About the Artist

Renny Mills

It has often been said that necessity is the mother of invention and such was the case with Renny Mills’ foray into the world of portrait photography.

Renny was formally educated at the Ohio Institute of Photography and relocated to Chicago in 1984 to begin her professional career. She honed her craft over the next decade free-lancing for one of the city’s largest catalog studios in the demanding industry of table top photography while moonlighting as a wedding photographer on the weekends.

The combination of these two diverse disciplines began to shape her approach to creative photography and as a result her work reflected a photo journalistic flavor. It was evident that Renny exuded a calming influence, which allowed her subjects to feel at ease and is an attribute vital to capturing a natural and candid image.

Her evenings were spent in the stillness of the darkroom where she further perfected the technical elements and artistry of hand rendering. This experience was instrumental in preserving the integrity and artistry of  her craft as the industry transitioned from traditional print formats to digital imaging and  media.

Utilizing the lighting skills she perfected in the catalog industry and with the allure of an exciting new challenge, Renny re-tooled her studio allowing her to integrate traditional techniques with the new technology and as a result her repertoire expanded to include custom silk screen renderings, gallery exhibits, custom framing and matting, calendars, and commercial marketing endeavors.

Her subjects  are as diverse as her professioanl experience and include high school juniors and seniors, families, pets and their people, and some of our areas most scenic vistas.

What started in a small studio in Chicago has grown and transcended the Midwest with demand for her services in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.

“ I truly love what I do, “ said Mills, “ I have the opportunity to freeze a moment in time and preserve a beautiful image that we can revisit at any time that we need to lift our spirits."