Sheri O'neal Photographer

I have to say I have never been one to get excited about new technology even if I do feel at times I have my geeky moments.  Being a photographer originated for me because I loved the process of being surprised, of spending time in the dark room and the feeling of mastering the craft.  Then along came digital technology.  I fought the computer revolution back in the day, rather than go out right away and buying one I waited as I do with most all new trends until I had no choice.  Digital photography was no different and it came with a very expensive price tag.  It wasn’t about just buying a camera body it was about completely changing my technique of shooting and that became a huge struggle for me at first.  As with any change the un-comfort passes with time, you accept the consequences and you find a way to be happy.

Several years ago the man I was dating at the time decided I should have an iPhone because he felt it would help streamline my business.  That Christmas I received a newly introduced 2nd generation iPhone and things have never been the same since!  I have over time become very attached to my iPhone.  Although I still have not grasped the texting as others have I love having access to my email and a camera at all times.  It is interesting to observe this new lifestyle we all have created that revolves around mobile media.  Our phones have become an extension of who we are from the applications we purchase to the cases we choose.

There are many photographers who have become spokespeople for the iPhone, Chase Jarvis being the biggest.  I have found myself for the first time excited about buying the new Apple iPhone that is supposed to be released sometime this summer. My primary reason (as goofy as this sounds) is for the camera.  The 2nd generation falls short in that department and I get really frustrated at times with the flat, soft images it takes.  Last weekend I compared side by side the photo quality from my 2nd generation phone with a 3rd generation phone and the results were amazing.  Although the quality will never be as that of my primary gear the accessibility to snap a shot of decent quality when I see something photo worthy is what matters.

Where I stand professionally at this moment is in a wind of change.  Not only with my iPhone interest but with my life as a professional photographer.  Things are different in that world and I realize I must choose to be different as well. I am changing my vision and my marketing area for the kind of work I want to do to continue being a commercial photographer in this day and age.  I won’t lie it is scary and I have no idea what this new market is about, it is as if I have once again entered the education system for a new career direction.  I have heard it said that as photographers we must reinvent ourselves every 5-7 years.  My last reinvent was going digital, now it is changing my marketing focus to coincide with how technology  has changed the industry.  Although I believe the economy has some consequence to this shift I believe as a photographer it has more to do with the technology.

With this change I will continue to snap away with my iPhone and when I purchase the new phone I will have the option to shoot video.  Perhaps these fun toys of creativity will inspire other things in my professional career I have not thought of before.  What ever the case stay tuned, I will be sharing with you all and I am sure it will be an interesting ride.  These new tools have opened me up as a storyteller and I am excited!

PS

Below and the photos above were taken with my 2nd generation iPhone, treaked only a little in photoshop mostly to bump up the contrast and color saturation.

Well…spring is here and I have this uncanny need to share.  I have decided that I will limit my time doing unproductive things, I don’t pay attention to the news very much anymore and just getting outside a few times a week makes me feel better as a human being!  I have surrounded myself with positive minded people who complain very little, are full of energy and seem to be not only happier but more successful.  It is rubbing off on me and that makes me feel better about myself which in turn makes me want to make others feel better through my process of sharing.

No matter what we allow ourselves to believe the fact remains that things are changing in business and in our world.  There seem to be more tragedies’ happening or maybe we just have the ability to know more about them due to mobile media and the internet.  We have to work harder for a dollar than we used to but we have an array of choices around us to potentially make our businesses grow wings. Due to this constant and aggressive change around us we need to be persistent in learning new things and often that may feel uncomfortable.  The biggest lesson I have learned in business AND in life is that thinking is not doing…ACTION is a requirement for any kind of change.  It is something I am working hard on because even with all of my marketing ideas in place I have realized that taking action is the most difficult thing to master.

I have embraced the internet because I see the potential it has to offer a business but it also helps me to feel connected.  Being single in my 40’s with no kids, self employed and working from my home I can sometimes feel very removed and lonely if I allow myself to stay in my bubble.  With the new world of internet marketing and social interaction, I have found a new way of not only making business connections but also making new friends and realize that in this new world taking ACTION is easier.  So many of these things were not available to us in the pre-internet social era and it was much harder to reach large groups of people with similar interest.  That being said I do believe you must interact in person to make those relationships feel real, for them grow and to take them to the higher levels.

