I adore Shannon Wilkinson and am really excited to showcase her work here this Thursday. She has a dreamy, ethereal quality to her photography, and I love that you can really see she embraces her vision and isn’t afraid to try new things. From the soft and beautiful to her moody black and white imagery, her talent is evident and I enjoy following her to see what she will come up next!
You can find Shannon’s facebook fan page here and her Website here.
Hi Shannon!
Lets get to know you! How would you describe yourself in three sentences?
I would say I’m fun loving and energetic which helps when it comes to parenting. I would also describe myself as outgoing but in a shy way (and if you are a shy but outgoing person you know what I mean!) and I have a huge bleeding heart which sometimes makes me gullible. I prefer to think that people are good until proven otherwise.
What sparked your passion for Photography?
Like most women who get into photography, I did it because of my kids. I struggled with infertility and had multiple miscarriages. It took twelve very long years to get Olivia here (I think we can also add persistent to my list of descriptives) and because of that struggle I felt like I simply couldn’t miss a single minute. I also had no idea if we would ever have more children. For the first few months after Liv was born my camera literally never left my side.
Shannon was kind enough to share one of her starting out images.
Whats in your camera bag?
This is constantly changing but right now I have a Canon 5D Classic (I’m saving up for that Mark iii), a 50 1.4, 135L 2.0, 100 2.8 macro, Lensbaby Composer Pro with an Edge 80, Double Glass, Single Glass, Zone Plate/Pinhole, Plastic and Macro Converters. Expodisc and Lenscloths. Lip balm and hand lotion are musts for me and I have baby wipes because my kids are messy. Which is really putting it nicely…the word messy kind of doesn’t do it justice but we will go with messy. I also own a couple of Holgas and a 4×5 Large Format Crown Graflex…like Dorthea Lange used to carry around. That bad boy makes me feel legit.
What Camera/Equipment did you start out with?
Nikon D40
If you could only use one lens an entire session which one would you choose and why?
Hands down the 135L. It is tack sharp and the bokeh is dreamy. I love that lens.
What advice would go give to someone just beginning in photography and hoping to have a business of their own?
I am no longer in business but I once was. Going into business should not be taken lightly. There is so much to consider. First and foremost, sit down and come up with a business plan. Know your numbers and everything that you need to consider so that you can charge accordingly. And be certain of your skills. Don’t rush into it. I have been shooting now for well over 5 years and I still have so much to learn. I just now feel confident enough in my skills to say that I could successfully run a business if I wanted to.
What was your first official Photographer crush if you had one?
Was and still is Sally Mann. I discovered her when I was in school and have always loved her work. I admire her vision and her ability to just shoot that which she sees. Public be damned. I have current photographer crushes too with the most recent being Jennifer B. Hudson. She inspires me to reach within me to find my art.
What kind of photos do you like to take for just yourself when not working with clients?
Because I no longer work with clients I’m free to take whatever I choose to take. I mostly shoot my children because they are the reason I started doing this thing called photography. My children are my muses and my reason for continuing the journey. They are gorgeous in not only the way they look but also in who they are…their souls and little beings are just incredible to me and I love to photograph them thus the major body of my work is of them.
I do have two projects that I’m working on as well. One is a tree project that I started back in 2010. There is beauty and a story in those old trees and I like to sit and contemplate what that story might be. The very first image I took was in Yellowstone at night at the Fountain Paint Pots. To date it is still the most special image in my tree collection. I was standing in the sun just looking at these old, weathered stumps that had survived and a lady was talking about how ugly they were. Here I was contemplating the incredible fortitude and she could only see the burned stumps as ugly. Right then and there I decided I was going to come back and show how beautiful they were and thus my tree project was born. Most of my trees are shot with a large format film camera or a Holga. I do have some macro images showing close up for various bits of trees. Almost all have been shot in Yellowstone and SE Idaho though I plan to expand that.
