Meet Camille Stemmons | Photographer + Graphic Designer

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

Hi Camille, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m from Los Angeles—specifically Pasadena, where it is full of people, diverse with different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. In school, we all listened to a lot of the same music, watched the latest movies and music videos, enjoyed many of the same foods, and abided by similar social codes. I had several groups of friends that were into different things, which helped shape my perspective on art, music, and culture. I completely immersed myself in dance, acting, singing, playing in the orchestra, and participating in the marching band throughout my elementary and high school years.

Simultaneously, my older brother Jason was instrumental in introducing me to rap music at a very young age, which really opened up my mind to new ways to explore my creativity. It became such a big part of who I am; I couldn’t live without it. I think a lot of what and how I create is deeply rooted in and influenced by music (especially hip-hop)—in some way, shape, or form. It has helped shape my taste in graphic design, my photographic eye, my musical sensibilities, and my passion for dance. It will always be an influence on what I do as a creative.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art has been a wild ride through graphic design and photography. I’ve spent the last 20 years crafting distinctive brand identities for entrepreneurs, artists, and small businesses. This includes logos, business cards, flyers, digital graphics, websites, and other marketing materials that help them distinguish themselves as a strong brand among countless other brands. My style is clean and professional, and incorporates color palettes and fonts that catch the eye. But, I’ve had my focus and attention on photography, which I’ve been pursuing professionally for almost a decade, and there’s been this slow build of clientele through portrait, editorial, event, and performance photography. I center my style around creating a mood and capturing the authenticity of a moment—which includes lots of contrast, rich and vibrant colors (and I LOVE black and white, too), and interesting angles and composition. I’m not afraid to lay down on the ground or twist my body into crazy contortions to get the shot. And, I create from the gut; my intuition tells my eye what to do even if it challenges conventional rules or current trends. I’m most proud of my work with Jon B. back in 2014…he is a BEASTLY musician, and I experienced a lot of growth during that session. At that point, I had never shot in a professional photography studio before, nor had I shot much editorial work (thank God for Jamie, who assists me on almost all of my shoots!). Despite being green and new to the game, I turned my nervous excitement into fuel by thinking outside of the box, trying different ideas, and just having fun with everybody on-set. I had to push past the fear of being new to grow and come out on the other side with some of the most classic pictures I’ve ever taken. Currently, I’m super excited about the work I’ve been doing with Emile Martinez and his band, The Education—shooting their live shows and assisting with the branding campaign for their upcoming release, La Mad. They are a wildly talented bunch of musicians and a pleasure to work with. I feel like I’m in my bag, and the level-up is crazy because this is a different lane for me.

Man…this journey has been a winding road, filled with rewards, trials, brick walls, and plateaus! Going from graduating college and working in education to diving back into art school, becoming a graphic designer, and then taking a HUGE leap of faith to pick up the camera again—it’s been quite the ride. I’ve had to put photography down and pick it back up so many times because I didn’t really believe I could make it a profitable career. But, Photography and I…we go deep, and we go all the way back to the 5th grade – when I was taking snaps with a 110 Kodak and spending most of my money on getting my rolls of film developed at the local camera shop! And, it took a long time to shed the fear, gather the courage and make a way to do it professionally. So, here I am at year 10, pushing my own boundaries and building this creative business with my husband, brick by brick.

For me, overcoming challenges requires persistence, exploration, and my willingness to be of service to my community. No matter how many challenges and obstacles I’ve faced, I haven’t given up. And God knows, there were many times when I almost threw in the towel. Living in Los Angeles—one of the most saturated markets on the planet—means competing with some ridiculously talented artists. There are SO MANY that do what I do—and far greater! But when I see clients totally relaxed and having fun during my shoots…or when I get that tearful phone call about how beautifully I captured their moment…or when I see my work floating out there on social media or in one of my clients’ marketing campaigns, it reminds me why I do this. I can’t help but to feel like what I create matters. My aim is to be MY best, not THE best.

There have been SO many lessons I’ve learned! But, the biggest lesson? Be authentically YOU – don’t allow fear and comparison to trick you out of being yourself and creating how YOU want to create. I want to shoot and edit the way my eye sees it, according to my true expression. I used to be bound by the idea that every photo needs to be clean and crispy, but there’s beauty in softness, in those slightly blurry shots that tell a different story. I’ve also learned that creativity isn’t about fitting into a box—it’s about breaking out of it. And, adaptability is a superpower – being able to shift and flow with the uncertainties of the creative and business aspects of this journey is invaluable. My favorite quote is from the late, great Gilda Radner, who shared: “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity”.