I am a creative person living in a business world and at times I realize I fall short with certain business functions.  By choice I do not allow myself to focus on the things that I lack in a negative way, instead I choose to believe I can always be better at anything as long as I believe I can be.  I have noticed as a creative person when I refer to things like business marketing or advertising I feel tense but when I refer to the same things as social networking or social marketing I feel a little more at ease.   I love being social and it feels better to me when trying to build business relationships.  I want to be friends with my clients not just have them as a client.  This doesn’t necessarily mean I want to hang out with them on a regular basis or talk about the personal details of my life. What is does mean is that I care about them as individuals and I am interested in not only the success of their business but also that their son graduated from high school or their daughter had a visit from the tooth fairy.  These things help me feel connected and help to establish a relationship.  Although making money is the primary function of a business, in my business the relationship is just as important as another dollar in my bank account.

As I leave you I realize this post doesn’t really have much depth other than my ranting in a personal fashion about what makes me feel good with my business in the new world of social activity.  I love what I do, I have never felt I fit into the corporate mold yet no matter who I am working for I know I can carry myself in a professional manner.  Taking action with my ideas is key to gaining new clients and building my business.  Social media allows me to put myself out there hoping the relationships I build will come to be because I am a real person who cares.  It is not just about my happiness I love making others happy too!  Wishing you all the best and hoping you all are enjoying the beauty of spring time!

In my business I work hard to keep my clients coming back and their happiness is my number one priority!  I want them comfortable during the process and I want them happy with the outcome.  A happy client tells his friends and associates about your work and you begin to build relationships which is key to a prosperous business.  I make it priority to be sure my clients like the images we are getting while working so that in the end they will have no reason to be unhappy with the final result.  My track record is around 98% when it comes to “happy” but every once in a while there is that one shoot where the client may not be as satisfied as I had hoped.  When that happens it affects me deeply on both a professional and a personal level.  My work is a reflection on me as an individual and as a business owner so if the client is unhappy I do what ever I can within my power to fix the issue.   It feels great when you get praise for a good job but you always remember the unhappy client no mater what the situation.

Joe West of Gasoline Productions Inc. is the ideal happy client and a great example of one that I want to keep.  West is a producer and writer with multiple cuts for artist like Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Jimmy Wayne, Julianne Hough, Emily West, and Danielle Peck (among others).  After sending his artist Sarah Marince to me for a shoot in 2008 he felt confident enough with my work to send Joe Zelek my way earlier this month.  Zelek and I talked over the phone about what he wanted, negotiated a price that fit his budget and his needs on an upcoming music project he is working on with West.  Zelek spends his time between Ohio and Tennessee working on music and wanted something fresh and different shot outside with a lens flare affect.  West has a great piece of land out in Franklin, TN where we met to do the shoot one sunny March afternoon.  What I didn’t expect was the incredible shooting opportunity I had in the old house located on the property that is planned to be torn down soon and Zelek was open to all the additional ideas I had regarding backdrops throughout the house.  Zelek, West and I had a great time shooting that afternoon and I became a new fan of Joe Zelek’s music!  West shot some great behind the scenes images that are included in this post.

As I leave you I have to admit that loving what I do makes me often feel like I am cheating when referring to this career as a business.  I do know however, that it is a business and as long as I keep the client happy, knowing their needs come first, I believe I will continue to do what I love. If you need a photographer I can 98% guarantee you will be happy with both the experience and with the outcome so let me make you a “happy” client!  Give me a call or drop me an email and lets do business!

I love to photograph kids!  When I opened my studio in Florida back in 1996 I was privileged to pick up accounts with book publishers Harcourt-Brace and Scholastic Book Fairs.  Kids became 80% of what I photographed almost every day for many years.  Due to limited budgets and the volume of work, we often used average kids who had no modeling experience and I learned quickly that I would need to master patience and kid communication.  I found that when shooting the smaller kids I would sometimes have to explain in detail on a very elementary level in order for them to understand what I needed them to do. Since moving to Nashville in 2001 I have not had much of an opportunity to photograph kids because the photography market is so different than it was in Orlando.  I miss that opportunity these days and look forward to when I have the chance to test my patience and kids always make me laugh!  I love how beautiful and flawless their skin looks and the glow it radiates in a photograph.  And the eyes…the window to the soul, are big in comparison to their face because the eyes are the size they will be when their body has reached adult hood.  Photographing kids taught me patience and that has carried over to all the other areas of my work!

