Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Barthelemy.
Shelby, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I remember being maybe 12 years old helping my dad unpack into his new place. He ended up stumbling upon an old Yashica film camera that he used to use. I was always interested in and curious about photography so when I asked him if I could use it for myself, he was quick to say yes. Ever since then, that model has been my go to camera. Some of my favorite photos that I’ve taken up to this point has been with that camera. I began falling in love with film as a medium and now I just continue to practice and experiment as much as I can.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think it’s rarely a smooth road for creatives. I’ve reached points where I felt uninspired or discouraged because my photos weren’t fully capturing the vision I had in my head. I think I definitely had to understand that perfection doesn’t happen overnight and perfection shouldn’t even always be the goal. Now I have more appreciation for the process of mastering a skill and I am enjoying tracking my progress along the way. Instead of perfection, I focus on maintaining the confidence I need to continue to take myself and my craft seriously.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer. Right now, I shoot exclusively on film. I love the aesthetic of film photography and with it being a craft in itself, I love trying out different film stocks and cameras to experiment with my photos. I am self-taught and have put in a lot of time executing my own personal creative visions. In doing so, I solidified my photographic point of view and am confident in the uniqueness of the way I capture photos. This has made it easier for me to venture into accepting collaborations with larger creative teams and brands as well as individuals. The root of my work lies in nature. This has always been a source of inspiration for me and especially when starting out, nature gave me the patience and space to make mistakes and really figure out what my style is. The past two years, I’ve been incorporating more portraits into my portfolio and have been inspired by the beauty present in humans as well. I am proud of my ability to continuously challenge myself and try new things. I prioritize learning and expanding my knowledge over everything and I never shy away from an opportunity to do so.
I honestly think most photographers share similar traits and styles of course will always find a way to overlap. Art is a cycle of reinvention but we are all inspired by one another and those that have come before us. However, at the end of the day no one else but me sees the world through my eyes. With my camera being an extension of my eye, everything I capture will innately be unique. That alone sets me apart.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Getting this question always trips me up. My childhood feels like blur at times but the parts I remember most are those memories that I know have directly contributed to who I am today. I remember feelings of pure joy whenever my parents would take me to the beach. Playing in the water and falling over with the waves, playing in the sand, trying my hardest to climb the palm trees. I loved every moment of it. I’m an only child so as a kid, I had an active imagination and was good at keeping myself entertained but there was only so much I could come up with. Going outside and being in nature gave me something outside of myself to take in and interact with. I even had a little obsession with rocks when I was like 4 or 5. Everywhere I went, I was on the lookout for any stone that looked interesting to add to my collection. To this day, being in nature is a guaranteed way to lift my spirits.
Contact Info:
- Website: shelbybarthelemy.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/gtcobra
Image Credits
Personal image – credits to @oli1ou on instagram all additional images – credits to Shelby Barthelemy
