We recently connected with Abby Sholar Lampton and have shared our conversation below.

Abby, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

So, I started photography when I was 13 years old. I got my first camera and jumped right in, though I didn’t actually started my professional photography career until I was about 16 years old. The time in between was spent learning as much as I could: How the heck do I shoot on manual mode? What is ISO? What is shutter speed? What is aperture? I was intrigued by the idea that I could create a pretty photo by learning the ins and outs of my camera and how it functioned. It was also around this time that I started learning that a photo is so much more than the mechanics and adjustments that happen in order to take it. In other words – a photo is more than just the photo itself, it is a moment in time. When I realized this, everything shifted for me! My lighting adjustments, my edits, and my creative direction at shoots now all depend on the subject. They all have a consistent feel, but I’ve learned that the best photos are made of real, authentic moments that reflect the people in them.

At the beginning of my career I was very convinced that, in order for my photos to be good, they had to look like everyone else’s. This is the cheesiest and cringiest sentence I think I’ve ever said… but I am going to say it anyway: I was editing with my head, not with my heart. See, I told you it was going to be cringey! I don’t necessarily think that there was anything I could have done to speed up the learning process, but I do think that I was my own obstacle! I have stood in my own way so many times throughout the years, saying things like, “Oh, I could never learn to do that,” or, “I can’t edit these photos how I feel like they should be edited, I have to edit them like every other photographer would,” and so on. My career and creative vision got a whole lot easier when I got out of my own way and simply created what I wanted to create!

Abby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Absolutely! My name is Abby, and I am a photographer in Nashville, TN! My favorite thing to do is bring someone’s vision to life and create something meaningful, authentic, artistic, and beautiful. I offer several types of photography, but I specialize in weddings, elopements, couples, and branding/lifestyle! I started my photography business when I was 16 years old, mostly photographing seniors & families. Eventually, my passions expanded and my business grew by word-of-mouth! I launched my website and social media and got to take on so many new creative projects. While a majority of my current work is photography, I also offer design, social media management & marketing, copywriting, and branding services! My dream is to someday open a creative company that offers a wide variety of creative services, as well as providing a space for creatives to get inspired!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

YES! I wish I had known how helpful it is to surround yourself with other creative people! For anyone starting out, my biggest advice is to find a mentor or friend to learn from and bounce ideas off of! It has been so incredibly helpful to have a network of creatives who have all been in the same boat and love to share ideas, thoughts, photo locations, services, etc.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes! I mentioned this earlier, but my dream is to grow my business to a creative company that would offer a variety of creative services, and also provide a space for creatives that facilitates inspiration, idea-sharing, creative development, etc. I have always been a one-step-at-a-time kind of business owner – I always had dreams and goals, but they seemed to scary, risky, or unattainable. This year specifically, though, I have been really intentional about planning the future of my business and the goals I have for it! I have been sitting down and trying to figure out how to make those “unattainable goals” attainable!

Contact Info:

• Website: abbysholar.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/abbysholarphoto
• Other: pinterest.com/abbysholarphoto