Meet Shelby Ann Photo | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shelby Ann Photo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelby Ann Photo, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
My main core value as a photographer is connection. Staying true to my values within my photography career and personal life is something that has become vital to running my business in a way that is reflective of who I am. By putting connection at the core of my business I am always going to put the relationship in front of my camera first, always. I strive to create an comfortable space of encouraging the connection in front of my lens to unfold and interact in an organic way and then I go from there. I want my clients to see themselves in their final images. Not a list of trendy poses or a forced smile but a genuine look into their season of life.

We live in such a fast paced world where human connection is something that we find ourselves searching for or missing when it isn’t there. We are made to connect with one another. I hope that my clients experience a sense of slowness when working working with me. They see their time in front of my camera as a reason to slow down and soak in the beauty of their life and that that slowness can pour over after our time together too.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a photographer with a focus in wedding and family photography in North Georgia. My style leans towards a documentary approach with an editorial touch. I started photography about a decade ago and since then I have immersed myself in it wholeheartedly. I started full time as a wedding photographer in Georgia in 2016 and then in 2019 moved to Singapore for three years and opened up my business there as well. It was in Singapore while building a family of my own that I found my love for family photography. Getting to experience so much of the world while living overseas and photographing people from so many different corners of the world really impacted my business (and personal life) in a positive way that I will always be grateful for.

There is nothing like witnessing and photographing memories for my clients. I believe that outside of just taking photos, it’s also my job to show up in a way that creates space for vulnerability to flow naturally. I always tell my clients that after booking with me that all I ask from them is to show up with open hearts and I will take it from there.

I am recently finding myself most proud of finding a style that feels like a real reflection of who I am creatively. This industry is full of new trends every day and I have found myself more comfortable with thinking “yeah maybe thats not for me”. It’s not an easy place to get to and it taken a lot of time for me to get here but getting into a groove of just focusing on what feels genuine has been really amazing. The best part of this shift is that it has led me to meet clients with a similar focus. Clients that want their wedding day or families documented in a way that is both creatively and authentically them.

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?
This is such a fun question! First thing we’re doing is going to get coffee and pastries — Meadowlark in Gainesville or Tuesdays in Marietta both have coffee worth driving for. After we are caffeinated we are going to every thrift store we can find. And then all of the antique shops in Braselton. We’ll need at least one day (maybe two) set aside for all the thrifting. Dinner would definitely need to be at Falling Rabbit in Duluth for the cute cocktails and vibe. We’d spend a couple of days a little closer to the mountains. Finding a hike to spend the day outside in Clayton and stopping for dinner at Fortify. And the next day exploring Dahlonega finding another hike or trail with a stop at Monteluce Winery.

Bellows film lab would be a must. I love photographing my personal life on film so I can stay in the moment and be reminded of cute memories later on when I get them developed. And because at my core I really just love a cozy vibe, we’d end the nights with snacks at home in pajamas.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert was an incredibly inspiring read and made a big difference for me in my journey with photography and creativity in general.

Website: www.shelbyannphoto.com

Instagram: @shelbyann.photo

Image Credits
Myself 🙂