Meet Angie McMonigal | Fine Art & Commercial Architecture Photographer

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

Hi Angie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I think risk-taking is imperative to growth. Whether in your work or personal life. Of course, it can be scary and failure or rejection is always an unpleasant possibility. But having the courage to do the hard, scary things regardless of the fear is the only way to ever know if that new idea, new responsibility, or new task is something you’re capable of. And, wouldn’t you rather know, one way or another, whether you’re capable of the new thing? I know I would. I’d rather fail and have at least tried and hopefully learned something in the process. Or realized I am capable of that daunting thing. Either way, it’s a stepping stone to another new and, hopefully, bigger, better next step.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been photographing for 23 years. Initially, just a hobby, and wanting to take better travel photos. At the time, I was working as a Medical Technologist, specifically in the microsciences – Virology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology. So, no background in anything particularly creative. However, later realizing this aspect of my work and personality was certainly showing up in my photography.

Within the first year or two of shooting film, I was frustrated with how the prints looked coming back from the print lab. Up until this point, I was self-taught but I decided I needed a class to learn how to develop and print my images so I could get the results I had envisioned. This was probably the start of realizing I wanted to pursue this a bit more seriously than just a hobby.

I became interested in exhibiting and trying to find my specific style and genre. Though, this took quite some time. I spent about 5 years doing a lot of portrait work that I just fell into. It was around the time my kids were born and other friends and friends of friends began hiring me to take portraits of their kids and families. Regardless of knowing “people’ photography wasn’t really what lit me up photographically, it was certainly reaffirming that someone would want to pay me to make any photos. So, this was my focus for awhile.

After a move, I decided to shift away from portrait work and found myself drawn to architecture and more specifically a very detailed, sometimes abstract interpretation of the built environment. It took me 11 years of shooting to finally find a genre and a specific way of seeing and approaching a subject that made me truly excited.

Once I made the connection between my detail-oriented personality and how that has shown up in both what I pursued in college and how I see photographically, finding my photographic style made a lot more sense and was easier to pursue and create a cohesive look and feel to my work. I’d say this is when my career as a photographer started to grow.

I began hearing from art consultants who wanted to license work for corporate and hotel projects. And, occasionally, commission me to create artwork for custom projects. Both by art consultants and directly from brands.

There was interest in me teaching at conferences which led to me doing workshops on my own in various cities throughout the United States, plus the occasional workshop in Canada, Europe, or Mexico.

And, most recently, shooting commercially for architecture and design firms. This is not typically the detailed/abstract interpretation of spaces I most often convey. It’s more of a collaborative process between the client’s vision and mine and typically creating images that showcase the whole of the building/structure within its environment. While this initially scared me to move into this type of work, it’s been fun and a new way to capture some spaces I would not have had access to otherwise. It’s been a different way to stretch myself creatively and I really do find it fun to try different aspects of this genre and push myself to grow in this field even if it can be uncomfortable at times.

However, it’s always fun when a commercial client is drawn to my work and hiring me for that more detailed/abstract vision of architecture. I think it’s one way I’ve been able to distinguish myself.

To address the “Was it easy?”, “How did you overcome challenges?”, and What are lessons along the way?” questions…

It has most certainly not been easy to take something that started out as a hobby and grow it into a business. Regardless, it’s been interesting and fun. And, frustrating, at times. But, most things worth doing, usually are.

There have been steep learning curves, and lots of mistakes especially not having a degree in photography or business. Not understanding contracts and what I’m signing or making sure clients sign my contracts. Understanding copyright and licensing terms. What to charge, how to negotiate. How to reach the correct audience. Even defining who the audience is. That one took quite a long time to figure out!

Bottom line, I think loving the business aspect of this as much as the creative aspect is imperative to success. And realizing you need to put the work into each aspect and that the time spent on each ebbs and flows and sometimes one needs more attention than the other.

Having a thick skin and not taking things personally to deal with countless rejections – from galleries, award submissions, clients choosing someone other than you is absolutely necessary.

