With a click of her shutter she can turn a simple gesture at a wedding rehearsal into a moment forever framed over a fireplace. And despite the blare of music and stages lights, she’s able to capture a musician’s glance and reveal to all the tortured soul of an artist. … Her images are often displayed in black and white, but when she looks through her view finder Carie Thompson never fails to find a colorful character.

Carie’s quest began in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee where she playfully focused her lens on the crazy antics of her college friends. That initiation into the world of F-Stops and flash settings opened the door to area music venues, and soon the characters appearing nightly on local stages found their images emblazoned onto the digital memory card of Thompson’s camera.

Her focus on musicians eventually drew her to the one place over populated with them –Nashville. It was just a two hour drive from her East Tennessee home, but her arrival was a giant leap for both Thompson and the independent artists living and creating just outside the Nashville music box.
Diving into the Nashville nightlife Carie and her camera started showing up at such venues as 12th & Porter, The Rutledge, and The Basement. And soon her flash was spotlighting artists like Cage the Elephant, Jeremy Lister, AutoVaughn, Bang Bang Bang, Chip Greene, Kyle Andrews, and Rachel Pearl.
Her black and white approach was not only bold and artistic, it contrasted the Nashville night with the illuminating music of artists still hovering between survival and success. Over time, as the music and images found wider distribution, fan bases grew, and so did the reputation of Carie Thompson.
It wasn’t long before Carie’s shooting schedule included everything from up n’ coming artists, weddings, models and actors to the most prominent, annual musical event in the region; the Bonnaroo Music Festival.
Although Carie and her camera did not find each other until early in this century, the combination clicked and formed an inseparable collaboration that has already garnered an impressive list of successes. Thompson’s work has been spotted in The New York Post, and featured in the pages of such prominent magazines as Guitar Player Magazine, American Songwriter, Tango, Y’all, The Advocate, the UK's N.M.E., Nashville's Fringe Magazine, Knoxville’s Metro Pulse and The Nashville Scene, and Knoxville's One-Eighty Magazine. Carie has also snapped for industry websites like KatyK’s Clothing , and Mastercard’s Priceline.com.
These days, Carie can still be found looking through her view finder in Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta, or New York. And though her schedule is constantly full, her camera never will be; for she’s always on the look out for independent, colorful characters, full of life. …Maybe she should turn the camera on herself.

-Barton Green


Desired projects: Touring with bands to document the lives of musicians. Still photographer on the set of films. Travel to other countries documenting the lives of people who need the help of the world. Her hope: “To make a difference with my camera. Whether it be with one person, or multiple people, I wish to impact the world in a positive way with my eye.”

Her favorite photographers: Edward Weston, Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, Robert Capa, James Nachtwey, Gray Scott, Sally Mann, too many to list.

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cariephoto's favorite photos from other Flickr members (443)

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  • Kiss @ the Louvre B&W by *ivo*
  • IMG_9615 by *ivo*
  • Arabian Gate by Jamal Alayoubi
  • bennett001 by joshua black wilkins
  • bennett002 by joshua black wilkins
  • Alison (The Xanadu Remix) by G*Squared_LA
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  • Cool As Ice by G*Squared_LA
  • Pink towel hood by pepleo
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Testimonials (14)

  • view profile

    Photo·Mojo says:

    "I always love to see your work Carrie, you are a true creative spirit! Thanks for the inspiration."

    28th May, 2009

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    Aaron Edwards says:

    "I had the good fortune to recent;y meet Carie here in NYC. She is an amazing talent and wonderful soul. I also hope to call her a good friend."

    2nd December, 2008

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    KnoxvilleRob says:

    "Every time I see a new photo from Carie it's an amazing example of talent, curiosity and experience. The expressions she draws from her models and the use of color and light are simply remarkable."

