We were lucky to catch up with Lily Shea recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lily thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Sometimes I joke around with people and say that I went to “Youtube University” but there’s more truth than joke to it.
As soon as I was interested in taking pictures, I leaned heavy on the internet to show me real-life stories from people who had already solved the beginner challenges I was going through.
Anything from gear to posing tips, Youtube is still the first stop I take when I face the unknown.
It takes some patience, but I’m almost sure you can learn anything from youtube.

I’ve learned a lot from other photographers. Just seeing how other people operate and approach a situation can be inspiring. I think it’s really important to experiment in a safe space as much as you can so that you’re prepared when the bigger projects arise.

Since I don’t have formal training, I fought imposture syndrome for quite some time. I could have been charging a higher rate for awhile, but I didn’t value my skills enough to ask for more. At a certain point, you need money to survive & improve your business. If you undercut yourself, you’re just welcoming resentment and postponing your growth. As soon as I started asking for what I believe I deserve, my clients proved me right.

The skill that has carried me the farthest are my social skills. You can google how to pose family portraits but the attitude you bring to the table is what will make your subjects smile. I’ve learned that it’s not necessarily what you know but who you know, and the impressions you make on people can make your next opportunity.
Nothing beats good old fashioned word-of-mouth marketing, and if you do a great job, people WILL tell their friends.

Lily, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a 28 year old freelance photographer based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

I primarily offer event photography but I frequently capture studio portraits, senior portraits, engagement, boudoir, family sessions and live music photography.

I was 22 when I got my first digital camera. At the time I used it mostly for graffiti, cityscapes, people and travel,
I had a great part-time job at a brewery restaurant and it was easy to come across a band or five. Soon I was shooting several shows per night, staying up until 4am & editing so the bands could post the next morning. For awhile, I didn’t charge anybody. I just loved being there, gifting people memories to look back on.
I knew it was special when people were reposting but I didn’t think that it could be a job until they started asking about my rates.

During this time I built relationships with artists, journalists, concert promoters, venue owners and these connections are what carried me to the next level. I still had my brewery job so I wasn’t too worried about money but I knew that if I wanted to go full time it wasn’t going to be supported by local music alone. I had to branch out and expand my reach. I ended up working with theater companies, club event series, and community organizers, but it was still my side hustle.

This was around the time that the pandemic swung in. I literally filed my LLC the day that the NBA cancelled the season. Talk about a time to go all in on your event photography business. With the forced free time, I started taking my strategy more seriously. I had to go through the discomfort of evaluating my rates and putting myself out there, unsure if anyone would want to hire me. There was hardly any work at the time, but I lived off my savings and started learning more about studio photography.

This launched my relationship with House of Rad which I’m still operating out of. They are a rag-tag community full of builders, creators and dreamers, located right in my neighborhood. Being able to settle into my own space amidst fun creatives was huge for my learning process. The studio allowed me to expand my services, bolster my income, and network with my community.

In 2023 I was offered a spot in The Museum of Wisconsin Art in a group show titled, “The Street” which featured photographs from my trip to Cuba.

When Roe Vs. Wade was overturned in 2022, the ACLU of Wisconsin reached out to me for some photos of the upcoming women’s march. I didn’t know it then, but this event started my long time relationship with the ACLU of Wisconsin. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working with non-profits like the American Lung Association, The Phoenix, Pearls for Teen Girls, Arts @ Large and PBS, among others.

My interest in civil rights makes this kind of work meaningful, and the stories and moments I’ve experienced in the non-profit world give me a sense of purpose that I feel lucky to have in my professional career.

It’s been a 6 year journey for me and if it wasn’t for the local bands and organizations in the hobby stage, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’m lucky to have the support of my city, and if it wasn’t for the countless families, artists, and organizations that have trusted me with their important moments, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am now. Ultimately, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that if you invest in your community, your community will invest in you.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I genuinely care about how people perceive the product I deliver to them. When we’re shooting, I’m continuously asking them if they want to see the photos we just took, just so I know that they approve of the direction we’re going in.
If I don’t see their face light up when they see our work, we go back and try again.
I think my reputation has gained a life of its own, people generally trust me because they’ve often times seen my work on their friend’s social media before they ever reach out.
I take the time to go over the plan with my clients and communicate various options so they feel some agency in the creative process and know what to expect.
I love people, so I have fun with the experience and I know that ripples to my clients as well.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Word of mouth is the best marketing you can get. If you do an amazing job, people will tell their friends and families and before you know it, you’ll have formed long time relationships with whole communities of people.
Everyone is connected and you’d be surprised by how one relationship can turn to half a dozen pretty quickly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lilysheaphotography.com
• Instagram: lilysheaphotography
• Facebook: Lily Shea Photography
• Linkedin: Lily Shea

Image Credits

Photos by Lily Shea Photography