We recently connected with Sharai Mustatia and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sharai , thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
Following an injury that left me unable to do any heavy lifting for extended periods, my dream to be a full-time truck driver came to a screeching halt. The saddest thing about that being; I had just gotten my commercial driver license and was ready to go. I can still do some truck driving as long as it doesn’t include any heavy lifting. When I was trying to sort out what else I could do in order to pay my rent and bills, I reminded myself that I am also a talented art photographer. Friends have been asking me for years to take creative pictures of and for them. It dawned on me that I could look into doing photography as a business. Not having any business background, I had to figure out what I needed to do to get started. Along the way on my search, I found a government sponsored self employment program that is designed to help you develop a business plan as well as launch and implement the business. One thing led to another and I got into the program after a rigorous application process. It was a year-long, paid program run through the YMCA and Work BC. I worked hard at the business plan development and made it through all the stages of the program evaluations and here I am now, running a photography business! Not only is it a photography business but it is an art photography business. I choose the kinds of images I get to make and I get to be a working artist. Although I lost one dream of truck driving to a very serious injury, I gained access and resources to reach the goals that would make my dream of being a full-time-working artist come true!
Sharai , 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?
As I mentioned, I was injured and lost my ability to do heavy lifting, which is a requirement in truck driving. I had to come up with a plan B. Since I was doing a lot of photography projects at the time, I realized I could turn that into paid work. I am an analogue photographer. Analogue is old-school film negative photography. I use 35mm and 120mm films with vintage cameras and techniques. My work involves a lot of intentional experimentation and playing with light and movement. I do interesting portraits of people, pets and places. One problem I can solve for my clients is easing insecurity in front of the camera. I create a bubble around my client and myself and the gear and it is just us. It is very easy for me to help shut out the world outside of the bubble we are working within, to get the job of creating amazing images for my supporters. One thing that sets me apart in my work is the intentional experimental work that I do. I do a lot of multiple exposure photography that I edit in the camera and not on a computer. What the client sees in the image was created by me right inside the camera. One of the things I am most proud of about myself is my ability to keep going. There have been a lot of bumps and barriers for me to overcome and I never allow that to stop me. I may need to pause and regroup every now and then and once I have both feet on the ground and am doing nice, long exhales again, I continue onward and forward. I believe people who support me, do so because I am fairly open about my life and living with complex post traumatic stress disorder. People who follow me, have been witness to my recovery and growth over the decades since starting that work of healing in my life and relationships. People who follow me know how important clear communication is to me. As well as the importance of accountability. I am not afraid of conflict when it happens. Because I know that the sooner we face the painful things, the sooner we can get through to the pleasure of things. Collaboration is my favourite way of working with clients. I love when a client comes to me for a shoot and they have a bag full of costumes and props they want to use. It can be very fun to get creative together when the client feels like they have a say in what they will do for their photos. I adore making pictures of peoples’ pets, too. Seeing faces light up when they open the pictures for the first time, is everything. Although I am fairly easy going, I have a serious side, too. I want the pictures to be great. So, I work very hard to make that happen. I am not afraid to get down in the dirt to make a great shot happen. I want my clients to know they are safe in my hands, that I respect and care for them in the work we will do together.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
As a working artist, my main goal is to have exhibitions and be invited to create photos for other artists such as those in bands or who are performers of some sort. I love taking pictures of dancers as I am very interested in the explorations of movement and light on film. I am aiming to have my work in major magazines and websites and will keep pushing toward that. If an artist came to me right now and said they wanted to hire me to record their behind the scenes process, using my intentional experimental and traditional camera techniques, the answer would be YES. I have done behind the scenes shoots on music videos and short films and those were some of the most amazing times. I want more of that. If you’re a performer and are interested in reaching out to me, please do! If you want to see my work in person, I have an exhibition of my work coming up in April to June of this year at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect for me is that I get to be myself. I get to learn to trust myself and how to take healthy risks. I grew up not ever believing in myself. I never felt anyone believed in me. So I held back a lot in my dreams. I kept my dreams hidden and then when someone saw what I was doing with photography, they told me I needed to start sharing my work. When I started to share my photography work more openly, people wanted more and not only did they want more, they wanted to be in my pictures. I’d say, that is pretty amazing! Another rewarding aspect is that there are people who have been watching me grow and heal my life who are helping me in ways I could have never imagined possible. I am receiving mentorship and guidance in a very new phase in my life. It feels incredible to see and experience not being alone as I work to reach goals and make my dreams come true.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.princessshredder.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/princess_shredder/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shredderprincess
- Youtube: @princessshredder
Image Credits
all credit belongs to sharai mustatia