We were lucky to catch up with Tracy Shankle recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tracy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

SHANKLEVISION focuses on the Lighting Design of interior and exterior architectural projects.
Quite often, Architectual Photography happens during the day, with the lights off. SHANKLEVISION captures and communicates how light influences a space. My goal is to show how functionality, mood, and the visual experience are determined by lighting design decisions.

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

I was an aspiring photographer until I found the world of Lighting Design. First special events lighting, then architectural lighting. I became fascinated by the behavioral response that people have to light, as well as the physics of how light itself behaves.

EVERYTHING in our visual experience is shaped, colored, and defined by the quality of light that bounces off of an object or surface and reflects back into our eyes. From saturation to a sense of safety, these interpretations about our surroundings are made at a subconscious level. As a former Lighting Designer, I understand the importance of thoughtful design decisions. Capturing and communicating these concepts and details for my clients is what sets SHANKELVISION apart from other architectural photographers. Providing marketing, advertising, and educational materials for my clients is extremely rewarding.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I worked in the lighting industry for 15 years and built relationships as a designer and sales rep before starting my company. Taking pictures for previous colleagues helped get my business off of the ground. I’m grateful to have had so many professional resources.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I would say it’s come full circle opposed to a full pivot; the twist is that I fell into architectural photography by accident.

My artistic journey began with a camera, but I didn’t see photography as a viable career path. So, I entered a furniture design program, which led to an interior design class, where I met my Lighting Design professor.

My long-standing career goal was to become a custom light fixture designer, but when I finally worked my way into this role, it was a TERRIBLE fit. I had worked for 15 years to achieve this goal, so hating the work was devastating.

I quit the job, needed income, owned a camera, so I called my previous employer and some former colleagues asking if they needed project photography for their websites and social media feeds and SHANKEVISION was born. By accident. The most surprising part to me is how much I LOVE this work.

Contact Info:

• Website: shanklevision.com and shanklevisionportraits.com
• Instagram: SHANKLEVISION
• Linkedin: Tracy Shankle