Meet Sally Whetten

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sally Whetten.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I feel like my story started like a lot of mom’s that have a nice camera. I got my first “big fancy” camera over 12 years ago so I could take better pictures of my kids to scrapbook with. I quickly realized there was a learning curve to using such a camera, so I decided to take some classes and learn how to use it. When my friends saw my pictures of my kids getting better and better, they started asking me to take pictures of their kids, and it just grew from there!

When it became apparent to our family that I would need to help supplement our income, I decided to start charging for my photography, and Sally Whetten Photography was born! After dabbling in several genres – weddings, events, portraits, newborns – I discovered the subjects pertaining to motherhood really have my heart; maternity, newborns, families.

Please tell us about your art.
I specialize in maternity, newborn, and family portraiture. Being a mother myself, capturing the precious and fleeting moments of motherhood is extremely important to me. These are experiences you can’t re-do. You can’t rewind or go back in time.

We think our memories will serve us and that as the years go by, we will remember those early days. The way our babies smell, how tiny their toes are, how their whole bodies could fit in our two hands – but these are the things we forget as time goes by.

When you look back at the portraits of when you were pregnant, or of your newborn baby, or your family from years ago all those memories come flooding back. That’s the real power of photography – the stirring of remembrance.

When you look at my artwork, you notice the absence of noise. Especially in my newborn work, I want the innocence and purity of a new baby to shine through, so I don’t use a lot of bright colors or props.

I also feel displaying family portraits is not only beautiful but that it’s also beneficial for children to grow up seeing pictures of themselves and their families in their home. It helps them feel a sense of belonging and can boost self-esteem, so I always encourage my clients (and everyone) to invest what you can into displaying your family pictures however you like whether it be in an album or on the walls. I LOVE to provide my clients with beautiful, heirloom quality artwork that I know they will enjoy for a lifetime!

Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Start out legally from the beginning. Get your insurance, taxes, etc. in order from the get-go. If you are handling other people’s babies, make sure to learn how to do so safely. That has been a priority with me from the very beginning.

My best advice is to learn about how to run a business as you are learning your art. The business aspect can be tough and is the biggest part of what an “artist” has to do to make a living. Marketing, selling, bookkeeping – all of these need to be studied as much as you study your craft.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can see my work on my website, or check me out on Facebook and Instagram.

Contact Info:

• Address: Sally Whetten Photography is located in Mesa, AZ and serves all surrounding areas as well.
• Website: www.sallywhettenphotography.com
• Email: sally@sallywhettenphotography.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/sallywhettenphotography
• Facebook: facebook.com/swhettenphoto

Image Credit:
Michelle Robertson
Sally Whetten

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