My inspiration comes from many places like the painters of the Renaissance, the photographers who paved the way before me, and the thrill of discovering something new. I’m drawn to fleeting moments that might seem ordinary in the moment but become treasured memories over time. Whether I’m capturing the grit of southern cowboys, the story behind a brand’s foundation, or the raw energy of a wrestler in Ohio, I focus on those in-between moments that reveal someone’s true spirit.

Send me an email michellecarmonaphoto@gmail.com

Person sitting in the back of an open car trunk holding a white dog with a snowy rocky background.

They put me to work at the rodeo now.

Person in jacket and cap on beach with flock of seagulls flying by and ocean in background.

One time I went to the Quarter Horse Convention to get a cowboy hat, I left with a goldendoodle instead.

A close-up view of a seashell embedded in the sand, with a small wave washing over it in the shallow water at the beach.
Black and white photo of a city skyline with tall buildings, a water tower in the foreground, and a road with a side mirror visible on the right.

I throw random seeds in my backyard.

A graphic design professor shifted my career path.

I love getting a new journal, its the reason all of my past journals have blank pages at the end of them.

Black and white photo of a person taking a mirror selfie in a bathroom or bedroom, with hair covering part of the face.

Periodically I make Cyanotypes.

The best smell is the pages of a new book.

My favorite book series growing up is Percy Jackson.

A dirt path winds through a grassy marshland with a hill covered in trees and bushes in the distance under a cloudy sky.

Mountain Fresh Creamy has the best ice cream.

The first cowboy I photographed was through a random DM that lead to a 16 hour drive to make it happen.

I’ve learned so much when working with creatives outside of photography.

The best camping spot is Cumberland Island.

I once signed up for an overnight horseback experience (with zero riding experience ) thinking I would make some friends my age... everyone was over the age of 40 and brought their own horses. It ended with them convincing me to quit my job, get a horse and travel with them.

Two hands reaching towards each other with floating white feathers against a dark background.

My first camera was a Sony Cyber-shot that I got in the third grade for Christmas.

I still shoot on that camera.

Oil painting is my favorite medium. But can I oil paint, absolutely not.

Every month I find myself with a new hobby, currently its growing Oyster mushrooms raising quail.

I love bread.