Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Sanders.
Hi Shelby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
4 years ago I was working as a director of HR and just not loving my job. I had a not so great supervisor who was making things even more difficult for me. I had started taking pictures of friends and family for fun and was really enjoying that and using it as a fun outlet outside of work. One day, my now husband told me “quit your job and just do photos full time, we will make it work.” I honestly just laughed at him because there was no way that anyone would actually pay me to take their pictures, I didn’t even have a great camera yet. So on Valentine’s Day, I quit my job, got on Facebook marketplace and bought my first used camera and lenses. I offered as many free photoshoots as I could to build my portfolio and just get more comfortable behind the camera. I watched hours of YouTube trying to learn all things photography and attended so many styled shoots and soaked up any and all advice from fellow photographers. After 2 years in, I began to second shoot weddings with other photographers to see if weddings could be something I would want to one day offer. I stood in the shadows and just asked questions and paid attention to as much of the details of the day. It was the best learning experience I ever got.
Fast forward to now and I just wrapped up my 3rd year full time and had the biggest year in my business yet. This past year was my first year taking on 10 weddings, which is still so mind blowing to me that this is what I get to do for my career. Along with running my business, I am soon to welcome my third baby in May, so I am having to adjust my workload and will be finding a new rhythm that still allows me to build this business while still caring for my babies and family.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has for sure not always been a smooth road. There were months of crickets and people no-showing on me for sessions in the beginning (before I knew to take deposits LOL) I think in every business there are highs and lows, this is no different, especially the slow seasons and overcoming that and learning how to market myself and advertising the right way. It was easy in the corporate world, the big companies I worked for didn’t have to be “sold” they spoke for themselves, but I was new and had to prove that I deserved people’s time. Learning not to doubt myself was the biggest hurdle, it is still one I struggle with every now and then.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a photographer, I feel like more and more it is becoming a “hobby” rather than something people have as a career. Especially with technology and more access to equipment and people not seeing the value in a professional photo when their iPhone can just take it. I think what sets me apart from others is that while yes you can 100% just pull out your iPhone and snap a photo, but can you see emotion in that photo? My job, no matter what type of picture I am taking, is to capture the moment and the emotions. Pictures were meant to freeze time, to savor a moment that you wished lasted forever. But as a mom, that has even more meaning to me now, knowing that my children will have photos with me in them, rather than me being the one who took them on my phone. Knowing that a bride will forever have that picture of her nana wiping tears from her face before she walks down the isle, that newborn baby who is in the father’s arms sleeping will never be that small again. This is what is special about my photos versus something you just snap in an instant on your phone. I am proud that each person who supports my business is not only gaining beautiful photos, but they are gaining a friend, a mom who also sees their precious babies as one of their own, and knowing I am forever a part of their story is the biggest blessing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shelbysandersphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelbysandersphoto/
