Meet Shelley Franklin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelley Franklin.

Hi Shelley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’ve always been what I refer to as “a creative” and have enjoyed painting, drawing, and art of many forms since my childhood. Photography was a way I found and enjoyed as a way to express myself even as a child. When my daughter was born in 2008 my husband purchased me a “good camera” so I could capture memories for our family.

At this time Facebook had just become a thing and I started following several photographers and comparing my images to theirs. It didn’t take long to see I needed to learn to use my camera more proficiently if I wanted to capture photos anything like what the professionals were creating.

I started doing online tutorials in my spare time to find ways to make my photos better, sharper, and more beautiful. This was a slow process as I was raising four kids and life was busy, but it started becoming more and more of a passion. I realized learning to light was something that would take me to the next level so bought my first Alien Bee light and learned from a few local photographers the first steps of lighting my images.

Fast forward to around 2016, I found an online class that focused not only on photography but the business aspects of it. Marketing yourself. Building self-value and building a website. I started working on styling shoots and working with hair and makeup artists to help me build a portfolio I could be proud of.

I began entering images in International photography competitions which really pushed me to elevate my work. Winning awards was a boost for my self-confidence and became somewhat of an obsession for me.

In 2020, I became the 5th person to earn Fellow accreditation with The Portrait Masters, among literally many thousands of photographers worldwide. I was able to build out and open a storefront studio in June of 2019 and have never looked back.

I’m January of 2020, I began a project in my studio called The 50/50 Project to celebrate the year before turning 50 myself. My goal was to photograph 50 women over the age of 50 before I turned 50, surround myself with these inspiring women, embrace the positive aspects of aging and tell their individual stories through photographs. It began to mean much more to me than I ever could have imagined.

We are currently wrapping up the second round of the project and women over 50 have become my favorite subjects to photograph! Their stories are so inspiring and I’ve been blown away by the way they have changed my outlook on all things age-related.

I plan to complete these projects every year because the need for women in this age group to be seen, heard, and celebrated is unending. This year I have also started another project called Rhe Art of Dance, where I’m photographing women and girls of all ages to show their strength, determination, and passion for dance.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing worth doing is ever easy. There have been many challenges, the largest being the worldwide pandemic starting during my first year in my commercial space.

Another big one was my own shy nature and the inability I had to speak with people at all, let alone speak to them about the personal nature of why these photoshoots can be life-changing. Looking back, overcoming every challenge presented to me has helped me learn and grow so much not only as a business but as a person.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in photographing women of all ages in empowering, self-confidence-building photoshoots.

I also have become quite well known for my photography work with animals/pets, partly because of my love of animals and patience working with them and party becUe of my award-winning images worldwide in this genre.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memories aren’t centered around any particular event but more memories of being loved and surrounded by family and simple moments. I love that I had time to be a child with nothing more to do than daydream and be happy.

Pricing:

• Session fees are $375 and include hair and makeup for one person.
• Packages begin at $1400 and go up from there.

Contact Info:

• Email: Info@franklinphotographyaz.com
• Website: FranklinPhotographyAz.com
• Instagram: @FranklinPhotographyAz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinPhotographyAz/