Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Schultz.
Steven, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My mom is the reason I am a photographer today. As a kid, I noticed that she always kept a camera with her to record significant moments for our family. Every year, we would dust off old photo albums and relive those moments together. Something inside of me yearned to actively participate in that, so I bought my first camera when I was 13. I started to document my own memories – band practices, camping trips, family vacations, youth group events, and so on. When I got an iPhone in high school, I suddenly had a camera with me at all times, which allowed me to take my hobby everywhere I went. This also introduced me to mobile editing software, which opened up a lot of new creative possibilities. My parents bought me a DSLR camera for my 18th birthday, a few weeks before I left for college. I used that camera to develop my artistic voice over the course of four years in undergrad, learning from mentors and collaborating with friends along the way.
I graduated from college in May of 2017 having turned down the only job offer I received. It was a pretty risky move, but after years of experience in a corporate 9 to 5, I knew it wasn’t for me. With no plan and a surprising amount of optimism, I relied on a handful of photo jobs to get me through the summer. I tried to hide it, but I was scared. My closest friends were starting great jobs and I was left wondering if I had made a mistake by not following suit. It wasn’t until September of 2017 when I started to receive consistent inquiries for photo work that I began to see the potential career inside this little hobby.
Now, one year later, I have the incredible privilege to call this my full-time job. If we were talking in person, you would hear the disbelief in my voice as I say that. I can’t stress enough just how grateful I am to be here.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a wedding & portrait photographer based out of Beverly, MA. I think I gravitated towards these specific genres of photography because I love people and the stories they have to tell. I prefer to cover weddings like a photojournalist, by blending into the background and documenting the day as it naturally unfolds. I have found that you witness some of the most honest and touching moments this way. Creative portraiture is where I experiment with new lighting and camera techniques, like freelancing, double exposures, using prisms, and studio flash. I incorporate some of these techniques into wedding portraiture to add extra visual interest and to differentiate my work from the work of others.
When all is said and done, my hope is to create work that is timeless. I want my clients to look back at their wedding day 50 years from now and love the photos as they are, and not through the bias of an Instagram filter. My mom made images that had permanence and I experienced firsthand the joy that came from that. I can’t wait for my clients’ families to one day dust off their old photo albums and reminisce together, just like my family did.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
With all of the divisiveness and injustice that persists in the world, I think it is more important than ever for artists to be bridge builders. An example that inspires me is Good Good Good Co., a group of artists committed to celebrating good news. Amongst many creative endeavors, they publish a newspaper filled with inspiring stories of people who help others, seek justice, and affect change around the world. It’s called “Goodnewspaper” – pretty cool, right?
Similarly, I want to be a force for good. On a surface level, the photos I produce document the moment two people and their families become one, which is a beautiful thing to celebrate. I may not encounter the world’s deepest needs within the vein of wedding photography, but I have consistent opportunities to love my clients and welcome people of all backgrounds. The nature of my career doesn’t restrict my ability to influence change in the world, and the same is true for you. Regardless of the professional work that we do, we also have the ability to make change in our personal lives. Whoever we are and whatever our vocation, we have a voice. Let’s speak up for those who cannot.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can check out my work at any of the links below. Drop by and say hey, I’d love to meet you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stevenschultzphotography.com
- Phone: (518) 526-3130
- Email: stevenschultzphoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenmschultz/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevenschultzphotography/
Image Credit:
Steven Schultz
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