AN ARTISTIC NECESSITY

Meet Amanda Anderson, owner and lead photographer of A Print Shop, a fine art photography studio located in the heart of South End. While A Print Shop is a relatively new venture, Anderson has been in the business of photography for over 11 years, though her artistic roots can be traced back to childhood. She can even pinpoint the exact moment she knew photography was destined to be her medium.

“It was the day I found National Geographic magazines,” Anderson explains. “I found myself obsessed with photos in National Geographic, spending hours poring over the stories of places I dreamed of visiting. The images brought everything to life for me, and in ways told the story even better than the words that accompanied them. They served as a means of connection, they made me feel connected to the story in ways words never did for me. I think this was when I knew that photography was in me.”

Born and raised in Charlotte, NC, Anderson got her start in photography in her high school journalism class. Even today she describes her photography style as “fairly journalistic” in nature. At Davidson College she earned a degree in biology as a means to travel abroad and photograph exotic places such as Baja, Mexico, and Kenya. Her print collection spans an impressive 20 years of travel and later this year she plans to release new prints from her time spent living in Kenya.

A Print Shop, like many creative ventures, was born out of artistic necessity. During the 2020 COVID lockdown, Anderson could no longer offer her in-person services and was forced to evaluate other avenues for her beloved craft.

“Instead of spending my time editing portraits, I spent that time culling through years and years of my own personal work to find a collection that felt cohesive and created the type of connection and sense of calm I so desperately needed during that time,” says Anderson.

What drew you toward prints, and how do you decide which of your photos should become prints?

This is a tough question, how do I decide which photos become prints? In some ways, I just know. I may take 50 shots in the same spot, of the same thing and when I see “the one” I just know. It feels different. It makes you feel something. It makes you feel connected to that place or that subject or the story the image tells. For me, it’s all about feeling and connection, which is evoked through the colors, textures, and the composition of my images. The perfect balance for me, makes me take a deep breath and exhale. It feels calm and intriguing all at once. It makes the viewer feel connected to that place, or that story, or that period of time.

Is there a specific facet of nature that inspires your art the most? Light and shadows and the constant change of it all is what inspires me most. Something you see in one light may look completely different in another light. So taking the time to notice those details and appreciate the change is all but a metaphor for life, isn’t it? Light and shadows affect the way we feel about certain things. They create intrigue and beauty, highlighting moments we may not otherwise notice.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

My favorite response ever is when someone asks me the story behind one of my prints. It’s as if they know there is a story there. Which ultimately, is my goal, to be a storyteller through my art and to evoke some sort of emotion in people.

My favorite sale to date was when I received a random call from an unknown number, which I typically do not answer, but something told me to pick this one up. Turns out, it’s a local restaurant owner who saw one of my prints hanging in the hall outside my studio and asked to take it out on approval. That print is now hanging in the newest, chicest pocket bar in Charlotte, The Green Room! I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry tears of joy after that sale. This was the first completely random person I had zero personal connections to, who showed genuine interest in my large scale printed work, enough so to purchase a piece straight off the wall.

What is most challenging about fine art photography for you, and what's most rewarding?

The most challenging part about fine art photography is putting yourself and your work out there in the world. It feels a lot like baring your soul and giving away your secrets, and hoping somehow people love it but also knowing that not everyone will. It took me nearly 20 years to gather up the courage to showcase my talent and feel confident in my own skin enough to say “This is me, this is what I do, and this is how I see the world.” Oddly enough, this is also the most rewarding part! To see others enjoy my work, is truly the best compliment I could receive.

You can find A Print Shop at the Dilworth Artisan Station, an art collective home to a diverse group of local artists. On the first Friday of every month the collective hosts a gallery crawl from 6-9pm, which allows the public to explore the art and connect with the artists. info aaprintshop.com @APrintShop