Perseverance and the guts to just try new things regardless of outcome.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
How to choose?! Given Chicago can be cold let’s go with a summer or fall visit. Maybe visit downtown first, get some of the more touristy things out of the way – a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago (one of the best in the world even after visiting countless art museums throughout the world) for a look at their impressive Impressionist and Modern Art collections. Head over to Cindy’s Rooftop for a drink and birds eye view of Millennium Park. Then, wander through Millennium Park for the obvious – Crown Fountain, The Bean, Pritzker Pavilion, BP Bridge. Continue with a stroll through Lakeshore East for a look at one of my favorite Chicago buildings – Aqua. Plus, it’s a quiet little enclave in one of the busiest parts of the city. Next up, the Riverwalk to grab lunch, a drink, some people-watching. A boat tour down the river with the Chicago Architecture Foundation for a different perspective on the city. And, perhaps end the day with another rooftop view at the London House.

The rest of the week I’d suggest spending in the neighborhoods…

West Loop/Fulton Market has endless amazing restaurant options – Au Cheval, Roister, High Five Ramen, Trivoli Tavern, Monteverde, Ever, to name a few. Drinks or nightlife – The Blind Barber is fun, this great bar/speakeasy in the back room of a barbershop. After Lounge or the Aviary for fancy drinks. Artsty stuff – WNDR Museum is in this neighborhood. And in the summer there’s the Rooftop Cinema Club for outdoor, rooftop movies in case the name didn’t give it away;)

Wicker Park/Bucktown – shopping, people watching, the rooftop at the Robey, Dorian’s for live music – love this space. A record shop with a backroom with nightly live music or dj’s.

Logan Square also has tons of great restaurants, microbrews, bars, live music – Scofflaw, Bungalow by Middle Brow, Solemn Oath Brewery, Estereo, Rosa’s Lounge for live Blues Music. Fun home store – Logan Mercantile.

Andersonville – cute shops, and restaurants. Hopleaf for a microbrew, Simon’s Tavern for a dive bar, Lost Larson – great bakery, JB’s deli – super old school deli with enormous sandwiches.

Uptown – The Green Mill – iconic jazz bar. Other good music venues in Uptown – The Aragon, The Riviera. Food in Uptown – an old school/cash only diner (the tv show Shameles filmed here) Golden House Restaurant & Pancake House. Also, Birrieria Zaragoza for a bunch of delicious slow-cooked goat dishes/tacos.

Hyde Park – Promontory Point for a nice view of the city, The Museum of Science and Industry, just wandering the University of Chicago campus is pretty incredible.

Other miscellaneous fun finds – Avondale Bowl (Avondale neighborhood), The Long Room (great bar in North Center), Wrightwood 659 (Tado Ando designed museum in Lincoln Park), Armitage Alehouse (excellent food in Lincoln Park), EZ Inn (hipster bar in Ukrainian Village), The Drifter (speakeasy/burlesque in River North), Museum of Contemporary Photography and great street art (South Loop), Thalia Hall (music venue in Pilsen), Music Box Theater (arthouse theater in the Southport Corridor, also shopping and restaurants – Steingold’s Bagels next door is fantastic), Gene’s Sausage Shop and Delicatessen (German beer hall-like tables on this rooftop in Lincoln Square, perfect summer afternoon stop. Oh, and Himmel’s – old school German restaurant with regular live music).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people have had a meaningful influence on where I am now. Valérie Jardin has been very helpful regarding both the creative and business aspects of my photography. Particularly, very early on when I was first moving from photography being a hobby to a career. My ex-husband for buying me my very first camera decades ago and being a supportive, flexible co-parent. Chris Smith (Out of Chicago Photography) for pushing me and believing in me to teach when I was absolutely terrified to dive into that aspect of photography. Clients who have become friends and many other friends who have supported me, encouraged me, pushed me, and believed in me – Malinda Leonard, Yvette Fevurly, Anne Belmont, John Crouch, Michael Muraz, to name a few. And, honestly, every single person who’s ever taken a workshop with me, bought a print, shown an interest in my work either through likes/comments/shares on social media, kind emails, interviews, or podcasts. I really do appreciate the generosity.

Website: https://angiemcmonigal.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angiemcmonigal/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/angiemcmonigal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angiemcmonigalphotography

Image Credits
All photography is mine – Angie McMonigal