Meet Mysta Gagnon | Portrait Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mysta Gagnon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mysta, why did you pursue a creative career?
I decided to pursue an artistic and creative career, because that is where I shine. I am always doing something creative. I am a maker, if I am not making headpieces, taking photographs, curating gowns, or making wings, then I am just not happy. Having the opportunity to pursue my dreams is an amazing gift that not everyone is able to have the luxury of doing. They say if you love what you do, then you’ll never work a day in your life. I find inspiration in flowers, trees and meadows. I live to create a world filled with magic and I strive to bring that magic and whimsical energy to everything I do.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from others in my field is my whimsical nature and love of all things in the fantasy realm. I curate dresses for my shoots, I create custom headpieces, wings, and I even have a gorgeous greenery floral wall now. I have a strong use of flowers in my imagery. I love to draw from mythology and classic fairy tales to inspire my photography set designs. I am most proud of how far I have come in terms of skill and technique. I used to just want to take pretty pictures, now I study, experiment and continue to grow as an artist. Honing ones craft is the most important thing and I can not stress that enough. Once I learned to master lighting and truly learned how to operate my camera, it set me on a whole new path where anything is possible. This has been a long journey for me. I started out a timid new mom taking photos of her first child, there was lots of struggles to learn editing, lighting, and composition, but now having put in the work over the past 7 years I am a strong, confident photographer. My job as a photographer is to make the people I photograph feel amazing. The end result of the images is important, but to me it is all about having a client leave my studio glowing with confidence and self love. My brand is for those that want to have a true expirence, love the romantic fantasy aesthetic, and want to feel like a goddess for a day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was in town, I would take her on a state wide hunt for the most amazing places for photoshoots. Lucky for me she loves to model. Garden of the gods is a must, just scenery for days, I haven’t been to the painted mines yet, but it’s definetly on my list of places to go. I found this lovely little pound with a river up in morrison on the side of the highway it’s gorgeous. Bishop’s castle is a sight to see in all of it’s handcrafted glory. It’s also a great place to go for thrill seekers if you love heights. Red rocks amiptheater is also a great place to visit, from the beautiful scenery to the amiptheater you just can’t go wrong. For food we would definetly have to go to Mac Nation, their Colorado mac and cheese is so amazing. Sweet cow would definetly be on the list their handmade ice cream is the best I’ve had. My favorite is their cookie butter ice cream, if you haven’t tried it then you are missing out. I also love their oatmeal raisin ice cream and you can’t beat a simple vanilla milkshake.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There have been several people in my life that have truly helped me strive to be the best I can be and have supported me in my journey into photography. My husband has been so supportive and loving throughout all of this. There is also a few wonderful models that I have come to know that have always been there to help build my portfolio and help make my set visions come to life. Tara Eich, Savvy Lee, Kensey Jean, Alexandria Natalia, and Allison Peters.

Instagram: Instagram.com/mystaleeportraits

Facebook: Facebook.com/mystaleeportraits

Image Credits
Model – Allison Peters Model – Alexandria Natalia Model – Bae Marie Model – Courtney Schmidt Photographer – Mystalee Gagnon