Meet Shelby Williams: Elopement + Wedding Photographer

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

Hi Shelby, how do you define success?
Man, there are so many things to choose from! I would have to say that the success of my brand really comes from two factors. 1.) Being authentic and real. 2.) Having an incredible support system cheering me on. I think in the age of social media we see the best side of people and rarely (if ever) get see what the day-to-day looks like…even when its not pretty. I like to be able to relate to my followers and brides as a human..who makes mistakes, spills coffee on their favorite shirt, has a messy bun and no-makeup on, who’s house (up until the COVID-19 stay at home order) was a complete disaster, who has dog hair on their clothes 100% of the time. It makes me feel more human and less pressure on maintaining this perfect facade which I think my clients really enjoy. Without the help and support of not only my friends and family but also the amazing wedding industry and community, I have been able to find success and energy to keep my business living its best life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Well, I run my business SN Photography LLC. It is a captivating and engaging elopement and wedding photography business that really focuses on edgy and out of the box couples. We support the LGBTQ+ community wholeheartedly and I think that is one of the major things that sets me apart. Not only that, but I make sure my couples come in as clients and leave as friends. I cannot even begin to tell you how many of my couples I have stayed friends with even after their big day was over. They are all such rad and amazing people and I am so lucky to have been able to meet. To say that owning your own business is easy would for sure be a lie. It is a constant challenge, and one that I would not give up for anything. This year is particularly hard due to the current pandemic as it has the entire wedding industry halted. Not only are some of my brides having to reschedule or cancel their weddings, no one is really booking right now either because we are all in the same uncertain situations. I have learned during my time owning a business that it is OK to not do everything yourself. I know that I am not the best at figuring out my taxes, or designing a website and that is OK. I have outsourced these things to incredible professionals that are way better at these things than I am and I feel like a lot of entrepreneurs don’t do that. Which I totally get. This business is your baby and you feel like you should know how to do it all. If there was one thing that I would want the world to know about my brand is that it is full of fun, laughter, exploration, intimacy, and sarcasm. There will 100% be belly laughs and tears and sheer joy when you plan a session with me. Being the awkward 3rd wheel is my specialty and I live and breath it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hmm, I would start off with brunch at Black Walnut Cafe and then we would make our way over to the Dallas World Aquarium. This is one of my favorite spots in the city as I am obsessed with animals and this place is just too cool to pass up. Then we would go to the Klyde Warren Park and hangout enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. Next, we would wander on over to Rodeo Goat for a great burger before ending out day out at the Perot Museum!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, without the help and support of all of the people in my life I would not be where I am today. But really only one name sticks out in my mind and that is Derrick Tribbey. I shadowed and second shot for him (still do actually) for a year or so before branching out on my own and starting my business SN Photography LLC. He taught me all about posing, lighting, how to capture details, what a wedding day looks like from the photographers prospective and so much more. He has been patient with me while I was still learning and now we are able to bounce ideas off of each other to make our work even better. At this point, we can finish each others thoughts and sentences; we have been working together THAT long.