My second project involves my daughter Olivia who was diagnosed with Alice in Wonderland Syndrome in 2012. I recently started this project as a way to help her show what it feels like to have AIWS and to bring more awareness of it. This project will be shot almost entirely using Lensbaby lenses and optics as the warping and bending that the optics offer really do describe in pictures what it feels like to live with this.
If you could photograph absolutely anyone who would it be dead or alive?
It would be my ancestors. I would love to see pics of them.
Describe your style in 3 words.
Honestly, this is so in flux right now. I would say moody, sometimes dark and rich.
Most embarrassing moment on a session would be?
I genuinely don’t have one.
Any challenges you have had to overcome to be where you are today?
Mostly what I have had to overcome has come from within myself. I tend to be self-deprecating and often can’t see what others see in my work. I like an image for about 4.5 seconds before I am finding everything I did wrong with it. I am learning to allow myself to see the beauty in what I do as well as being less critical of my work. That’s not to say that being able to see your work with an eye for its flaws isn’t a good thing but being able to see what you did right is important as well.
Favorite time of day to shoot is?
I really don’t have a favorite time of day. I like early morning for that beautiful soft diffused light you get, full sun for the challenge and incredibly easy skin tones, late evening golden hour for that rich beautiful light, twilight for the softness again and nighttime because I love the stillness of sitting outside during a long exposure and the peace that comes with that.
If you had to stop taking photos right now, what would you do instead?
Would it be dramatic of me to say that I would want to crawl under the covers and never come out? Realistically I couldn’t do that of course but I don’t know what I would do. I took a right brain/left brain quiz and I am 64% right brained. Art is in me. I would not want to think of world where I couldn’t express myself through the medium I love the most.
Have you attended college or had any formal education in Photography?
Yes but I would call college the place I learned about technical photography and the world outside of college the place where I learned to be an artist and express myself. I have taken workshops and found that they were far more helpful in my journey toward becoming an artist than college ever was. That is not to discredit the value of that education because I had some incredible teachers but they had a job to do that involved meeting criteria. I personally couldn’t find myself as an artist under that kind of pressure to produce based on the states requirements and my teacher’s duty to meet them.
What do you do to get your children to relax with you?
I sometimes think that getting my kids to relax is my biggest challenge. I have certain things that I do but the most important is to ask them if they want to do a shoot. If they don’t, I don’t push it. It is really that simple. I listen to their cues and when they are done, they are done. I also let them have input as to what we are going to do: poses, shoot locations, etc. They trust me and that I feel is really important in having a connection with them.
What are your photography related goals for 2013?
I want to learn to shoot better lifestyle images. I really kind of stink at this type of photography and am hoping to get into Ashley’s Lifestyle class at Clickin Moms. I also hope to have just one image accepted to a juried show.
How do you push yourself to keep growing and learning? Any Big Aha! Moments?
I am a workshop junkie. I have done a Meg Bitton workshop that was specifically geared toward photographing boys, I have done two study alongs at Clickin Moms and plan to do several full participation ones. I have mentored with Emma Woods and gotten portfolio reviews from various artists. I believe that if you do nothing else to grow, having regular portfolio reviews is a must! I also have purchased several breakouts on Clickin Moms. Some of the best included Emma Wood’s Visualization, Celeste Jones’ Soulful, Elena Blair’s Best of Both Worlds and Sarah Wilkerson’s Shooting From the Shadows.
Biggest Photography related insecurity?
I am trying not to have them anymore. Mostly I just want people to like my work but Caroline Jensen told me recently that I have to shoot for me and stop worrying about pleasing everyone. I must stop worrying about the outside voices of those who don’t get my vision. I am paraphrasing but that was the gist of it. My take home was that I can’t please everyone but if I’m not pleasing me then why am I doing it?
Digital or Prints?
Both. I like digital because I can put them into books and I like prints because I have pictures all over my house. I love to showcase my kids and it shows in the fact that every room in my house has their gorgeous faces plastered everywhere.
How do you set yourself apart from other local photographers?
I’m just me. I don’t set out to set myself apart but at the end of the day I have to be true to who I am as a person and as an artist.
