Check out Shelby Hunter’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Hunter.

Shelby, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve always had a camera in my hand. I was fascinated with my mom’s film camera so much she bought me my own when I was little. I took pictures of everything–the sky, the house, myself (back when I had to wait for the film to develop before I could see how my selfie turned out). However, I was also an athlete, and soccer quickly consumed my life. I wanted to play professionally, and nothing was going to change my mind.

Fortunately, God had other plans. I dislocated my knee for the 14th time my freshman year of high school and was taken out of sports indefinitely. I couldn’t participate in soccer, cross country, or track like I had planned. Being the active person I was – and still am – I had to do something until I could play again, so I joined the theatre and drama program at my high school. This furthered my love for the arts that I had tossed aside years before. My junior year, I decided to major in film because I loved the idea of telling stories more than anything. My love for photography was there in the background, but I always saw it as more of a hobby. By the time I had graduated high school, I had made my friends model for me dozens of times.

It was a summer in Arkansas when I saw the power of photography. I worked at a summer camp as a videographer but grew quite close with the photography team. They opened my eyes to the possibilities of doing portrait sessions and other sorts of photography as a source of income. I came back to school ready to try it out, and I loved every session I did. The next summer, I interned for Marvel Entertainment in New York City. I spent my days off roaming around the streets of New York taking photos of anything I could. After that, it was cemented that photography was something I wanted to add to my main passion for videography.

My knee never fully healed and I still can’t run very well, but it was the best wake up call I’ve ever received. Without it, I don’t know if I ever would have realized my propensity for the arts. Currently, I shoot wedding video and short films as well as senior, couple, and wedding photos. I’ve also done travel, street, and landscape photography. I am also trying my hand at creative editorial portraits to send into magazines. I never saw myself in this position, but I am forever grateful that this is where I ended up.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I mainly create three forms of visual art: portraits, videos, and editorial photos.

One of my favorite things about creating portraits is working with people. I love showcasing everyone’s unique beauty because I believe God has created each one of us in His image. No mistakes were made, and I want everyone to truly know they are beautiful, handsome, and wonderfully made. I want to use my time in portrait sessions to encourage the people I work with.

When I produce short films, I love delving into the human mind. Psychology fascinates me, and I enjoy playing with themes in that arena. I build stories around my own experiences and my friends’ experiences. As long as I can tell a captivating story, I’m pretty happy with my work.

More recently, I have begun playing around with landscape, city and creative portraiture photography. With still life photography, lighting, composition, and angles must come together for a compelling image, and I enjoy the challenge of it. You can’t always manipulate the scene to get the photo you want: you may have to lay on the ground, come back at sunrise, or crawl in a bush. Because of this, I sometimes miss the “perfect” photo that’s right in front of my face. When I’m editing, I think, “If only I had moved a foot to the left.” I missed the shot, but that’s the fun of it. It’s part of learning and growing as a photographer.

I’ve had plenty of ideas floating around in my head for years when it comes to creative portraiture. One, in particular, is a series around eyes. I posted on Instagram a photo from my trial shoot, and I am so excited to continue on. I want to photograph each eye color at least a couple of times and edit the background in a way that accentuates the color in the iris. Follow me on Instagram to see the finished the photos and other stylized shoots I have planned (@dearheartfilms).

What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
A lesson I learned early on–and it’s one I am continually relearning– is to let go of others’ expectations. As an artist, my work comes from my heart. If I am constantly worrying about what others will think or say, I will never produce what I really want. My voice will never be heard. That fear of rejection, of being hurt, can be crippling, but it’s also completely unnecessary. Take what others say and build on it, but don’t dwell on it and let it eat you up. Put your heart out there because that’s probably going to be the best work you’ll ever create.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I was hand selected to be a part of the RAW Artists showcase on May 9th at 7 pm. I will have my own booth set up where I can sell prints and network with the crowd. If interested, use my link to buy tickets to the show (https://rawartists.org/shelbyhunter). You’ll be supporting me, but you can see so many artists highlighting their own crafts! It’ll be an incredible show that you won’t want to miss.

Additionally, you can follow me on Instagram or Facebook – @dearheartfilms. My website has a comprehensive portfolio, but I also post up to date landscape and city photos that people can purchase prints of (www.dearheartfilms.com). You are also welcome to message me on Facebook, email me, or use the contact form on my website to set up a photo session or if you want to work together on a project! I’m always open to meeting new people and trying out fun ideas.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dearheartfilms.com
• Email: dearheartfilms@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearheartfilms/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dearheartfilms/
• Other: https://rawartists.org/shelbyhunter

Image Credit:
Cara Pardini

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