Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Dunn.
Sarah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My fascination with cameras began when I was a toddler. I evolved from old Polaroid cameras and disposables to my first digital camera when I was fourteen years old. Platforms such as MySpace and Flickr were popular then so I would upload all of my photos there and gained a following amongst friends and other creatives all over the world. I submitted photos to zines, which are like mini DIY magazines that can be viewed online or in print, and got my first publication at sixteen. It was a small pub somewhere in Italy called “Carpaccio” and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Soon to follow I had another photo published in a Chinese zine titled “Hi-Lo”, which really warped my style of photos for the next coming years. I continued focusing on weird moments throughout my youth in high school, but I also gained a fascination for fashion photography. By the time I was seventeen, I shot with models who I had been networking with over the years but didn’t get my first paid fashion gig until I was in my early twenties. In between that time, I was constantly attending local shows and concerts and wishing I knew the steps it took to photograph live performances. Luckily, my cousin Zach had already been into concert photography for a while and gave me some tips that eventually helped me out in the long run – I first had to relearn my camera. I was so used to still shots with plenty of stationary lighting, but now I was venturing into a field where the subjects and lighting were in constant motion. While I broke away from fashion photography, and was learning concert photography, I worked a lot with lifestyle clients and made money from photographing weddings and other family portrait sessions. While the income was nice and my love for people flourished, I wasn’t happy. I wanted to dig deeper into what I felt was creating works of art and not just using my camera as a money maker. Concert photography was free, all from love, but slowly doors began to open to do what I love and make money from it too (because after all, photography is an art form AND a full time job!) some of my shots were used in the album artwork of the performing artists or as the cover, and just last year I had one of my favorite bands book me for a session paid through their record label – I’m still in awe over that. I’ve come a long way and have traveled through many roads, but I think my main destination still stands and that is to capture the happiness in my life and hopefully other people will connect with the moments too.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all. There are a**holes in every industry, and they seem to fester in all niches of photography. I have had a ton of people tell me I’m not good enough, make fun of my photos, assume I don’t know what I’m doing, the list goes on. In contrast to their negativity, I’ve had a wonderful amount of people that have supported me throughout the years and have pressed me to push my own limits. Art is also very vulnerable, so I’ve gone through the trials and tribulations of my own actions and emotions and how our advanced world of “the interwebs” perceives and skews that vulnerability.
Sarah Shoots People – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I take photos of bands and other artists during their live performances as well as creative shoots that produce artwork to be used for albums or merchandise. This niche is very saturated, but every photographer has their own style and it’s all about finding someone who clicks well with you and shares a common vision. I’ll let my work speak for itself.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me is ultimately my happiness. If the projects I’m working on and the clients I’m working with make me happy, then I know I’m doing something right.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarahshootspeople.art
- Email: sarahshootspeople@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahshootspeople
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sarahshootspeople
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/sarahshootsppl
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