We were lucky to catch up with Shay Munroe recently and have shared our conversation below.

Shay, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

I think I have to honor my parents here. Both of them have had a huge impact on my journey (for better or worse). They both passed when I was young and memories with them feel as if they took place in another lifetime at times.
My father and mother were some of the most resilient, charming, talented, fierce individuals I knew. I learned to walk into a room like I own the place from my mother and “go where I’m called to go no matter the discomfort on my way there.”
My father taught me to have a solid work ethic. From a young age, I was earning my own money. I started my own lawn mowing business at 10 and quickly had a growing savings account. One day, my father had plopped a baseball cap on my head, showed me how to crank the lawn mower, and slapped me on the back, saying, “Just mow the lawns first, then ask for the money!” I dragged that lawn mower all over the neighborhood, coming home with wads of $5’s and $10’s.
Even though I’ve always had a creative, sensitive soul, my parents raised me to be strong and determined, to keep going even through the hard times because what makes your heart sing is what matters most.
I believe I got the ambitious dreamer from my mother and the work hard, play hard mentality from my father. They were not perfect (as no one is), but they were scrappy in this world and went after what they wanted with a perseverance that nothing could get in the way of and for that I truly respect them. I believe in the pursuit of what makes life worth living and for me one of those things is art.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I see the world through the lens of scenes, characters, and intricate, “mundane” moments that deserve celebration. I believe in capturing the beauty, truth, and strange and intriguing hilarity of humanity and telling visceral stories through my various mediums as a photographer, writer, and artist based in Los Angeles, CA.
I specialize in documentary style photography and fine art. One of my favorite things I offer is Bodyscapes In Nature, fine art nude photo shoots. In these sessions, I bring my clients out into remote nature for a photo shoot. Prior to the session, we go over the vision for the shoot in which we come up with a location that best suits their internal landscape. A few locations I’ve shot in have included Costa Rica, Greece, Hawaii, Joshua Tree, Santa Barbara and Malibu. The session lasts two hours and is simply SO much fun. Sometimes someone may be a bit nervous at the beginning since it’s such a vulnerable photo shoot. Many have never been naked in front of the lens let alone out in rugged nature with no clothes on. Clothes are optional in Bodyscapes and some decide to still wear a simple dress or fabrics. By the end of the shoot, it’s mostly guaranteed that my clients walk away with a vivacious smile plastered across their face. Those are the moments that light me up. These sessions aren’t just photo shoots, but also a place for people to let go and connect with who they are away from it all, away from the reminders of past selves, or distracting opinions. I choose the landscape for each client to feel especially at home in and safe to relax into. I’ve worked with paints, natural clay, and rushing water in shoots. From a deep, rich forest to an elegant, empty landscape of a wide open desert. Throughout the entire session, I am holding my client’s hand, directing them fully along the way to ease the whole “but what if I’ve never even modeled” nerves. It doesn’t matter. It’s truly such a treat to watch each client begin to soften in the environment and begin to play and feel their own aliveness. It’s a place to come home to.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

It’s hard not to have some sort of goal of success in this capitalistic society we live in, but mostly, I strive to keep creating from a place of truth no matter what. Even in my commercial work when photographing events or doing editorials on individuals, I am constantly looking for the truth of the person in front of me to represent something deeper. I think if I’m constantly doing that, then at the end of the day I have no regrets.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Being an artist is hard and unpredictable. Well, yes, it is those things. But so is everything! So, you might as well choose something that lights you up along the journey while we’re here. Thankfully, I have many people in my life that encourage me as an artist. However, in regard to the world, you’ve got to have thick skin as an artist since you are constantly putting your heart out there over and over again. Don’t stay safe, keep doing you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shaymunroe.com
• Instagram: shay.munroe

Image Credits

Matt Kallish (for the BW portrait of me for the feature image. Everything else is by me.