Meet Amanda Cirotto | Nature & Wildlife Photographer & Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

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

Hi Amanda, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
The beauty and mystery that is found in nature inspires me. When I am alone in nature with my camera, I am fully living in that moment. Being an artist, I am constantly observing the world around me, especially the tiny details. Dew drops on a spider web coalescing, the velvety feel of petals on a wildflower, a barred owl in flight – I live for experiencing and capturing those intimate moments.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love to photograph the tiny details in nature, like a tiny bud just starting to open on a Dogwood tree or a water droplet about to fall from the tip of a leaf after a spring rain. I love the story that those tiny details tell. I shoot landscape and wildlife as well, but macro photography – shooting something tiny close up so that you see all the details and it appears large – is my favorite subject. Losing myself in little details that are so easy to miss and sharing them with others in hopes to inspire and create appreciation for the little things in life, because to me, that is where the magic is found.

I am excited for a couple of fun opportunities coming up. First, a special thanks for this Shoutout! It means a lot to have community surround and support all art mediums. For anyone local to Franklin, Tennessee, I will be showcasing my photography in the Franklin Art Crawl on Friday, April 5th at the Five Points Post Office in downtown Franklin. I will be both a part of the art crawl, as well as have my works exhibited at the Five Points Post Office for the entire month of April. I will also be showcased for the entire month of June 2024 in the Williamson County Public Library, also located in downtown Franklin.

Photography is my passion. Capturing nature and wildlife is soul-fulfilling. I ran a photography business for several years, shooting family portraits, senior portraits, etc, and while profitable, I found that I no longer had the time to be lost in the wild and photographing what I really love. My energy and creativity became drained and I realized that it sucked the joy out of photography for me. Then, 2 years ago, I sustained a brain injury due to a viral infection that impacted my vestibular system (balance/coordination) and vestibulo-ocular reflex (gaze stabilization with head movement). This impacted my ability to drive, use my camera, work, basically everything, it seemed, was taken away from me very suddenly and unexpectedly. It has taken 2 years of continuous therapy and rehab – neurological rehab, visual rehab, stem cell therapy, and a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears to slowly gain back what I lost. With so much time to think on my hands, I realized how precious life is and that I want to spend my time fully engaged in my passions, which are nature and wildlife photography, and nutritional therapy. Over the past few months I have slowly been able to return to my camera. This past February I enrolled in a nutritional program via the Nutritional Therapy Association and in 1 month I will officially be a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. I am excited to see where both photography and nutrition take me in 2024!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting the area I would make sure they packed their hiking shoes! My favorite spots around Nashville are Radnor Lake, Percy Warner and Edwin Warner Park, and Smith Park. All are great spots for local hiking and spotting wildlife ranging from Blue Herons, Barred Owls, Mink, Deer, Turkey, and if you’re lucky you might spot an Eagle, Fox, Coyote or Bobcat.

My home away from home are the Smokies. Smokey Mountain National Park has owned my heart since the moment I stepped foot in it 40 years ago. A trip there to hike along part of the Appalachian Trail to a spot called Charlie’s Bunion is a must. Charlie’s Bunion is a bare rock summit with stunning 360 degree views that are absolutely breathtaking. Especially late October when fall color peaks.

As for local eats in Nashville, my favorite spot for a healthy meal and great vibe is True Food Kitchen in the Green Hills area. I’m a sucker for their edamame hummus, charred cauliflower, seasonal harvest salad or the teriyaki quinoa bowl.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my Shoutout to my daughter, Lydia James. From the moment she was born she has been a constant source of inspiration. She has grown up accompanying me on “adventures” in the outdoors with no complaints, and with a creative eye of her own, often points out subjects of interest I would have overlooked. She tolerates me (sometimes, ha!) posing and snapping photos of her on rainy, boring days when a moment of inspiration strikes and I am looking for a creative outlet. She now wants “her turn” and will barter with me that I can take 10 photos of her in exchange for allowing her to do my hair and makeup and take 10 photos of me. (I hate being in front of the camera). At almost 13 years old she impresses me with her skills as a make-up artist in practice, a musical theater dancer in training, and her ability to make me belly laugh on the daily. She is my muse and my greatest joy.

Website: www.amandacirottophotography.com

Instagram: @amandacirotto and @garlic_n_greens

Image Credits
All images taken by me, Amanda Cirotto