1.) Hello Shereese, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Well, I am an artist born and raised in Los Angeles, California.  I left the West Coast in March of 2015 to live in Tennessee.  That life was too slow for me so I made my way to D.C.  I love it here.  My art consists of many media – drawings, ceramic pieces, but prominently photography.  I describe my work as having two lines – create and imagine.  Create is commissioned work I do for clients.  Imagine is the body of work I create for myself to be bought or placed on display in galleries.

2.) What made you want to get into the creative industry in the first place? Did anyone or anything influence you? If so, who or what?

I had a cousin I always followed around and looked up to.  He’s a great artist actually.  So, when I was young, I practiced drawing a lot of things; however, more of my time was preoccupied with learning about astronomy and other sciences.  It wasn’t until my second year of college I decided to give up my chemistry major in exchange for a degree in graphic communication with a minor in photography.  I bought my first camera the summer of my sophomore year in college and my father gave me all of his old lenses to use.  He studied photo in college as well.

3.) How would you describe your style of photography in under a few words?

Dramatic, conceptual, emotional.

4.) There are obviously a ton of people who do photography, professional or otherwise. Outside of just providing people with quality art, what are some things you are doing or methods you are employing from a business standpoint to ensure that you become as successful as you possibly can in this industry?

Oh wow, that’s a loaded question because I keep a busy schedule, but I’ll keep it sweet and short.  Life has taught me not to keep “all your eggs in the same basket” –  financially speaking in the instance.

With that being said, I am currently serving as a culinary specialist in the US Army National Guard – also, pursuing a career as a professional athlete in the sport of track and field.

Lastly, I am also available for business development.  I took on a position as a business partner with Gourmet Salt Blends earlier this year.  For the company, I completely redesigned and came up with a marketing plan in exchange for equity.

5.) Since you relocated from one coast to another, can you tell people what the differences and similarities are with the creative industry between both coasts?

I think in any industry there will always be a shift when you relocate.  I’m still getting to know D.C., but I do notice the demand for certain types of photos to be more prominent here.  Headshots, to be more specific, are always needed anywhere.  Here the need for that is ridiculous… in a good way.

6.) How do you think the internet and social media affected the creative industry and how businesses (or individuals) can market themselves?

It helps “cut through the crowd,” and reach your target market since sites like Instagram and Facebook allow you to customize who you market to.  It’s helping me especially because I’m new here.

7.) What are some of the biggest challenges you currently face as a photographer working to make a name for herself?

The biggest challenge I currently face is exposure.  Every time I tell people I do photography, they reply, “oh, that’s cool.”  Every time I show people my photography, they’re like, “oh, dang.  Your work is dope!  You’re really good.”  If it were up to me I’d be in the photo studio everyday; but, as I explained earlier, I have two lines – create and imagine.  The creative line supports the imagine line.  If I don’t book enough photo shoots with clients, my personal line slows down a bit.

8.) What tips would you give to anybody who is looking to pursue a career in photography or just art in general?

I advise all artists to become businesswomen and businessmen.  50% of all photography business fail in the first year, and another percentage as the years go on… I don’t remember the rest of the statistics, but the point is that most artists don’t realize that they’re a company.

The second piece of advise is to never stop learning.  Even art is always evolving.  Watch tutorials, subscribe to Creative Live, go to seminars… learn something new, be inspired to make something original by getting out of your comfort zone.

9.) Where do you see yourself professionally (or creatively) in the next 5 years?

In 5 years, I see myself being the type of photographer Annie Leibovitz was.  I am always excited as a puppy when I do portraits.  I have a lot of  ideas written in my sketchbook.  As I pursue bringing them to life, I can start to compete with those high-end jobs.