Conversations with Terri Griffin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Terri Griffin.

Hi Terri, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have been a freelance photographer for over twenty years. As a young child I always love taking pictures. In school, I always took art classes and wanted to be a cartoonist, but unfortunately, in the 70s, my parents told me, you don’t want to be an artist; you would starve to death. Fast forward my last year and last semester of high school I took a basic photography class; Mr. Paul Hudson the football coach did wedding photography on the side. We were taught to make pin-hole box cameras, I was amazed that it actually took pictures. We were then taught to print black and white photos in the darkroom, once I saw the photographic paper immerged in the photo chemicals the picture appeared like magic. I was hooked and I am still hooked this very day. For me taking pictures is like breathing. I could not live my life without it; I love the sound of the clicking of the camera. After high school, I went to Ohio University to major in photography, but my first college photography instructor told me that my photography was this and that, and he recommended that I not continue in that major. I thank God every day that I did not listen to that instructor and let him kill my dream of becoming a photographer because I did not listen to him, I have been all over the world to places like Kenya, Israel, Ghana, Jamaica, Canada, and Mexico, clicking my shutter button “Capturing A Moment in Time”.

In 2002 I got laid off from Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory so I decided to start Terri Griffin Photography photographing headshots, weddings and special events. Once they put cameras on cell phones it changed the market for photographers. So, I went back to school and got my Bachelor’s degree in e-marketing. Then in 2022 I got my Masters degree in Film, Television and Photography with emphasis in documentary filmmaking from Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles so that I could be more marketable in various areas of media. I wanted to take my storytelling to the next level. While at Mount Saint Mary’s University, I received a $10,000.00 Nikon Storytelling Scholarship to work on the documentary that I was producing.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As a black woman, it has been a struggle because photography was a very white male-dominated field. I was first told I should not be a photographer by my first photograph instructor; I then worked a photo studio in Colorado Springs, I worked in the lab printing school photos; when I asked could I be a photographer, I was told I could not be a photographer because I did not know how to shoot the bull and drink beer with the principals at the schools. I also worked in the lab at Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where all the images from the spacecraft came through our lab. My photographs hung in the director’s office of JPL, but I was not allowed to be a photographer and make $50,000.00 a year. Although it’s been a struggle, I did not let that deter me from my dream to be a photographer. After I was laid off from JPL, that is when I decided to start my freelance photography business, Terri Griffin Photography, now no one could stop me from doing what I loved. I even had the awesome privilege to photograph Mrs. Rosa Parks and various other celebrities and yet I still rise.
I contribute being the photographer am today to Mr. Paul Hudson my high school photography teacher. When I went to away to college, he let me have one of his cameras because I didn’t have one. To pay it forward is one of my hearts desire to mentor young people and have them work with me as interns but get paid for their work. Right now, I am the process of finding support for the program I want to start going into the inner-city and teaching kids’ photography and film it is called Inner City Clickers. I am also trying to get funding so that I can improve my documentary to put it in film festivals and pitch it to PBS.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
It took me a while to realize that I was a creative person, and because of that, I never liked working in a nine-to-five job. I did it because I had to, but I love being out and about taking pictures, it gives me great joy. I do headshot, portraits, and special events. What I love capturing the most is worship photography and travel. Photography is my passion, and traveling is my second passion. In high school, I got the opportunity to go to Paris, that’s when I got hooked on travel. I have had the great pleasure to travel all over the world, and I think this has been some of my greatest body of work. I think what sets me apart from others is the fact that I am a people person, it allows me to interact with the people I come in contact with to photograph with a great respect for my clients. I think what also sets me apart is my passion for “Capturing A Moment In Time” a time that will never happen again, I believe that this is what I was put on this earth for, my purpose. I am a great storyteller whether you are at the event or not you can look at me photographs and know what happened by looking at me images from the beginning to the end.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The greatest lesson I have learned is do not let anyone kill your dreams. Never give up no matter what challenges you face. Laziness kills ambition, ambition kills laziness. Anger kills wisdom, wisdom kills anger. Fear kills dreams, dreams kills fear. Jealous kills peace, peace kills jealousy. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget hoe you made them feel (Maya Angelou) and that is why I treat people with respect no matter who you are. When someone shows you who they are believe them (Maya Angelou). Most important I have learned that nothing is impossible with God

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.terrigriffinphoto.com
• Instagram: #tgphotoartist
• Facebook: Terri Griffin Photography
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terri-griffin-mfa-520475173/
• Other: https://tgphoto.smugmug.com/