Rising Stars: Meet Shawnae Neujahr of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawnae Neujahr.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up following my mom around to photoshoots. She did a wedding once and it was so exciting being in the room for that, I was hooked. I started just taking her camera everywhere, taking pictures of anything and anyone who’d let me.
I did my first wedding when I was 18. A family friend asked me if I would photograph their wedding and I’ve been doing it ever since.

I always said I would never do maternity and newborn, but once I tried it I fell in love. I started focusing on empowering women and showcasing how incredible women are in personality, body, and mind.

I’ve grown confidence in creating natural environments and photos to document mothers with their children, couples getting married, and I am excited to continue to grow.

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?
It’s actually been really difficult.
There’s been many times where I couldn’t find my voice as an artist and it was so hard to land on how I wanted to create.
I’ve struggled with imposter syndrome, and wondering if I really have something to bring to the world as a photographer.

It can get really overwhelming really fast. There’s so much more to it than taking photos. I am an entire company in one body, and that can make things feel stuck and stale.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love saying that I create a curated museum of your lifetime.
I’m a Cleveland-based wedding and motherhood photographer, and I believe in documentation over posed photos,
so you have something honest to come back to when this version of life is already gone.
Your photos should feel like you. They should breathe your essence and personality.

I specialize in helping mothers and couples capture generational memories. Moments that feel like coming home.
I really showcase what it is to be human in my galleries. I show off personal touches, something different between each client that no one else gets. Little easter eggs like your favorite place to shop. The cafe you’re a regular at. What you play with at home with your kids, etc.

Everyone has different personalities, but everyone craves love and connection. I bring all three to my clients galleries.

What makes you happy?
My cats make me happy haha. I have 3 of my own and then we rotate fosters. It’s hard but I never want to stop. Seeing my fosters finding their forever homes is something I can’t even describe.
I recently started gardening, which I never thought Id be into. But digging around in dirt brings so much joy.
I love concerts, there’s just something about live music. It brings an entire room full of people together and you form a bond of some sort. A connection point.
I adore hosting. Any chance I get to host a party, you know I’m on it. There will be. theme, and candles, and so much food.
I think in general connection is what brings me so much happiness, and there’s so many ways to find it in this life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shawnaeneujahrphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnaeneujahrphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShawnaeNPhoto
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnaeneujahrphoto?lang=en