Conversations with the Inspiring Joanna Schaus

Elizabeth Dwenger

 

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Schaus.

Joanna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always loved traveling and being immersed in new cultures. My passion for seeing the world came from how I was raised I believe. When I was just old enough to travel, we moved to the country of Afghanistan where my Dad worked at the time. After growing up there for the first eight years of my life, we then jumped between America and Turkey and lived overseas again for five years. Traveling just came naturally, and photography seemed like a way to simply document the world. It all began when I picked up my first point and shoot camera (a pink Canon A2400) when I was thirteen. I can’t think of a better way to describe capturing an image, other than it connects people to my experiences and the way I see them. My desire to see more of the human experience led me on a discipleship trip to Israel when I was fifteen. It was there that I noticed the power of imagery and media and how that can be combined with advocacy for things I was passionate about. I started to realize that photography was more than the click of a button, but a means by which to impact people. Recently, I’ve started volunteering with an organization that resettles refugees as they arrive in America. It’s been incredible to see how photography can be used as a gift to bless people and create change even within our communities. As I explore what it means to document ethically and share people’s stories, I know that I still have a long ways to go. I’m excited to see where it will continue to take me!

Has it been a smooth road?
It most definitely has not been a smooth journey at times. I found that when I first started photographing, people did not seem to take me all that seriously. Granted, I was in my early teen years running around with a camera claiming I wanted to change the world. That could be part of the reason. Some struggles I’ve had along the way are comparing my creative journey to others. I think it’s easy to get wrapped in other individuals’ style and goals that I forget to pursue the things I love and the art I want to create. The advice I would give to those just starting out… don’t let the creativity and uniqueness of others get in the way of your own passions. I wish I would’ve spent less time comparing my work to other creatives and dedicated more time to just pursuing the things I love.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I believe documenting people ethically is the ultimate goal, especially running around with a camera. Something that sets me apart from other creatives is perhaps my approach to photography. To me, it is crucial that the individuals I photograph give permission for me to document their experiences and I want to treat people with the same respect I desire. Additionally, I’m known for my passion for refugees and people who are silenced in today’s world. I’m known for my gift of documenting experiences and allowing people into them. Because I’m still just a high school student, I’m currently learning more about what it means to create a brand for my photography. I’d say I’ve definitely grown in my brand when I launched my website this last year. It’s something I take the most pride in simply because I put so much time and effort into making it what I wanted it to be. Because I’m passionate about sharing the stories of those who are marginalized, I’ve given a voice to their stories and experiences and allowed people to see them from a human perspective and not so much a political one.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
I could say so much to a young woman just starting her career. The most important piece of advice I would give is simply to put the effort in. It took me forever to realize that creating actually takes a ton of effort. It’s so valuable to keep photographing, keep creating, and keep practicing. Find mentors, role models, anyone you look up to and ask them for critique, advice, and help. Something I told myself when I was just starting out, was simply that I wanted to strive to make an image look as beautiful as I could. Even if I took a simple shot on a crappy camera, I wanted to be proud of my work. I believe taking pride in my photographs has gotten me to where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joanna-schaus.com
• Email: joannaschaus@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannaschaus/

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