Photo of Charlotte DetienneHeadshot by Karinda K
Beautiful Madison, Georgia, located an hour east of Atlanta, is known for lush gardens and historic homes. Southern Living Magazine has called it one of the prettiest towns in the South. It is also both home and haven to an extraordinary number of creatives. From authors to artists and craftspersons, Madison has a thriving art community.
At the center of this community is the Madison Artists Guild and Gallery, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to education and encouragement of artistic endeavor in its members and the community through outreach programs, classes and workshops, social gatherings, and support of local artists through MAGallery. When we make an effort to shop local and support small businesses, it's important to remember that this includes the artists who call our community home.
I interviewed local photographer Charlotte Detienne to discuss her art, inspiration, and advice she would give to aspiring photographers or artists. Here's what she had to say:
What is your background?
My background is primarily in hospitality and tourism. My career led me to many different countries where I started to dabble in travel photography for my own personal enjoyment.
Did you always know you wanted to be an artist?
No…but I probably should have known! I had a camera (albeit without film in it!) in my hand ever since I could walk. As a child, I was forever painting and drawing. It wasn’t until my teens that I zeroed in on photography as my medium of choice.
Photograph by Charlotte DetiennePhoto by the artist
What is your favorite artwork you’ve ever created?
My commissioned work of horses with their owners is my favorite type of portrait to create. I also love to create pieces that honor the animals by themselves. Creating timeless portraiture of my clients’ amazing horses and dogs that will adorn their walls for years to come is very fulfilling for me.
What time of day do you feel most creative?
Whenever the light is divine! Typically in the golden hour before sunset but sometimes I like to catch the morning light too!
Photograph by Charlotte DetienneImage by the artist
How do you make time for your art, and would you say you have a healthy work/life balance?
Fortunately for me, my art is my main source of income so I am able to prioritize it over other “work” activities. However, with this comes a lot of other activities such as marketing, client communication, and post-processing. Sadly, the actual creation side of things (i.e. taking the photos) does not form the majority of my day-to-day workload. As most business owners will tell you, “work/life balance” can be a mythical, unattainable unicorn at times.
Tell us about the space where you create.
Typically, I create most of my client portraits at their homes or barns using natural light. RecentIy, I have started to experiment with the use of artificial light in a studio setting with my dog portraiture.
Photograph by Charlotte DetienneImage by the artist
What inspires your work?
The end result of my work is usually inspired by my clients' ideas/tastes/home decor and connection with their animals, what they want to capture, and how they want to tell their story. Lighting is, of course, a big factor. Sometimes, I’m driving along a road and slow down just to observe pretty light falling through trees or on a pond or field.
There’s a reason we photographers are called “light monkeys”. Once you see gorgeous light, it’s very hard to “unsee” it! For more personal creative projects, other factors would include wardrobe, makeup, dramatic landscapes/backdrops, unusual horses or dogs and emotive stories such as those in my “Against All Odds” project.
Who are your biggest influences?
There were a few people that sparked my initial interest in photography and definitely some who opened my eyes to the possibility of being able to do something as specific as equine photography. Over the years, I have crafted my style into something that is uniquely mine, based on techniques used and taught by others. However, my biggest influences and inspiration come from the things I have learned about business and about how to create a business and life that is both fulfilling, meaningful and has afforded me the opportunity to help others do the same.
Photograph of Charlotte DetienneHeadshot by Karinda K
Tell us a little about your workday as an artist.
As is true for most entrepreneurs, I wear many different hats every day. My day could entail anything from meeting with clients to discuss their portraiture, helping them pick out outfits, photographing sessions, processing orders to not-so-fun stuff such as bookkeeping and paying sales tax!
As an artist, do you have a favorite tool you use to create?
Asides from my camera and lenses, the most important tools in my arsenal are my laptop and all of the various pieces of software that combine to create my work process for creating, processing, storing, and ultimately producing art for my clients.
Photograph by Charlotte DetienneImage by the artist
How do you share or promote your work?
These days, most of my business is through word of mouth referrals and networking, but I do get some of my leads through social media and my presence at the Madison Artist’s Guild. You can follow my work on Instagram and Facebook or on my website.
Do you have any routines that help you be more creative?
I think the key to being more creative is having processes and systems in place for the not-so-creative tasks, freeing up time and headspace to create.
What is your biggest barrier to being an artist or creating art?
Time is absolutely the biggest barrier to creating art.
Photograph by Charlotte DetiennePhoto by the artist
How do you determine what you charge for your work?
My pricing is determined by three factors: My cost of doing business, the cost of goods, and my business and life goals. I know that isn’t the most romantic answer, but the reality is that in order to continue to provide my clients with a high-quality experience and artwork, I need to ensure that my work is priced accordingly. Doing so ensures that my quality or client experience does not suffer due to overloading myself and that I can make a decent living from my work.
What advice would you give to new artists starting out?
Determine your goals early on! You should consider carefully if your art is something that you want to keep purely as a hobby for your own personal enjoyment - if this is the case, be very careful not to lose touch with that enjoyment.
If your art is something that you wish to make a living from or perhaps use to raise funds for a non-profit - consider how much do you want to depend on your art as a revenue stream? How much time and resources do you have? Then, consider how you can price yourself in a way that is beneficial to you, and to your industry as a whole.
A very common mistake is for people to undercharge because they underestimate the time and expense it takes to run a business and because at first, they get so much enjoyment from their art. Yet, when demand gets higher or when they must depend on their art for income, they start to resent having made their hobby into a business.
Follow my work for more features on local artists, and be sure to stop into MAGallery to see the art in person. The gallery is located at 125 W. Jefferson Street in historic downtown, Madison, Georgia.
Madison Artists Guild is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to education and encouragement of artistic endeavor in its members and the community through outreach programs, classes and workshops, social gatherings, and support of local artists through MAGallery. For more information or to become a member, visit www.themadisonartistsguild.org/