This is Sophie, she is as many kids are…very talented.  Her biggest love is horses and her father Jim hopes to see her become more involved with them over the next year because he supports her love as good parents often do.  She rides and helps out at a local horse farm when she can, around her school schedule.  Jim wanted some family portraits because he felt his little girl was growing up too fast so we set up a simple backdrop so the focus would be dad and daughter.  I love that Sophie looks mature in how she carries herself yet she is still a child.

As I go remember to email me or give me a call if you have a project you need help with or if you need corporate or personal photos!  I am looking forward to hearing from you and I am looking forward to spring.  The warmer weather brings with it lots of color here in Nashville so lets plan your next shoot outside!  I will be back with new images to share soon!

-Sheri

These days I seem to be getting more and more calls from business executives who want something different when it comes to their photos.  I think there is a trend happening, perhaps it is the younger generation wanting to be themselves rather than conforming or an older generation realizing that you can be smiling in a causal atmosphere yet still look professional.  It seems to me that people want to look more relaxed in the photos that they send out as PR material.  I prefer to have people look happier and relaxed in the photos I take because I think  it makes them more approachable from the customer’s standpoint.  Social media marketing proves that we want to feel connected to those we choose to do business with and a simple smile can make all the difference in the world.  That being said I also think a great photograph is key because it is your image, we live in a visual world and your image is everything!

Brian Carden was no exception to the idea of wanting something different.  He is a Financial Advisor here in Nashville who came to me and said, “I am updating my site, I don’t want to appear conservative, I wear a suit but I don’t want to appear stiff in my pictures and I want something different”.  At the moment he is working with Robert Land, his “Digital Brand Architect” and Robert is working to build Brian’s new brand from the ground up.  I met with Robert first and we talked about the image we wanted to create for Brian…something less business like but very professional and very approachable.  I decided to shoot at Brian’s home because I love creating an image in someone’s own surroundings and environmental portraiture is one of my specialties!  I know that when someone is in their own home they are much more relaxed and it makes my job a lot easier.  My goal is always to try and capture something about that person, their body needs to be relaxed and it needs to show in their body language and in their eyes.  I think we nailed that at Brian’s house and I can’t wait to see how his new site and marketing material comes together!

PR for the small business is changing and so are the needs for photography regarding branding and image.  If you need someone to talk to about your marketing, your brand and your image give me a call.  I am here to help and it doesn’t have to be a painful experience, I promise!   Until next time….

Happy February everyone…ahhh the month of “LOVE”!  The year has started off strong and it is obvious that people are working hard to build their business, their brand and their identity.  Most of January was spent photographing business owners and individuals for use in their PR campaigns for the new year.  As I mentioned in my last post “image is everything” so keep the calls coming and let me show you how I can help your business image and your PR efforts with great photos.

On the personal side of photography I have begun a creative endeavor that I have been thinking about for over a year.  This project will take me through the year and will be used not only as fine art images and stock but also in my art work.  I have always wanted to inspire people and this series will be images that have positive content including words and affirmations.  The “LOVE” photo is a sample of one of many to come.

I can say that this seems to be the coldest winter I have felt since moving from Florida to Nashville in 2001.  Winter is not my favorite part of the year and being a Florida native it seems I can never get warm enough.  That being said I do get extremely excited when I get to see snow!  Here in Nashville this past weekend we saw more snow than we have seen in over 7 years.  Rather than go out and take pictures I choose to forget about photography for a day and have a little fun.  Instead of taking my expensive camera I choose to carry along my little flip camera instead.  I threw together a little video in iMovie if you feel inclined to see the fun we had so sit back and enjoy!

That’s all I have for now but  please remember if you need a photographer or advice about an upcoming project drop me an email me or give me a call!  615.385.5947  And if you haven’t done so yet be sure to join my facebook fan page!  I look forward to sharing with you again soon!