What do you think your next photography related investment will be?
A 5D Mark iii. I’m dying to get my hands on that camera.
If you had to recommend ONE thing that a photographer needs in their camera bag what would that be?
Hmmmm. That’s a toughie because I think it would be different for every photographer. Something Jenn Hudson said during Creative Live really struck a chord with me…she uses two lenses always and I was thinking about the one lens I simply can’t imagine living without. If I had to choose one thing that I personally need in my camera bag it would be my 135. I chuck all of the rest but that 135 is my go to lens almost every time I shoot.
What would you say your biggest muse is?
My kids and which kid is always changing. Sometimes it is Liv and right now she is a dream to photograph. She is so beautiful and deep…a lot like me in that sense. She is very introspective and consequently, she is able to really dig deep inside herself to give me what I want out of an image. She was more excited about the Alice in Wonderland project than I and she has come up with some great ideas for it.
Bella is my quiet beauty and Emerson is all boy but they both are really incredible in front of the camera too. It changes constantly but I always draw inspiration from them.
Fun stuff:
Favorite Color:
Pink. Not in your face pink but a very soft blush colored pink.
Favorite Season:
I could no sooner pick a favorite season than pick a favorite child. I love winter for it’s stark beauty and crisp cold air, I love summer for it’s summer fun, I love fall for the changing of the leaves and the cooling down of summer hot months and I love spring for it’s renewal of life.
Biggest Guilty Pleasure:
Sees Candy Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it.
Pet Peeve:
I kind of have this thing for personal responsibility. If you do it, own it. If you make a mistake apologize and don’t make excuses. Entitlement and an inability to just say sorry are my two biggest pet peeves.
Favorite Pandora Station:
Pandora? J/K. Sort of. I have it on my iPhone but I have no clue how to really use it. I have hundreds of songs in my iTunes though.
Studio or On location:
On location but when we build I will definitely have a casita that I will use as a studio. Some days I just want to fill a set with some props and my kids and do inside shots!
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A nurse. I even went to school with the intention of doing it but I couldn’t do the math required. Math and I are not friends but I did get an A in college algebra thanks to the help of my incredible hubby and in Dec. of 2011 I finally graduated with my AS degree. I still plan to get my BS but I’m going to wait until all three of the kids are in school to go back.
One thing no one knows about you is:
I’m kind of an open book. I don’t have regrets because every road I have traveled has led me to where I am today and I wouldn’t trade a thing in order to take something back. I don’t have secrets. Let’s see: I’ve been married three times. I finally got it right with Roger. That’s my biggest secret I suppose.
Pc or Mac:
27 inch iMac and loving it.
Lightroom Or Photoshop:
Both and for different reasons.
Film or Digital:
Both.
Props or No Props:
Mostly no props. Every once in a while I will have a theme in mind and use a prop or two but I honestly have no clue how to use them well.
If you could travel anywhere it would be:
I can really only pick one? I have so many places I want to go: Greece, Spain, Jerusalem, France, England…I have a tough time nailing down one.
Glass Half Empty or Half Full:
Depends on the day but mostly half full.
Favorite photo ever taken:
Raw or Jpeg:
Both. I shoot RAW for photoshoots I will edit and Jpeg for snapshots.
Favorite Music to Edit to:
Classic Rock and old school rap. Yeah. I really just put the two of them together.
Favorite Quote:
“The best part of life is not just surviving, but thriving with passion and compassion and humor and style and generosity and kindness.” – Maya Angelou
Most valued material possession:
My family photos.
Processing Style:
Clean and rich.
Coffee or Tea:
Anything with caffeine that can be intravenously injected into my body will do. I’m often way too sleep deprived and tired.
If you could photograph a Celebrity who would it be?
Alive – Keith Richards…those crags in his face tell the story and I would love to create some incredible BW images of him.
Dead – Marilyn Monroe but without the glamour and instead just her, in her environment and being herself.
What kind of Camera bag do you rock?
Epiphane Lola in Black.
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