Meet Sharon Fuente | Master Photographer

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

Hi Sharon, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I think there are two things about my upbringing that really influenced who I am today as a professional photographer. The first one was a big box of family pictures that my grandmother had at her house. When I would visit her I would ask to see the pictures. As she pulled them out one by one, she would tell a stories about the people in them. I learned so much family history, stories that I still pass down over fifty years later. That was the beginning of my love of documenting moments in life. The second one is that I had very supportive parents. From an early age they encouraged my creativity, in the many forms that it took throughout the years. They bought me my first camera at age ten which was a 110 instamatic and then my first 35mm camera when I was in high school. By the time I was a young adult their home was filled with drawings, painting and prints that I had done, all framed and up on the walls.

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 started my photography career taking the newborn pictures at the hospital and then I worked for a large company that did school yearbook images before branching out on my own. I love creating portraits for my clients that reflect who they are at this moment in their lives. I am all about the experience they have with me, from the first phone call to delivering their finished art work all wrapped up like the best present ever. I want them to know that their session is one of a kind and designed just for them.
It was not easy to achieve a Master of Photography degree through PPA (Professional Photographers of America). It takes several years and you not only have to take a number of educational classes but you have to prove you can do what you have learned by submitting images to be judged by PPA trained jurors. And they are tough! I am also a Certified Professional Photographer. Certification does not take as long as becoming a Master Photographer but it is not easy by any means. I probably learned more about photography by getting certified that anything else.
I have two professional moments that I am especially proud of. In 2022 one of my images was chosen to be part of Team USA for the World Photographic Cup…. think Olympics for photographers…. it’s kind of like that, except you can’t try out or even submit images. There is a committee that chooses 18 images to represent the US, so having an image chose is a huge honor. The second is being named 2024 Photographer of the Year for Georgia Professional Photographers. For this honor I had to both do extremely well in the state photographic competition and also give back to the state association. In 2024 GPPA had no one on their board in charge of education and events. I jumped in (having no clue how big a job it was) and put together a robust schedule of in person workshops, social events and zoom classes along with creating a members only zoom library on our website. And I did it all without costing the association a penny.
Creativity is something I think I was just born with. I could draw detailed drawings at a very young age. I still have the ashtrays that my mom had made from artwork I did when I was five or six year old. I know that statement dates me. Now I keep a running list of ideas for images I want to create. When I have free time I always have a project to work on. This serves me well in competition and it serves my clients in getting great images.
I strongly believe in giving back to the community. I photograph regularly for the local food pantry and offer discounted rates for non profits. I am currently working on a personal project of photographing artists at work. I want to celebrate those who bring us joy and feel that artists of all kinds, both visual and performing, do this. This project will include a photo exhibit/fundraiser later this year fund raiser to benefit Red Door Food Pantry in Cartersville.
For my business I specialize in family portraits which include maternity, newborn, children, multigenerational, seniors and pets (because they are family too!) I also do a good deal of commercial photography sessions including headshots, events and branding sessions for business. If anyone is interested in my fine art photography, I have several pieces for sale at Wall to Wall Framing in Cartersville, or they can contact me through my website.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So my decisions on where I would take my best friend if they were visiting for a week would be based on what they were interested in doing and the time of year. First I would check places like the Fox Theater, Chastain Amphitheater and Pullman Yards to see if anything interesting was going on there because those are some of my favorite venues to see a show or go to an interactive event. If we were only eating at one place in Atlanta, The Varsity is an iconic experience. We would definitely go to Little Five Points, Ponce City Market and the Beltline because there are lots of interesting shops, restaurants and street art. The Georgia Aquarium might also be on the list for things to do in the city. I actually live north of Atlanta, way out in the country so part of the week would be dedicated to going to see waterfalls (Helton Creek is a favorite but there are a lot up here) and going to either Merceir’s Orchard in Blue Ridge or BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay. My husband and I love both places but BJ Reece has a fairly new and incredible hard cider bar where you can try all different flavors with flights of hard apple cider. The last time we went they had live music, food trucks, corn hole and more so it was a fun afternoon out. Closer to home some of my go to spots to take someone are the Booth Museum of Western Art, Old Car City and shopping in downtown Cartersville. Cartersville has some really great restaurants too, including Swheat Market for lunch and Armando’s for dinner. If we had extra time a trip to Grumpy’s Antique Store in Tunnel Hill is worth the drive if you are into antiques.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The first shoutout would have to go to my husband because has always supported my photography career, even when I came home from my nice secure office job in advertising and said “I’m going to quit my job and be a photographer”. But my skill level as a Master Photographer is owed to two organizations, Professional Photographers of America and Georgia Professional Photographers. Until I joined those two organizations I had no idea what it meant to be a professional photographers. The education both of these organizations offer is phenomenal and the people are generous in offering their time and talent to help other photographers.

Website: https://www.lifesongphotography.net

Instagram: @life_song_photo

Linkedin: Sharon Fuente

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lifesongartandphoto

Image Credits
Sharon Fuente M. Photog., CPP