We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Hone. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I learned the hard way there is no real way to speed up experience. I stepped into the real world after graduating college with false hopes that my 4 year degree, plus a 6 month co-op, would open all the doors for me. This was simply not the case. Most design agencies required a minimum of 7 years of experience. It was then that the hustle began. I found a free internship that at least allowed me to gain more experience in the field I wanted to pursue. However, I had to support myself with several other jobs. It wasn’t until my internship employer became aware that I owned a DSLR camera that they then asked me if I wanted to take on a shooting role. Although I graduated with a graphic design degree, it wasn’t until my Junior year when I started collaborating with the commercial photographers that I realized I enjoyed what they were doing more. At that time, beginning a new major was not an option so I took on a self-starter approach to photography.

Eagerly, I agreed to photograph for the healthy lifestyle brand. In the beginning I was the cook, stylist and photographer. My days were spent chasing the natural light by the window in my kitchen.

Nowadays, I am chasing magical moments like pours, splashes or floating objects. In the past 10 years I’ve transitioned to a full time commercial photography studio in Cincinnati called OMS Photo. I’ve since learned to manipulate light with strobes and modifiers, no longer dependent on the weather outside my window. With much self discipline and drive, my hobby became a career.

Sarah, 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?

Hello friends! I am a commercial photographer located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The majority of what I shoot tends to be food, drink and beauty product photography. I consider my personal shooting style vibrant, bold, and a bit on the modern isometric side. What I love most about being a commercial photographer is the people I get to meet along the way. The piece I play in the production puzzle. From agency designers, to producers, to stylists and then voilà! I step in! I feel exuberant when I am able to bring a client’s vision to life. I live for the magical moments. There is no containing my excitement whenever there is a splash, a pour or a floating rig that blows expectations! It’s all in the details and the collaboration that each step of the process presents itself with. After all of those lovely fun moments are captured I work closely with the in-house retouchers, the true magicians, to piece all of the parts together for a clean and polished finish. At the end of the day I feel rewarded because OMS Photo is such a wonderful community of creatives. I am grateful for the whole team that it takes to make these ideas happen.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to take my commercial studio photography expertise outside! I gravitate towards all of the vast colors and textures found outdoors. The austere grandeur of many landscapes humble me. I’m aware I have it easy for most of my life. Backpacking and feeling uncomfortable for several days on end is grounding. Out in the wild I feel small yet so strong. To be able to relive a sunset or a mountain-scape through one of my photos makes the blood, sweat and altitude sickness worth it. Behind the scenes of my creative career, I have had a conscious spending mindset, been trying to live slower, and consume less. Eventually, I am hoping my efforts towards financial independence will allow my husband and I to hike around the world in our physical prime years. One day I’ll have a personal collection of wanderlust albums to look back on.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Networking is like a boomerang, you may not reap the benefits of it right away, but it has a way of coming back around to you. Connections and impressions last. I wish someone had told me to put myself out there sooner. To continuously engage in meetups and never stop experimenting with industry people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.omsphoto.com/sarah-hone/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honemade_photography/

Image Credits
Sarah Hone Digital Retouching by Charles Cronley & Lisa Cape