-Sheri

The start of 2010 is upon us…are you ready?  I wanted to talk with you a moment about marketing and your image.   Do you have a website, a business page, a linkedin, facebook or other social media profile?  If so what does your picture look like and what does it say about who you are or what you are selling?  Weather you are selling your services, a business online or in a local market , social media and web presence is at an all time high and it is more important now than ever to connect with your audience in a visual way.  People (myself included) are tired of traditional advertising methods, of being told to buy this or try that and research shows they are more inclined to be interested if they feel personally connected.  Something as simple as a good head shot or corporate/PR image could help you to connect to your audience better than any other method.

These days people want to feel they know you and seeing a smiling face can help you to connect with your audience in a personal way.  Weather you want to look like a rock star or just another friendly face I can help you look your best, give me a call and let me tell you how!  I can shoot the traditional simple background photo or I can make it interesting and give you a creative environmental portrait, it is your choice.  Mention this blog and I will offer you a special package price for individuals or businesses needing five or more people photographed at the same time in the same location. I’ll make it even easier, pack my gear and come to you. Don’t wait the time to get your marketing image started is right now!

Now that I have made you think about your business image I want you to know that my marketing efforts are in full swing!  Many of you know me as the photographer who makes people look beautiful but I have some other specialities you may not be aware of to offer. I am experienced at shooting interior, exterior and product shots and this year I am focused on doing more business to business work that includes these areas of photography.  If you need a new brochure, website or any other marketing package I have some great designers I am partnering with and together we can cut your cost by eliminating some of the overhead you might be paying for when using a larger full production facility.  Lets face it, money is tight right now and cutting corners is more important than ever.  If you are interested in seeing photo samples of these new specialities I have a revised portfolio available (just contact me) or you can see many of them online at my updated Sheri Oneal Photography site.

I now also have a new Sheri Oneal facebook fan page and I plan to do some fun-interactive and informative things very soon…I would love for you to join.  Lastly of course is this new SOP blog where I plan to share ideas, photography how-toos, video and other things regarding my life as a photographer and artist.  If you join my email list for new blog post reminder’s (at the top of this page) I will enter you in a fine art print giveaway that I will announce details about very soon!

Before I leave you I want you to know I am here with you and for you so don’t be a stranger.  Weather you need a photographer, some advice about an upcoming project or just have a general question, don’t hesitate to email me at any time!  Even better lets make it more personal, this is about a business relationship and I would love to meet with you in person over coffee so give me a call!  615.385.5947

Sometimes the night before a photo shoot I look through image samples and try to visualize ideas that incorporate lighting and composition. Many times, depending on the assignment, it is difficult because there is no real knowledge of what a location will offer, what my subject will look like, what wardrobe they will bring or what the personality will be of the person I am shooting. The process of shooting an assignment is one that will eventually drain me of my energy but only after it is complete and has my final approval. I start visualizing in my mind what kind of lighting I want to use and what items I might be able to incorporate into the shot. If I am shooting in the studio many times I will go early or the night before and play with lighting ideas before hand so I have a better direction of what I plan to do. I never have a true sense of where I will end up, and it never ends where it starts . Part of the art of photography is not completely knowing what will happen.

In the beginning of a shoot there is a nervousness. I wonder how the person I am about to photograph feels around me and how I will interact with this person so that they will relax and trust me. How will I connect and find things to keep their mind busy so they are not focusing on the camera. I feel uncomfortable in my skin. I feel a bit uneasy and anxious and I know that they are feeling the same. I always start early before the subject arrives. When they get to the shoot things begin to get busy with makeup, wardrobe, ideas and questions pertaining to what the subject is expecting the images to look like. Many times they have no ideas and trust me to come up with something, other times they know exactly what they want and I have to determine what that is through their words. I interact with the subject as much as possible to put them at ease, if there is a makeup artist it helps because they take some of the pressure off of me while they converse with the subject as they are working. I let them interact while I take everything in and figure out what works visually. Now that I have a direction, know the clothes that will be worn and how the the subject looks I can begin to create a story with imagery and light. I make sure to connect with the subject giving them ideas and seeing if I am going in the right direction by asking lots of questions. I always ask them in advance to bring images with them that they like so that I can figure out what they are hoping to see. I watch them from a distance and pre-think what I believe works with their skin color, eye color, hair color and the way that they carry themselves. Their body language always gives me a starting point and a million thoughts rush through my head. I think about light ratios, aperture settings, white balance, angles and color schemes in regard to how I want the overall image to look and feel.

