some day’s I am on top of everything, and other days I struggle to stay focused and find motivation. However, I have also learned through my journey to never give up. As a survivor, I find it healing to be able to capture so much joy and create beautiful memories and uplift others.
Another struggle I have dealt with is all the moving around. As a military spouse it was difficult to build a network of friends and connections that would help my business flourish. Each move I would find myself re-establishing my business and prove myself once again. This was hard for me because I’m introverted, however it really helped me to get of my comfort zone and make connections in many places since. After all these years and all the hard work, I like to think it has paid off.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a lifestyle family photographer in Daytona Beach, FL. My goal and vision is to capture the love and connections shared between your family. Being a mother of four, I know how precious these moments are and how fleeting time can feel. I love running around in the sand with the little ones and getting in the water with my families. My husband is also my assistant, carrying around my bags and being goofy with the little ones, which means he’s also the reason behind those big smiles. I chose to focus my photography around the beach because the beach brings me so much joy and I feel like how can you not capture joyous memories when your at the beach?! I’m a lover of light and color, and I tend to gravitate towards warm and vibrant tones. I have also recently acquired a love for underwater photography, which will be something I plan to add on to my business later this year.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Oh, this is a difficult question because I find it hard to talk about myself. I would say it’s a combination of my ability to stay authentic to myself and my clients but also my passion because I truly love creating .
Contact Info:
- Email: emeraldgracephotography@gmail.com
- Website: www.emeraldgracephotography.com/
- Instagram: instagram.com/emeraldgracephotography
- Facebook: Facebook.com/emeraldgracephotography