At the end of the day, I want people to feel something. I’m not just another artist in a sea of talent—I’m someone who genuinely cares about helping people show up as their best selves and shine. My story is about breaking free from the traditional 9-to-5, embracing my multi-faceted talents, and serving my community, creating from an intuitive space. I’m not just here to be successful; I’m here to contribute something meaningful to the art world while building connections and working with incredible creatives. My journey has been about one thing: pushing through the fear and making an impact, one creative project at a time.

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.
Oh, man…I love my city! There’s so much here, and I don’t get out nearly as much as I should. But usually, good food with ambience, a dope coffeeshop or bar, and a good show would get me out of the house these days!

For some good eats, we would definitely start with these options first: Granville, Foothill, Sushi Enya, Sugarfish, Oh La La, Little Flower, Old Town Caffe, Perry’s Joint, The Peach Cafe, Yahaira’s, Popping Yolk, La Cha Cha Cha, Katana, Edendale, Alcove, Fred 62, Langer’s, The Misfit, Cafe Brasil, The Warehouse, 26 Beach, Malibu Farm Pier Cafe. Teddy’s Tacos (Venice Beach) is my new favorite, so we would DEFINITELY need to slide through there one time!

For a good cup of joe, I would take them to Republik, Amara, Lavender & Honey, Coffee & Plants, Unincorporated, Urth Caffe, Cordova Cafe, Rosebud Coffee, Float, Europane, or Hilltop.

For drinks, we’d have to roll through Library Bar, Everson Royce, Wolf & Crane, Magnolia House, Speakeasy, Public School, Citizen, and Townhouse Venice. Good Neighbor is new to our neighborhood, so we have to try that, too!

For a day hang, I would hit up LACMA, The Broad, The Getty, DTLA Art Walk, Huntington Library, Pasadena Playhouse, Grand Central Market, 3rd Street Promenade, The Grove, The Americana, Fashion District, LA Live.

Those who know me, KNOW that I love a good spa day! Gotta take them to one of these: Glen Ivy Hot Springs, Burke Williams, The Salt Studio, Cote d’Azur, Shiatsu of Pasadena, Wi Spa, and Massage Envy.

And, last but not least…
I’ve been on this “staycation” kick lately, and Resort Pass has some cool hotels and resorts all over LA to go for a getaway. I haven’t tried it yet, but it looks dope. So, I would be down for us to go somewhere and lounge poolside with some appetizers and drinks!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are SO many people that deserve credit and recognition!
I have to give all praise and glory to God first and foremost. My husband, my rock, my road dog for life, Jamie. My bestie and brilliant daughter, Brooklyn (the best thing to ever happened to me). Joe Evans (my other bestie and the greatest Dad who has ever lived). Jan Evans (the best Mom a girl could ever have). My big bro, Jason Evans (thanks for puttin’ me up on game all these years). My big ol’ beautiful family – both blood and through marriage (there’s like, 50 million of y’all! I love each and every one of you). My beautiful squad of friends, who has seen me both wither and bloom through the years (thank you for ridin’ with me). All of the clients and creatives I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with or working for over the past 30 years (thank you for trusting me with your vision!). And the entire Victory Bible Church family – THANK YOU for pouring into us in the most unfathomable, yet blessed ways.

I also have to thank my photography mentors and inspirators who have always given me a reason to keep my foot on the gas: Kris Perry (KP), you invested in me from the beginning when I had absolutely nothing, and you STILL keep me motivated, inspired and elevated behind the lens. Kat Mueller, you graciously sowed into me and have always created opportunities for me to learn, grow and make money as a photographer. Mark Winston – thank you for selflessly investing your time, energy and gear during one of the craziest times in history. Brandon “Belvi” Banks – thank you for telling me several years ago that my work was worth exhibiting (see you at the show in May!). Steph Fowler, you showed me (20 years ago) the kind of photographer I wanted to be. Earl Betts, you’ve always been one of my biggest cheerleaders and you never miss an opportunity to talk shop and share your photo knowledge and wisdom with me. Jamal Sullivan, thank you for continuing to inspire me with your amazing work (Times Square, tho?!). Jason Lee, Photo 21 was the beginning of our shenanigans…thank you for helping me fall back in love with my Pentax and for introducing me to the world of stock photography. And to Jeff Burke and Lorraine Triolo – thank you both for embracing me (and Jamie), and for showing us what it looks like to run a successful multi-million dollar business as a married couple, doing what you love – with grace, passion and brilliance.

Website: https://www.camillestemmonsphoto.com/

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

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camille.stemmons.5/

Image Credits
m62 Photography, Camille Stemmons, J. Stemmons