Check Out Sean Shirley’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Shirley.

Hi Sean, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I first began taking pictures at around 13. My dad had given me a Canon Rebel T1i. I played around a bit, but eventually put that camera down for some time. Fast-forward several years, and I found myself living in Colorado, quickly becoming immersed in the fire and flow community. Being surrounded by so many talented people doing spectacular things reignited my interest in the craft of photography. So I bought a new camera and started teaching myself. I am a bit of a tech nerd and a lover of aesthetics, so diving deep into the art and technology mix that photography offers felt like a natural fit for me. Before long, I found myself diving into niche genres like infrared, and I am happy to still be learning and growing in this art form.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It certainly has not been a smooth road, though my biggest roadblock has always been myself. Of course, life has a way of throwing curveballs. I’ve had equipment failures, theft, and travel losses. But more than all of those setbacks, imposter syndrome has been my biggest hurdle. Getting over that voice in your head that tells you this isn’t meant for you, this is intended for people more creative or more intelligent or whatever it is, has been the biggest challenge. I still struggle with it, but every time I go out and shoot something I’m proud of, that voice gets a little smaller.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I wear a few different hats. By day, I work as a Data Scientist. That pays the bills and keeps me stable. Outside of that, I pursue creative portraiture, performance, concert, and landscape photography. Here, I look to collaborate and create images that are satisfying to me. A perk of photography not being my primary income source is that I get to really explore it. I get to chase my passions and sensibilities. I also do a bit of performance myself as a fire and flow artist.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I have certainly taken many risks in my life. I left home at 20 years old with about $1200 in my pocket and moved across the country from Florida to Colorado. I had no guarantee of anything, but I knew this was something that I needed to do for me. It really was the definition of hitting the ground running. While it may be mundane to some, it felt like a big risk to me to come out of my shell and begin approaching people to collaborate. Art is deeply personal for me and it felt very risky to share that process with anyone and be vulnerable in that way. And of course there are several risks that come with the territory of playing with fire, but honestly those don’t seem a quarter as scary as collaborating with other people to make art. Throughout everything, every risk I’ve taken has been beyond worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://seanjamesimagery.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/eldritch__ostrich

Image Credits
Tamara Jade, Thorn Gaskill, April Palma, Monique Durtschi, Chroma Lips