About Christopher Cannon Photography

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or as long as I can remember, the outdoors have always been my happy place. Growing up, I was all about nature and wildlife, mainly through the trips to Cades Cove growing up. And yes, I was one of those that took a notebook and kept tally marks of every single thing we saw. Everything. Along with that came photography. I can always remember being at my grandparents, and they would have to take the old Polaroid away from me so I didn’t use up all the film. (I mean, let’s be real! We all loved seeing what was captured after you set there and fanned those things dry.)

Pretty soon, I got my first film camera – a little point and shoot. And trust me. I went through way too much Kodak documenting hunting trips, family events and whatever else I might find around. Going into college, I knew I wanted to take photography. Maryville College only offered film photography, so I saved up some money from my summer job and bought my first “real” camera – a Canon rebel. I used it exclusively for my first year in college, and my parents got me my first DSLR following that year. I took my brother’s senior photos with it, and the rest has been history.

The most memorable photos are layered, in good light, and have something really interesting going on in them. If you can get all three elements into a single frame, now you're talking.

-Joel Sartore

When I graduated and started working at the LaFollette Press, photos became a part of the daily job. Along with being sports editor, I was also the office’s photojournalist, so to speak. While it was a blast, my passion for Nature and Wildlife photography just wasn’t there. I completely stopped taking outdoor pictures, or when I did, they just sat in folders on my desktop. Finally, in 2016, that passion picked back up, and it’s now stronger than ever. There’s just something about relaxing in the outdoors with a camera in your hand. People often ask me how I can stand for two hours waiting on an owl to peek out of a hole in a tree. It’s easy. There’s plenty of other things to see in that 100-foot area, and even if there isn’t, just sitting there listening to the wind blow is enough to calm anybody.

Over the years, I’ve really been self-taught in a lot of things. Milky Way and Macro both came from a winter’s worth of YouTube videos. I’ve also added some lighting to what I do, and I’ve learned to use light better. Same with my editing skills. I often get questions, and I’m totally fine with that. Fire away! If I can help, I will. One of my biggest passions is learning, and I've always looked for new ways to learn in and through photography.

However, I hope that my photography brings a smile to people’s faces. I know I enjoy capturing some of those special moments, and I hope I can bring a little brightness to this crazy world.

Awards & Organizations

Awards & Publications

A page where I share photographs that have earned recognitions.

Organizations & Clubs

Want to get involved with photography clubs? Here's a few in our area!

Gear List

The list of gear I use to capture photos around the GSMNP!

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