By Gianna Connelly
Bozeman, Montana
Communication Major
How did you get into photography?
I did a little bit of photography in high school for the yearbook but never got fully involved until I came to Carroll College. My freshman year I took a photography class with Garrett Thompson and realized how much I enjoyed it. At the end of the semester Garrett came to me and offered me a job at his photography studio in town, Floating Leaf Studios. That’s where I developed my skills over the past three years. I realized it is something I wanted to do as a full-time job. Just a few weeks ago I accepted a full-time position beginning after graduation. I’m excited to stay here in Helena.
What subjects do you photograph?
My main focus is portrait photography, but I also enjoy shooting cars at the racetrack since it is a shared passion with my dad. At Floating Leaf Studios I’ve shot just about everything including weddings, families, seniors, babies, and commercial photos all over Montana, but my favorite by far is seniors and weddings. I like to be able to connect with my clients to ensure their experience is more than just a photo session. So oftentimes I like to play with unique lighting and colors for a variety of sessions.
What inspires you?
Garrett, my boss, has been my biggest inspiration throughout the process of becoming a photographer, and seeing his work over the years helped me grow substantially from the first photos I was taking. I shot my first solo wedding in 2021 and since then have been working to improve my work every shoot. Last year I went to Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) in Las Vegas and met several inspirational photographers who spoke about what their images meant to them and it inspired me to dig deeper into the storytelling aspect of taking photos.
What is your artistic process?
I first like to get to know my clients through consultations which help me learn about who they are and what they like to do. Then I tailor their session around something that captures them in their images. From there I try to make it as natural as possible allowing them to show off who they are through clothes, location, or props. I do edit my images, but mostly keep them similar to what they looked like on camera. Instead of doing many post-production edits, I try to adjust everything in the camera and use flashes and gel colors to bring more unique elements into the images rather than photoshopping afterward.
