Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Owens.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey through photography began at the young age of twelve. I was a strong-willed, curious, and entrepreneurial-minded kid, who took a liking to light and wanted to do everything I could to capture it. Hence, the camera came into play; however, I had no idea that a hobby would turn into a full-blown career, or that this small business would become such a visible reminder of God’s grace in my life. Every client that has welcomed me into the sweetest season of their life with open arms leaves me speechless and humbled beyond what I can express. For nearly eight years my business narrative has been, “I’m a full-time high school/college student traveling the US documenting people’s stories,” and now that I have graduated college this past month I am face-to-face with the reality that my story has changed and is changing. All I could think when I received this interview opportunity was, “what a time to share in the midst of transition.” I have so many ideas, visions, and dreams that I am slowly preparing to integrate into this business, and am currently learning how to step into this art full-time. I’m currently learning how to become comfortable with the vocation of ‘artist’ (something I have always struggled with), while seeking new words, sentences, and paragraphs to help articulate my heart for this work. It’s all being written-in-progress, so I am both humbled and excited to share this in-between phases with anyone interested in listening, and hope that it will be an encouragement for those in a similar place.
Great, 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 has been the furthest thing from a smooth road! Balancing being a full-time student and full-time small business owner has sanctified me in more ways than one. One of my favorite quotes from the English writer, G.K. Chesterton is “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.” When I first read that it flipped my world upside down. It allowed me to be able to see the tasks in life that were set before me I would rather not undergo (aka four years of college) in a new light. I was able to recognize beauty in the ordinary, realizing that that is what our world needs most. Ordinary people, living ordinary lives, in extraordinary ways.
I used to think ‘doing it all’ was the only way to seem impressive, but I’ve come to learn that busy is not beautiful or praise-worthy. There is something so distinctly stunning about living in the in-between, and being honest about that. Life is not the mountain tops, but that does not make the valleys any less valuable. I could speak and write on this topic for days, so if it resonates with you, please reach out! I love connecting with new friends, and hearing/sharing life journeys.
Please tell us about Sarah Delanie Photography.
I specialize in destination wedding photography but am currently preparing to transition into a multimodal organization that integrates the art of immersive journalism with photographic preservation of love stories.
I have a passion for recording history, and after spending the past four years studying journalism and communications, I’ve decided to take this new skill set and integrate it into my photographic work. A picture is worth a thousand words, but those thousand words are the fabric in which our stories are interwoven. They are the words that transcend the boundary lines of our lives.
I believe that this hybrid experience is unlike anything any other photographer can provide. It takes beauty, transparency, vulnerability, honesty, and authenticity to the next level. I am looking to my clients to grant me permission into the hidden corners of their story. I want to know the moments they are not proud of, the moments they are proud of – the messy, the beautiful, the redeemable, and seemingly unredeemable elements of their journey together as a couple because those are the very elements that make their story unique.
It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and consider it a complete honor to be given the responsibility to provide a “home” to not just the highs-and-lows of life, but the in-between moments as well. The ‘in-progress’ is precisely what I have come to adore.
I think there is a large part of us that longs to hold onto the joy found in passing on our experiences to the next generation. I want to encapsulate more than just an image. I never began this photographic journey to take pretty pictures, or build an impressive portfolio- I did it because it embodied that which we long for- light, joy, moments, and memories.
It gave a frame to the words that sometimes escape us. But what if we could catch those words in a way that allows them to dance with our frames? It’s a synergy of art that carries legacies far beyond our own boundary lines of life.
My biggest goal in life is to become a professional listener. I want to be unbearably in-tune with reality, and an expert at creating and identifying beauty. I once heard a wise women say, “Everyone is interesting – you just have to know how to ask the right questions.” And thus, my philosophy is born. I long to be an encouraging friend and a calming presence during exciting, overwhelming, and mundane seasons of life. To work beyond the bounds of expectations, and provide a joyful experience, all while documenting timeless moments along the way.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Bossing my little brother around before he could talk, listening to my grandfather sing in church on Sunday mornings, and dancing with him in his living room on Sunday afternoons. Long jeep rides with my dad- the doors off, wind in my hair, and Jimmy Buffet playing on the radio. Coffee shop hopping with my mom in new countries and cities during Summer time family travels. Tap dancing in the kitchen with my childhood Beagle, Bob. He was the best secret keeper. Those are just a few of my favorite memories!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarahdelanie.com
- Phone: 817-374-3198
- Email: sarahdelaniephotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sarahdelanie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahdelaniephotography/?ref=bookmarks
Image Credit:
Horizontal photo of me was shot by Mackenzie Kern
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