We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shelby Schmidt a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shelby, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?
I hope to build the kind of legacy that inspires the best version of others through acts of love and sharing light filled reminders of it 📷📷
Things I want to be remembered by:
Letters on the back of photographs
Always keeping open arms
Maybe not being the best cook, but being a happy host
Making things fun
Having lots of favorites
Celebrating something every day
Helping others see the beauty that surrounds them
Minting photographs meaningfully
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
After a few years of a career in news broadcasting, I found myself not wanting to continue with the fast pace that once fueled me. Giving up something I worked hard for felt like failure, but it turned out to be freedom.
Storytelling through a different medium, (hello, wedding and brand photography) meant I could create a work rhythm all my own. Over the last 10 years in business, this has looked like booking as many projects as I could to only ten per year to give my best to clients and family alike. It opened doors to international travel and sharing a studio space with fellow photographers to host classes and plan retreats. And now, it’s building a photography studio on my husband and I’s hillside property.
Letting go of expectations and redefining success are the greatest lessons learned. Along with doing things scared, finding opportunity through failure and always believing in possibilities. As a photographer and mentor, I get to come alongside others wherever they are in their journey and share mine.
Each time I pick up a camera I am reminded of all the good that surrounds us. Sharing that feeling is what I do, and it is what I love.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
“Well this was some meet cute” -Can you name that movie?!
What started as a family session at Owens Beach in Tacoma, WA between relative strangers turned into something so much more…three years, babies and one cross country move later, we took hold of a dream and made it a reality. Since 2017 Something More has provided heartfelt, purposeful portrait photography. We document connection and create heirlooms of togetherness, helping couples and families celebrate the legacy of their relationships and love across the Pacific Northwest.
A partnership unlike most, we believe the best in each other and it leads to believing the best for every client we work with. That kind of support brings a beauty all its own to the work we do.
-Love you, Whitney!
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Rentals through a photography class at Washington State University (GO COUGS) and later purchasing used gear.
I remember creating a business plan to fund the purchase of my first MacBook, this *new at the time* program called Lightroom 4, and photography equipment I didn’t have to return after a wedding weekend. But that beginning created relationships with rental departments and ultimately, access to the best second hand gear when it came time to buy!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://somethingminted.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somethingminted/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somethingmintedphotography/
- Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbyschmidt12/
- Twitter: https://x.com/somethingminted
- Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user137135516
Image Credits
© Something Minted Photography
Shelby Schmidt
Founder of Something Minted Photography
Co-founder of Something More Photography