We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sheena Chakeres a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sheena, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Leaving my 15-year career as a full-time educator was the biggest risk I’ve taken. I suffered a miscarriage, the pandemic had arrived, and then my father passed away. These challenges made me realize that I didn’t want to play it safe anymore. I wanted to spend my time doing the thing that I had been afraid of doing for so many years. Photography.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My father got me my first camera when I graduated college. He wanted me to document my upcoming backpacking trip through Central America, and I had always been interested in photography. Fast forward almost 20 years, and I’ve combined my roots in storytelling photography with my love for landscapes. My favorite photo sessions are for clients who want their story told, whether that is for their small business or their growing family. I feel blessed to be doing something that I love so much. When I’m not working for a client, I have a number of personal photography projects to keep the creative juices flowing. I continue to grow and learn; I by no means think that I’ve mastered anything, and I love the organic nature of being an artist. It has been such a breath of fresh air after a life in academia.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Everyone is a creative. When I was in 8th grade, my art teacher told me that I was struggling in his class because “some people just aren’t artists.” For years, I felt boxed out from the world of art. Yet, through the process of tapping into my creative energy, I realize that we are all artists. We are all creatives. Anyone who has experienced a drop of grief and turned it into something beautiful has felt the power of creativity, and we all have this within us. We just have to pay attention. A short moment of silence, a subtle ray of light, a single wildflower can spark this creative energy.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
There is so much sadness and confusion in our world right now. It is sometimes really challenging to see the beauty in this life. I think that I am driven every day to capture the beauty and love and goodness around me. I am very much driven by the belief that we must choose joy, despite the state of our world.
Contact Info:
- Website: sheenachakeres.com
- Instagram: @sheenachakeresphoto
Image Credits
All photos are by me, Sheena Chakeres