Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Sharkey.
Hi Michelle, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a creative soul. Always drawn to an artistic process and watching others create. Combining that with the ability to really get lost in a moment, and feel emotions fully, photography has always felt like a natural creative outlet for me. What was once a hobby to capture friends, family, and trips, has now turned into something much deeper than that. My goal when I set out to do photography professionally was to capture emotion in my images. I wanted people to see an image and for there to be a feeling attached to it.
My photography business launched in fall of 2019. Coming out of the haze of moving to a new state and having tiny little humans at home, photography was a way for me to get out and create again. That and working as a barista in a local coffee shop. I started doing family sessions for friends and people I met in the community while working, and it naturally progressed from there. While I have always loved taking pictures of families and kids, I kept looking for other ways to capture someone, or something, and visually tell a story. This is when I learned about brand photography, and I immediately knew that was it. Not only did brand photography spark something, but the idea of photographing other creative and woman-owned businesses sounded really exciting. That is when it clicked for me, I had found a way to combine my previous creative work with my photography work.
Long before my photography business, and before I became a mom, I had an online handmade shop. I created accessories (for kids and dogs) from fabric and felt, along with simple screen-printed kids’ shirts and a few fun sewing projects here and there. It was when I opened my shop that I discovered this world of other female creative business owners online. I remember finding community in that, even if just in the simplest ways. My shop closed when my daughters were born and I always thought I would someday get back into it. Fast forward to 2020, deciding to do brand photography for other creative female entrepreneurs felt like the perfect way to bring the two things together for me.
Today my sessions vary greatly. I have gone from shooting a cookbook to capturing a pregnant mom holding her toddler close and everything in between. Each one inspiring in their own way. But the two subjects that inspire me most, are my daughters Lorelai (Lola) and Leona Bloom.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Aside from Covid pressing the pause button on photoshoots for a while, I would say my biggest struggle has been leaving Louisville where my business began, and moving back to Columbus last August. My husband and I both graduated from Ohio State and hoped that one day we would make it back to the Columbus area. After several moves for his work, we didn’t find our way back until now. While we were excited to experience Columbus again and this time with our kids, leaving my clients in Louisville was really hard. So often, I develop a relationship with the people I am photographing. Each session building upon the last, adding a level of confidence and excitement to work together again. When moving to a new state, it feels like starting over again.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a portrait photographer based out of Central Ohio, specializing in families and brand photography for woman-owned businesses. When I decided to turn my love for photography into a business, I knew I wanted my images to have emotion to them. I wanted my clients to feel like they could be themselves and not be posed. To me, pictures aren’t meant to be “look at the camera and smile big” kind of photos. There is beauty in a confident strong face. There is beauty in messy hair blowing in the wind, in a toddler that is on the run, and in the up-close details. Whenever I have a new client, I like to ask how they found me and what attracted them to my work. The answer is usually that they like how the pictures have a natural, more candid look to them and that there is a feeling attached to it. This is what I believe sets my images apart and also makes me feel the most proud. When someone sees my style and it connects with them in a way that makes them say, I want that for my family or business.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
I love connecting with people on social media! Instagram is a great way to see my current work, behind-the-scenes shots, my favorite things outside of work, and an easy way to communicate. From there, I have a link in my bio where you can request a session.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LolaBloomPhotography.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/LolaBloomPhotography
- Facebook: Facebook.com/LolaBloomPhotography
Image Credits
Rachel Simones Photography