    23rd January, 2008

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    Simontacchi says:

    "Carie has an undying passion and love for capturing people in their true essence. And if her subject tries to mask him or herself.....she not only has the ability to remove it.......but shed the many coats underneath, revealing a unique person with all their diamonds and dirt.
    Carie is a true gem in the world of photograpy. And on top of that, she has a heart and spirit of gold."

    3rd August, 2006

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    ZenOptic says:

    "I am a man of few words. Let me preface this by saying , first off I concider Carie a friend. She is a fantastic photographer whos embraceing use of Black & White images amaze me all the time. If you have ever been around her you will admire her outgoing nature which inspires theis photos."

    9th July, 2006

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    kgranju says:

    "Thanks for adding me, Carie. Great to see you at Bonnaroo. Hope Nashville is working out great for you :-)"

    20th June, 2006

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    f8125 says:

    "Carie told me a very important photographic gem, and that is to never be shy when taking photographs. Carie really confronts her subjects head on and her strength of character really shines through in her photos."

    13th April, 2006

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    fabianpulido.com says:

    "I love your style it´s unique i don´t know if i have one, but yours is lovely!!
    ian"

    14th February, 2006

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    Philosoap says:

    "In all fantasy is a core of truth, and in all truth there is a core of fantasy.

    What Cariephoto succeeds in documenting is the magical commingling of truth and fantasy all around us (if only we'd open our hearts and eyes)."

    15th October, 2005

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    M4XIM4GE says:

    "Carie is reaching out to us through her camera and revealing her relationship with the world. She charming the beast, flirting with danger, and chasing dark pleasures."

    11th September, 2005

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    Southern Exposure, LLC says:

    "The mysticism and magnetism displayed in the works of Carie Thompson can be likened to the awakened senses of a newborn in the first hours of life. Profound and provocative, are just mere descriptions used to describe the elements of light and darkness used in her art. The subtle expressions found in her work are reflected in the faces of her subject matter and provide the viewer with an acute awareness that she is trusted to bring out the finest qualities of both modern art and refined vision. It is this vision that draws the viewer into a world where people are more than just faces on a wall or moments in time captured on film. The characters in the world of Carie Thompson breathe and move on paper and one can not help but wonder if they are truly looking at a photograph or if the humanity of the moment is frozen in a frame for all of time. It is immortalized moments that Carie finds her greatest pleasure: lending an eye to the world of photography in which time slows down just long enough for her to take you into a glimpse of the lives of real people leading fascinating journeys during the routine of everyday living. It is a marvelous wonder to see our world entrusting a visionary and becoming a visual archive, during which we find a voice when no words can be uttered. Carie has the keen ability to open the minds and heart of her audience with unspoken, hauntingly beautiful images. It is the enigma of art that one is able to relate to those that we have never met and to find common ground with the elements in each photograph that Carie brings to the table for our eyes to feast upon."

    29th July, 2005

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    *ivo* says:

    "Carie is not only a truly talented photographer, she is a sweet human being. Her enthusiasm for all things photography is addictive and kind of reminds me of me.


    Plus she has a bitchin' southern accent!"

    9th July, 2005

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    Segedi says:

    "I think Carie underestimates her talent. I've seen her get better and better - and not only as a photographer, but truly grow as a person. Take a look and see the world as Carie sees it and have fun enjoying the journey."

    30th April, 2005

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    drp says:

    "What can I say about Carie? Yes, she's the Queen of Contrast, and the Lady Godiva of Gothic Goodness...but there's more to be had here that mere labels cannot define. She infuses her work with such warmth and depth, that many of her shots radiate this enticing glow that sucks you in - like a visual siren's song. Allow yourself to crash upon her shores. You won't need to be rescued."

    12th December, 2004

Name:
Carie Thompson
Joined:
December 2004
Hometown:
Knoxville, TN
Currently:
New York, NY, United States
I am:
Female and Single
Occupation:
Photographer
Email:
cariephoto [at] gmail.com
Yahoo! IM:
sukisasha
AIM (AOL IM):
cariephoto
MSN Messenger:
cariesaab [at] hotmail.com