Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Shoemaker.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m 23 and my first passion was always anything visuals. From painting blobs of color on paper to doodling portraits of people in my math homework. It wasn’t until high school when I got into photojournalism and it was a natural feeling of: oh, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I love diving into people’s stories and experiences, learning what I can that is not presented on a surface level. In high school, I was always trying to do the best and I knew I was not going to be Annie Leibovitz at fifteen but I could try and be a premature version. When I was a student at the University of North Texas, I studied photojournalism which really helped my understanding of what I was meant to be doing. Outside of class, I began to tell everyone I was a photographer and managed to get a few jobs doing anything from weddings to portraits on campus to photos in my own apartment. I was eager to learn more and I wanted to do as much as I could.
When I applied to be an intern at D Magazine, I was not expecting to get anything back in return. I was applying probably on the deadline the application was due, in my pajamas, and watching a Minions video on YouTube. My first day at D Magazine was exciting and I was working for a good magazine with good work behind it, knowing it was an honor just to be working alongside creative minds. Unfortunately, I only did it for myself and forgot about needing an internship for school credit… so I applied to another internship in the following summer: Culture Hype. This was around the same time I got hired to be the visuals editor for the North Texas Daily. Needless to say, it was a busy summer and somehow I managed. Barely.
I was going into my last semester of college, anticipating graduating and doing what I could after school. I was balancing capstone classes and my editing position as well as another school job. It was manageable and I knew the stress would be worth it in the end. After graduating, I had a full-time job which paid the bills but it wasn’t giving me anything else than that. I decided to leave it and become a full-time freelance photographer as well as a food photographer which was very intimidating at first. I knew that both fields were very shallow at work and was not enough to support oneself. I knew I wanted to be a food photographer after one assignment I did during college and how I combined a hobby of mine with something I wanted to do. It might have been naive and overly optimistic but it was what I wanted to do and so I did it. Photography is visual and is important because of that. It’s your first impression. Your eyes taste before your mouth does and that’s why I wanted to be a food photographer. There was excitement behind it and it was nothing I had ever done before.
A few months after quitting that full-time job, I have become an assistant photographer with D Magazine through the summer, been successfully shooting food photography in restaurants around the area, cooking in my apartment for my blog and other friends, and become a baker. Starting this year, I didn’t know what I was going to do and the only thing I did know was I was going to have a job after college. I’m glad I decided to choose my own happiness and see where it decided to go.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being a freelance photographer is not easy and is a hard game to play. I had a full-time job after graduating and that was my goal. I told everyone that I wanted a job after I graduated and to have a smooth transition into post-graduation life. But there was nothing smooth about it. I didn’t like being at a desk job, doing something I didn’t enjoy doing and brought little enjoyment into my life. Soon after a month I realized, this isn’t for me and it’s not what I see myself doing in a few years or even a few months. It was a lot of pulling and pushing, but I managed to save enough money for myself for rent, groceries, and gas. I didn’t need a job that I didn’t find pleasing to me and I could tell it was affecting me mentally and physically. When I decided to leave, I needed to make sure I had enough money for the next few months to support myself financially but also the confidence that I could do it. And I did exactly what I wanted and I would choose happiness again.
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?
Lately, I have been working steadily with food and food photography. I only had some decent knowledge of cooking, but of course, I had much more with photography. It’s not always about taking a good picture and more about connecting with whoever is seeing it. Cooking and baking is done with love and patience and when you’re doing it for someone, it makes it even better. Most of the time, I am baking in my apartment which is not as big as you might be imagining for how much work and room I need. It all comes back to taking photos of the food and showing people this experience. When you know you love doing something, the job is no longer a job and you’re just having fun. If someone can find a job like that, then you know this is what you are meant to do. I fell in love with food from a young age because who doesn’t like Kraft macaroni and cheese? My skills have of course sharpened since then (hopefully), and so has my photography. I am most proud of my food Instagram page where I try out new recipes and sometimes even make my own. Instagram is by far my favorite app and it’s good for illustrating what I want my brand to be. I am heavy in visuals and credit whoever’s a recipe I am experimenting with. The first photos I published were just some of my own and even in a month’s time, I am proud of how much I have accomplished and learned about myself.
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
I am fortunate for every woman I have come across who never told me to stop. I know some people might get discouraged or get anxious and sometimes the easiest option is to just quit. Because of the women in my life, that thought has never occurred to me. Women are strong and inspirational and we are hardworking. I’m glad to have such motivators in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: kelseyshoemaker.com
- Phone: 817-789-2871
- Email: kelseyshoes@gmail.com
- Instagram: @carpe.diyum @kelseyannes
- Twitter: @kelesmis
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