Guestagrammer of the Week: Preston Gannaway

Momenta welcomes this week’s guestagrammer, Preston Gannaway!

Age: 37

Current job: Documentary Photographer

Current location: Oakland, CA

​Website: www.prestongannaway.com

Connection to Momenta: Panelist for The Business of Nonprofit Photography: San Francisco & Project San Francisco 2016 Instructor

Watermelons are set out on display to attract drivers to a roadside farm stand along Ocean View Avenue in August. © Preston Gannaway

Tell us about your journey as an image-maker and how you got to where you are today.

Wow, that’s a tough question to answer succinctly. I started as an art student, found photography and studied fine art photography in college. Then I stumbled into photojournalism. I got some jobs and moved back and forth across the country too many times to count. Then I left newspapers and rediscovered fine art photography (and art for that matter). Now I’m bouncing between the two while trying to find the perfect balance. And a story I did a few years ago won a Pulitzer. I’m probably supposed to mention that.

East Beach resident Jacelyn McCune stands with her dogs Caylie and Chloe. “What are little dogs for except to dress them up?” she laughed. © Preston Gannaway

What stories or issues are you most passionate about covering?

Honestly, I find so many things interesting, and I become passionate about nearly all the stories I work on. To me that’s one of the greatest parts of this job – I get an insider’s perspective on so many things. But right now I’m especially drawn to stories about LGBT rights, changing neighborhoods and communities and the intersection of the natural world into urban life.

Family members and friends Quayshawn Banks, Jasmine Warren, Raymeka Fennell and Richard Fennell use a tent for shade while spending the day at the beach with their kids. © Preston Gannaway

Where do you look for inspiration for your work: books, movies, authors, photographers, art, certain people?

I find a lot of inspiration and ideas from documentary films. Also I love going to museums.

Jennifer Osborne embraces her daughter Portia, 6, at their home in Bayview in Norfolk, Va. Jennifer was a crack addict and prostitute in Ocean View for many years. She’s still “not where I want to be,” she said, “but a long way from where I was.” She cleaned up when she got married and had kids. Though she loves the neighborhood and living by the water, they can’t afford the rising rental costs in Ocean View. © Preston Gannaway

What social media or news feeds do you follow regularly? 

Twitter is the only social media I use naturally and regularly (surprising, I know.) I follow most of the news orgs and magazines there. Also I love NPR.

What is one passion you have outside of photography that might come as a surprise to our readers?

Bluegrass/Old Time music.

Oysters cook under wet burlap at the Annual Knights of Columbus Oyster Roast. © Preston Gannaway

What can we expect to see next week from your “guestagramming” on our Momenta Instagram account?

I’ll be sharing work from my book, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

#seizethemomenta, and follow @momentaworkshops on Instagram August 23 – 29 to see Preston’s powerful work!

About the author…