Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Shepherd.
Sydney, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I don’t have the typical “I was born to be a photographer” story. I always thought I should have a stable 9-5 Monday-Friday job and that was what I planned to do once I graduated high school, but that’s not what God had planned for me. I am a highly creative person. I thrive doing artistic activities and I always have dreamed of doing something artistic, but it was never realistic to me and I never gave it much thought. After high school, I went to school for esthetics and I thought it would be my career. A couple of months before my last semester (February 2019), I had the opportunity to take pictures of my sister for a school formal with my family’s old Sony DSLR. I’m gonna be honest. The pictures were not great! They were shot in auto mode and in jpeg, my fellow photographers know how bad this is, but taking those pictures lit a spark in me.
I started researching how to use the camera I had, what gear was best for beginners, how to shoot in manual, how to pose people, etc. I watched YouTube videos and read so many articles and decided that I wanted to buy a camera of my own. By this time, it was May 2019, so I started saving every extra penny I had as a broke college kid and continued going to school. By November, I had graduated school and I felt that God was closing the door on my esthetics career and I was being called to photography more each day. I purchased my first Canon camera, and I started Cherokee Rose Photos that month. Now, six months later, my business is growing and I am working my butt off to make my wild dreams a reality!
Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not! I believe that nothing ever goes to plan and starting my own business has been way harder than I ever imagined. I started my business in November, which isn’t the best timing because it’s right at the end of the busy season for photographers, so everyone that wanted pictures done for the holidays already had a photographer booked. Then after the holidays pass its the slowest time of the year for a photographer, it was super hard to get any bookings & nobody wants to go out and shoot during the winter because it’s so cold! By the time spring hit, my bookings had started to pick up, bu then Covid-19 hit me hard. I had to reschedule and cancel sessions because of social distancing and quarantine, and some of my clients just couldn’t afford it anymore. That was the biggest struggle I’ve faced so far, but now coming out of it, I’ve gotten more bookings than ever before because I kept being consistent, marketing myself, & never gave up on trying to make my business successful.
We’d love to hear more about Cherokee Rose Photos.
Cherokee Rose Photos is a photography business that specializes in intimate weddings, elopements, and senior photos. As I grow as a photographer, I would love to travel to epic places and focus mainly on adventure elopements for my couples. I’m not a professional hiker or climber by any means, so my goal is to make eloping as easy as possible even for couples that are like me. I think the main thing that sets me apart from other photographers is me & my personality! I’m a huge believer that your personality is what sets you apart as a photographer and attracts your ideal clients!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love that ATL has so many different types of scenery that I get to shoot at! Even in the middle of the city, you can still find beautiful nature landscapes, super cool urban backdrops, & amazing murals. I love my little city west of Atlanta, Douglasville, because its home to me! I can hang out and watch ATLUTD at my fave local pizza place & then step right outside to take beautiful pics in the downtown area!
The only thing I wish ATL could do better with is keeping our city beautiful! Too often, I see Atlanta streets littered with trash, old furniture, clothes, etc. I feel like its a group effort from all Georgians to keep ATL clean & beautiful.
Pricing:
- Couples Sessions – $200
- Senior Sessions – $100
- Intimate Weddings & Elopements – Starting at $1,000
Contact Info:
- Website: cherokeerosephotos.com
- Phone: 770-891-1063
- Email: cherokeerosephotos@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cherokeerosephotos
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cherokeerosephotos
Image Credit:
Cherokee Rose Photos
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