We recently connected with Sharon Caton Brunson and have shared our conversation below.

Sharon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I’ve always wanted to share my photography through a large coffee table book, but as I looked into actually publishing, I realized this format was cost-prohibitive. This led me to embark on one of the most meaningful projects I have worked on – a small, self-published book called ‘PLAIN CONVERSATIONS: Ghosts of Waterville, Washington.’

For nearly 2 decades, I have taken thousands of photos focusing on my passion for history and all things made by man but lost to time. Wandering through the countryside, winding through backroads, searching for abandoned homes and wrecks hidden in its hollows filled me with joy. I was caught off guard by the happiness it brought, filling a spot in my heart that I had no idea existed. Every time I documented these pieces of the past, it felt personal to me. My mind would wander as I imagined who lived there, why they came, how their life might have been, and how this relic came to be abandoned. As my eye developed, I began to share those images on Facebook and Instagram. I was surprised by the growing number of people who were just as enthusiastic about seeing my work as I was creating it.

Then, a few years ago, my fans began inquiring about a book of my images. Since I’ve always loved to write, it almost seemed like a natural progression of my photography career. The process of creating a book is no small task. The words ‘tortured artist’ come to mind. It’s hard to sift through thousands of images and choose which ones to include. Trying to do all this on a limited budget to create a small-batch print book at an affordable price meant I had to be ruthless. I am proud of my first book and hope to do a larger book sometime in the future.

Sharon, 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?

Throughout my life, I have always had a love of photography. Still, it wasn’t until my husband gifted me my first Nikon that photography became more thoughtful, rather than accidental and irreverent. The seed that started it all though was my best friend’s question on a road trip; ‘What do you do every week without fail that is just for you?”. It was innocent enough, but that moment launched me into a serious hobby that I had no idea would become the career I love.

Many do not know that I am completely self-taught, with help from books, videos, and other photographers. When I started in 2010, I knew nothing about using a DSLR (digital single lens reflex). I always had a point and shoot; you know, the camera that does everything for you. A DSLR requires you to think and use different lenses for different purposes. The introductory cameras will give you the option for preset settings. But, as one of my photographer friends said, if you want to learn the art of photography, you need to set the camera to manual and keep it there. So, I did…and ended up with some blindingly white and, alternatively, pitch-black images from not understanding how ISO and shutter speed work in tandem. It took a lot of practice, but I finally figured out and learned the triad – ISO, shutter, and aperture – and how they work together to create an image. After that, it was off to the races, learning the more nuanced lessons along the way. Luckily, I never had an issue with composition – my eye has always been able to frame a shot.

Curious and adventurous by nature, during the early years of my learning journey, I spent many days exploring the backroads of my state. I live in a rural area next to an even MORE rural area, which is dryland wheat farming. The roads are gravel and mostly desolate. There are old cemeteries scattered in pockets, next to rusting farm trucks, decrepit homes, and barns – so many things to focus my lens on. I began teaching myself the editing programs, eventually posting my images on my Facebook page. Soon after, I started selling at art walks and through online requests; suddenly, my hobby became a business, and Ramshackle Photography was launched.

Then, about 10 years ago, I received two requests to shoot weddings within a week of each other. It was a complete departure from what I had been doing, so again, I taught myself the entirely different skill set you need to take photos of people and events. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this type of photography and was very surprised to find out I thrived on the stress of documenting an event. Even more, I loved the challenge of capturing each person’s individuality. I now do a lot more portraiture, event, and group photography. It didn’t take me long to realize that most people do not want to hire a portrait photographer with a brand name like Ramshackle; it doesn’t inspire that much confidence for one of the most important days of your life. Now, I shoot the portraiture side of my business under Sharon Brunson Photography, keeping Ramshackle for my original subjects.

I take so much pride in everything I create, whether it is a senior portrait or a barn image. One of the things I love about photography is whatever comes out of your camera and however you choose to edit it, the end product is unique and carries your stamp. There’s so much ownership, and every photographer has their unique fingerprint. When it comes to portraiture, I prefer natural lighting and tend to shoot exclusively outside (minus wedding venues). I take pride in setting my client at ease – and the biggest compliment when it comes to portraiture is my client (willing and especially unwilling) thanking me for an easy, fun session and then their smile upon seeing the finished product. In the portraiture side of my business, my joy and dedication to providing a relaxed, no-worries atmosphere where I am willing to do anything for the laugh that touches the eyes is what sells my services. My hidden secret is that I am a perfectionist and hypercritical of myself and my work. I know I’m my worst enemy to the proverbial bottom line, and I often spend too much time touching up images so that my clients come away happy. Although I can be rough on myself, I recognize that producing a superior image encourages clients to return and pass my name around. Word of mouth is one of the most important ways to attract new clients and grow as a business.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice

I’ll preface this by saying I don’t know much about NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). I am approached weekly by people wanting to license my image or purchase it with an NFT. To date, I’ve always declined – I am not interested in what I perceive as giving away my art. It feels like it’s fraud on a large scale for those desperate to sell their art. If people want my art, they can purchase a print as other customers do or license it through a legal document stating the format, duration of use, and the licensing fee. Unless it’s a portrait session, it’s highly unlikely I will hand over a digital art file. As soon as it is out of your hands, you lose control over how and when it’s used or how much money it makes.

