Today we’d like to introduce you to Shane Hall.
Hi Shane, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My photography journey started at 19 when my uncle hooked me up with my first camera. I dove headfirst into learning the ropes—operating the camera, tweaking photos, and mastering lighting like a pro. People started recognizing my knack for snapping awesome shots, and that was my cue to take things up a notch. I decided to apply for an apprenticeship program, which provided me with networking opportunities, and I made a lot of connections. I realized while networking it was time for me to create a portfolio and a new social page.
I hit up parks, conventions, festivals, you name it, capturing moments and started taking photos of people. For me, the journey wasn’t just about pictures; it was about leveling up my confidence.
Now, my lens is all about blending what I love—anime, culture, cosplay, lifestyle, etc. I hope I can expand my portfolio and include more travel photography adventures.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve come to realize that despite having all the talent in the world, breaking into the industry can be challenging without solid connections. This has been my main struggle when delving into my photography career. In this industry, having a network is crucial; you need to know someone who can guide you along the way. Going solo without the right mentors or friends in the field can be quite a challenge.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am your friendly neighborhood freelance photographer, and I specialize in mainly portrait photography. The type of portrait photography I would like to include in my work is cosplay (links in with my hobbies), street style (because of my love for Atlanta), and fashion (because there are so many great things that I could learn about the culture). I’m known for being a friendly, persistent, and dependable photographer. I’m most proud of making people happy with my work because it is the main reason I decided to start a career in photography. What sets me apart from others is my creativity- my creativity sets me apart from everyone because we all have our different takes on how we would like our artwork to stand out. For me, my creativity is derived from a blend of passion and versatility. I bring my own flair to portrait photography by diving into cool stuff like cosplay, auto-photography, or capturing one-of-a-kind street style vibes of Atlanta.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Before all of this, I wanted to become a game designer. I attended Georgia Tech to receive a certificate in coding, but then throughout the course, I realized coding wasn’t suitable for me. I put a good chunk of money into that course, but when I saw it was making me miserable, I decided to cut my losses before pouring in more funds. But that doesn’t mean I went out without a backup plan. After learning that I didn’t want to do coding anymore, I decided to take up photography instead, something I knew for sure I would strive for. I’m not afraid of taking risks if I know for sure it will benefit me in the end. Sometimes, we may need that sort of risk in order to better ourselves in life because it’s not good to just sit back and live in that bubble for the rest of your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shaneh.org
- Instagram: shane_2k00