I have never though of photography as just creating an image but rather a process of creating an image that portrays some feeling of emotion. The beauty of photographing people is that everything in the shot makes up the story but it is in the eyes where the truth of the image will be told. Subconsciously we all look into the eyes of people both in real life and in art. For me there always seems to be a confusion in my own mind as I am putting all the elements together. Often I get quiet in thought and have to force myself to say something in order to keep the subject engaged. It is so much easier on me if I have a good makeup artist, assistant or art director that can keep a dialog going with the subject while I am contemplating my creation. As the shoot begins I pay attention to highlights, shadows, composition, hair, clothes, image placement, an so many other things…thoughts running through my mind a hundred miles an hour.

As I begin it is almost overwhelming as I try to find that place where “it” happens. A photo shoot is the process of creation, it is spontaneous and in the beginning it is always unclear what will need to happen in order to make the image take on a story of its own. It has to play out and unfold with constant nurturing and change. I am always thinking, pushing, changing, talking and tweaking. The uncomfortableness slowly begins to fade, a rush of energy begins to grow within me as I move forward and become excited the closer I get to the place I feel I need to be.

Years of this type of experience helps me to get better with my craft. I realize how to push myself and the subject to a point where in a split moment out of nowhere it happens. I know when it happens, I get a feeling that overwhelms me and I know I am there. I can’t explain it other than to say it is a combination of experience, visual realization and emotion. The “it” is when I get the one shot I know will be the one I want to use. For what ever reason it speaks to me. In the end that image I felt happen may not be the image that the subject picks but it is almost always the one that I feel is the hero.

Within my self it is a wonderful feeling to have a library of images I have created over the years. I am not just a photographer, I am a story teller and I love the opportunity to share. I am grateful for the opportunity to capture beauty with a single click which can stop a moment in time that will never again be. It is such a gift to be able to share that with others because it is not about me or my image, it is about the person staring back at the viewer as a story evolves from the emotion within their eyes…the windows to the soul. It is history and it always reflects life in a time that once was.

A In August of 2008 I was asked by the folks of the magazine “American Heritage” to spend two days traveling through Alabama photographing the churches along the hallelujah trail.  Having never heard of this trail and with the excitement of a two day travel assignment I couldnt wait to get on the road.  The hallelujah trail consist of thirty-two churches throughout north Alabama that are all at least 100 years old, are still in their original site, and are still holding services. The trail winds its way through sixteen counties in the northern part of Alabama.  My assignment was to shoot as many churches as I could in a two day period.  I started by getting a map of the trail and charting the best route to shoot with the most interesting of the churches as well as the most I could photograph in two day’s of drive time.  It was a challenge but I was able to shoot twelve churches in the two day period.  It so happened this was the week after hurricane Gustav blew through and I did not realize until around 6:30 PM how hard it was going to be to get a room for the night due to all the evacuee’s.  I was in the town of Decatur and literally went to every hotel in the town no one had a room.  I was ready to sleep in my car (although not happy about it) I was tired needed a shower, it was hot and I walked up to the counter of this last hotel.  There was a young and handsome man sitting behind the desk, I askedfor a room, he replies “I am sorry miss but we are full”.  I smiled and said you know I have heard through some music friends of mine that most hotels always keep a few extra rooms open for special reasons.  I would be really grateful if you could check and see if there might be one available, I dont care what it cost,  I have been working on assignment all day and really don’t feel safe sleeping in a strange town alone in my car with all my gear.  Would you please scheck for me, otherwise I need to ask for permission to park in your parking lot and sleep.  With a smile he went to the computer typed in a few lines and said….ok miss I think I have one left.  I relieved and slept well.

As I was driving from one town to the other I came across this really old run down row of apartments (shown above) in the town of Courtland.  I drove by them 3 times scared to get out because there was a little store with a lot of rough characters hanging out about 2 blocks up the road.  On the third pass I had to stop, I was fast, I was able to park where I could stand right outside my car door and shoot.  It took all of 3 minutes and I was in my truck, doors locked driving away.

As always these random shots while shooting an assignment often get lost in the mix.  I recently came across these and wanted to mess with them a little.  Here are a few more from the halleluja trail assignment…