I may be missing the boat, but I’m just not impressed with NFTs in relation to my art. In my business, automatic copyright (ownership) is created the moment you trigger the camera. All digital cameras have a way to insert your name in the metadata of each image. I understand images are stolen all the time; however, unless you have a licensing service that watches for your creative property, it is nearly impossible to catch thieves. There are actions you can take to make it harder to steal an image: You can adjust image quality so that an illegally downloaded image is highly pixelated and not printable, and you can have your website set so that images are impossible to download.

Remember, there are numerous reputable stock image sites with long histories of licensing images. I would go through these companies before going to an NFT option. In the long run, the only way to stop someone from using your art as a screensaver on their phone or computer is to never put your images online. Unfortunately, in this digital age, not being seen on social media can really hinder building a client base. So, my best suggestion is to research how to prevent your art from being downloaded in a usable format.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Today, there are so many social media sites: Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, Blue Sky, X, Facebook, etc. The list is endless and seems to keep growing. Finding the correct site for you depends on your content. Building an audience on any social media platform takes dedication and some investigative work. You can build a following using a service designed to attract a specific audience to your brand. I have not yet tried this and, as such, all my followers were earned through dedication and hard work.

I built my Facebook page in 2010. At that time, Facebook was not connected to Instagram or Threads, so growth mainly came from “word of mouth.” I already had friends who loved my photography, so when I switched from my personal page to a business page, I informed these followers where they could find the new content. I also sent invites to those who seemed to miss the memo. Meanwhile, I began actively searching for photography pages that fit my content and looked for subject-specific groups. For example, when I posted trucks, I found truck pages, joined and posted them there. I always included my page information on the posts when it was allowed. When posting content to my business page, I made sure to share the post to each of these other pages using my personal page. Sharing allowed me to sidestep the common rule of posting links to other pages or websites. I learned that figuring out the sweet spot regarding the time of day and how often I posted was important. Wrong time and people missed the post. Too often, or not enough, and lose a follower. Because my followers liked different content, I had to make sure varied my image subjects or, again, I would lose followers.

I joined Instagram in 2013. Instagram was easier because hashtags let me direct specific content to reach followers easily. Through the years, I have learned that Instagram seems fickle. Because my content covers various subjects, posting a sunset image may result in a follower who likes trucks to stop following me. This is why when posting content and you must direct your images to the right areas. Another quirk I quickly learned was that my followers liked seeing occasional photos of me in the field. I don’t like them, but I found a way to do it (the back of my head with the view I’m shooting is my hallmark) to keep my following engaged. It also allows me to build buzz about current and upcoming trips, which they know translates into fresh content. Lastly, I am also very diligent about interacting with my audience. Your followers like to know their comment has been read; by replying it shows them they have value to you. This creates a bond that is likened to friendship which makes it harder for individuals to stop following you.

Connecting your social media and linking it with QR codes for advertising and end products is important. I can’t emphasize this enough. META makes it easy because it owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Although I don’t always like this, I can opt out if there is specific content I don’t want to post to a specific platform. Connecting your social media takes much of the work out of trying to post to every platform unless you need to be platform specific. QR codes are important in real-life situations, such as art walks, events, and advertising. Print advertising can be as simple as your business card, a gift certificate, or a flyer for or at an event. Basically, it’s all about brand recognition. If I ask what the yellow ‘M’ logo is, more than likely you will bring to mind McDonalds. The same goes for you.

Once you hit a certain number, followers attract other people. At some point, your following continues to grow organically through other followers or followers reposting content. Remember – once you’ve achieved high interest in your page, it’s essential to KEEP POSTING. Don’t let the momentum fade; it takes a lot of work to gain it again.

Lastly, follow your instinct. If you react positively or like something someone does on social media, chances are your audience will enjoy it too. If someone doesn’t like your content, don’t take it too seriously. It’s not worth your mental health. Use it as a tool and move on!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sharonbrunsonphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramshacklephotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ramshacklephotography

Image Credits

All photos credit: Sharon Caton Brunson

1) Self Portrait – Valley of the Gods, Utah
2) Days End – Ritzville, Washington
3) Self Portrait of me doing what I do! – Lake Manly, Death Valley, Arizona
4) Rust to Dust – Durango, Nevada
5) Wedding Portrait
6) Senior Portrait
7) Plain Conversations – Ghosts of Waterville, Washington (self-published book)
8) Glory – Pendleton, Oregon
9) Ramshackle – truck that inspired my company name