Meet Shay Willis | Photographer & Art Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shay Willis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shay, how do you define success?
I define success as an effort to continue to show up for yourself no matter what you’re doing in life. Success is just being consistent with your goals and aspirations. Everyone’s consistency level is different but you will eventually reap the benefits of your efforts in due time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It has been quite the journey finding my artistic self throughout the years. Being an artist was something that was bound for me ever since i was a young girl. I can attest that i didn’t know photography would be the leading medium that changed my life but here we are today and i’m more than grateful. I started off taking a intro to photography course my senior of high school and picked up the learning material so quick as if it was a second language. That point on i knew i wanted to continue my journey in photography because things came so natural to me. Fast forward to present day, i want the world to know that my brand is more than just capturing an image – it’s about capturing a feeling, a moment an essence. My photography is rooted in storytelling and timelessness. My lens is very honest and i want people to feel seen and honored in a authentic way. I aim to bring out something uniquely personal in every subject i shoot which advocates my brands core of authenticity. I still have a long way to go for where i want to be in my career but i have came a long way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If i had to show someone around Dallas first place i would take them would be to one of my favorite breakfast/brunch places Snooze Eatery. Then we would explore the Dallas famers market where there is multiple vendors and small business out for display . Also a catalog of good eats and sweet treats. Greenville is a great strip as well in Dallas for shops and bites to eat. One of my fav shops is 2nd street and Leela’s is a great bar known for their chic ambiance and hand crafted expresso martinis. Deep ellum is a great spot too to explore mainly for the music and art culture.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Someone i would like to shoutout is my talented and dear friend Gary Pierrot Jr. He is apart of the driving factor of why i continued with my photography craft. He is known for pushing narratives and being a innovative thinker when it comes to writing and directing his films. It’s always been an honor to see him grow and watch his stories bloom.

Website: https://www.shayfotos.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shay.fotos

Youtube: shayfotos