Photography by SBJ (Delaware) |
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Your Name: Shawn Jamerson Company Name: Photography By SBJ Location: Delaware How and when did your interest peak in photography? What would you say that your end-goal is?
My interest peaked in photography about 5 years ago. I started in photography about 20 years ago in college and continued, off and on, with a Vivitar V4000 film camera. In 2013, I bought a Nikon 5300 and started shooting with family and friends and getting back to loving photography again. I recently switched to a full frame Sony a7ii after testing one with a friend. It’s been an amazing journey relearning photography and building relationships. My end goal is to work with more aspiring models to help them build their portfolios, navigate through the modeling industry, and hopefully achieving some level of success. |
We noticed that you photograph many models and do a lot of portraits. Would you say that this is your specialty?
I love working with models. When I first meet a model, I take time to get to know them and what their dreams are so that I can incorporate those ideas into each photoshoot that I do with them. That way both parties walk away feeling confident and satisfied about what we are creating. To me, it’s about building a relationship with the model so they feel comfortable with my style of photography and know I’m not just a “Guy With Camera” looking to take pics.
I love working with models. When I first meet a model, I take time to get to know them and what their dreams are so that I can incorporate those ideas into each photoshoot that I do with them. That way both parties walk away feeling confident and satisfied about what we are creating. To me, it’s about building a relationship with the model so they feel comfortable with my style of photography and know I’m not just a “Guy With Camera” looking to take pics.
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From your point of view, what makes a good picture? Photography is subjective and everyone has their own taste. For me, a good picture tells a story developed from the camera settings, lighting, wardrobe and location chosen. The audience wants to know what were the creators thinking and will try to drum up their own story behind the image. It’s not just an image to fill a spot on Instagram, Facebook or whatever other media used to display your work. What is the biggest struggle that you face while being a freelance photographer? How do you cope with that struggle? The biggest struggle is finding the right work/life balance. I run my business while maintaining a full time job, so there’s minimal time to devote to family, photography, retouching, and keeping up with photography education. Coping with this isn’t easy. I spend a lot of late nights and early mornings working on projects or learning through online programs such as Udemy (and sometimes YouTube). |
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Do you have a favorite place to shoot? Or a favorite environment to take pictures in? I do a lot of studio portraits; however, my favorite setting is shooting in a beautiful location. Regardless of what the model is wearing, they should be able to connect with the environment. My favorite location to shoot at has been Marian Coffin Gardens at Gibraltar in Wilmington. This location becomes a topic of discussion at least monthly in different photography circles. White Clay Creek State Park in Newark is also a great location. My mission for next year is to find some hidden gems downstate. |
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