Mississippi-native Chanell Shorter may have gotten her bachelor's from Delta State (in Cleveland, Miss.) in Graphic Design, but her real love is photography. Chanell has done everything from destination wedding photos to graduation photos and is looking to expand her portfolio.
Beale Street Chick: Where did your interest in photography begin?
Chanell Shorter: I’d say it started in high school. I was the geeky kid taking tons of photos trying to capture my entire senior year. It continued as I started college. I was using a regular disposable camera at the time until I built up the nerve to go against my family’s expectations for me to become a doctor and I switched to art. Best decision I’ve ever made.
BSC: How long have you been a photographer?
CS: Professionally I’ve been a photographer for about four years.
BSC: What has been your favorite shoot, so far?
CS: My favorite shoot--hmm, first thought would be an assignment I had to do in college. The project was to redo a famous painting with photography. I LOVE Da Vinci so I chose his painting, “The Last Supper,” to do and I used girls instead of guys, which was a great idea considering most of the class were girls. It was so hard to pull off, my teacher, Robyn Moore, even said if I could pull it off she’d be“in” the photo. With that being said I had to do it. I ended up using the drawing room to make sure had enough space and I bought like 4 rolls of Christmas wrapping paper and taped them together to give me a huge backdrop and then I painted the perspective of the room on it for the backdrop.It was so hard yet so incredibly fun to get everyone together to stage this shoot but it turned out better than I could have hoped and my teacher was even in the photo!
BSC: What kind of thought process do you put into a photo?
CS: I usually try to conceptualize what it is specifically that I need to get out of the shoot. Am I selling a product, showcasing love, displaying a person in their element? Once I figure that out I try and think of how and where I’m going to shoot it, what props would I need, lighting, time, etc. The shoots where I’m just approaching it photojournalistically I try not to prepare too much that way I can see and shoot it the way the viewer would, but for the more staged ones there’s a little more thought and planning going on although not too much because I like a challenge.
BSC: What (or who) inspires you?
CS: Are you sure you want to hear all of this lol. The list can be quite long lol but I’ll try and be specific.I’m generally inspired by other artist and photographers most notably Annie Leibovitz, Joey L, and Andrew Thomas Clifton. I really like the way they “see” people an moments and how passionate they are in their craft and their “sight” versus the newest, coolest camera or gear. They just “do” anddon’t let a lot of stuff or hurdles get in the way of them creating. I’m also inspired by people, life,moments, adventures, traveling, and the people in and around my life. If I do nothing else on this earth, I hope that with my photography I can provide a visual representation of the people in and around my life to make sure that someone knew they were here and that they “mattered.”
BSC: What type of equipment do you use?
CS: Currently I’m working with a Nikon d3100 with Nikon 18 mm - 55 mm - F/3.5-5.6 and a Nikon 50mmf/1.8D AF lenses, an SB-800, and a cheap portable lighting kit I got with a refund check back in college lol. Thank God for that investment lol.
BSC: What do you try to capture in the people you shoot?
CS: Basically I try to capture who they are and how they portray themselves to the world. So many times when I get ready to shoot someone they’ll ask me “What should I wear?” or “How should I smile?” my response is always wear what makes you happy or comfortable, smile like you do everyday of your life. Don’t pretend to be something your not in front of the camera. If you’re goofy,be goofy, if your reserved, be reserved. Just relax.Those always make the best pictures.
BSC: What would you like to do in the future?
CS: I want to see the world! I’d love to meet a ton of different people take a ton of cool pictures and just live. Just live my life as one great adventure and really experience it and capture it all with my camera and my journals.