Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shelly Anderson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Shelly, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
I’ve always found myself to be a highly optimistic person. Maybe this comes from past experience. I’ve found joy in jumping into the unknown and wondering “what could possibly go wrong?”, because even if something does go wrong, I still find that everything works out in the end. I can find all the ways to make lemonade out of lemons. The glass is always half full, and there is always an opportunity to be found in any circumstance. I truly believe the best thing for a person to go through is failure and hard times. It really makes you stronger and better in the end!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve been a wedding photographer for the last ten years, and tell everyone that I have the best job ever. With an ever changing industry, it’s been a fun ride navigating the ins and outs of trends, social media, different markets, and networking with other wedding vendors. I feel so connected to many of the people I photograph. Hearing their stories of how the met and how they fell in love fills me up. I love getting to a wedding and feeling the room and the emotions that are present. You really learn how to read people and their different dynamics and feelings. I feel like I am the holder of all past, present, and future memories with the photos I take on a wedding day.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three skills or areas of knowledge that were the most impactful to my journey would probably be; learning SEO, networking, and personal travel. When I first started photographing weddings in 2013, I had never heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). After being in business for awhile, you realize that taking pretty photos isn’t enough. You really need to be well rounded as a business owner, and learning SEO has been the most productive aspect of my business techniques today. I rank very well on many Colorado wedding related topics on google. Newly engaged couples can find me very easily!
Networking as been the next most beneficial skill set I have. Befriending other top tier vendors in my profession has not only benefitted me, but has benefitted others, and our Colorado community as a whole. Sharing tips, tricks, and advice goes a long way and I’ve become such good friends with these other professionals!
Personal travel may be overlooked by others, but to me, this personal quality is essential. A true artist needs to live life to entice creativity. My favorite photography quote is by Ansel Adams and goes “You don’t make a photography with just a camera, you bring to the act of photography all of the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, and the people you have loved.”
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
A recent roadblock I’ve had in my business lately was that hacker came and deleted my Instagram page. Overnight, almost 9,000 followers of mine and around 10 years of photos and memories were erased. Gone. I’ve always viewed social media as a love/hate relationship, and boy did I hate it in that moment. I felt that a lot of hard work and potential inquiries couples were gone forever. My credibility as an established photographer seemed to have vanished. Or so I thought. It was a hard lesson, but a great one. I learned that NO business should put all of their eggs into one basket for marketing. Luckily I had already established an excellent SEO strategy online, so couples were still finding me. It was also a nice “refresh” with my social media. I was afraid to start back at zero, but after some time, I kind of…..enjoyed it. I was only following people I wanted to follow, and had a more curated and up to date portfolio on Instagram now. Win-win!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shellyandersonphotography.com
- Instagram: @shellyandersonphoto
Image Credits
Shelly Anderson Photography
