Shannon Atchley – A Photographer Podcast Interview

From Nothing to Profit

On this podcast, Kia and Matt interview Shannon Atchley, who is known for her lighting skills. She teaches lighting at the Modern Senior Imagine Conference and is teaching at SYNC next year. Shannon is a photographer in a very small town and says word of mouth is so important. You have to set, and then exceed, expectations. Shannon is fired up about how good people are in our industry and how willing everyone is to help. Shannon didn’t go to conferences until a couple of years ago, but she did participate in online forums (I Love Photography). Shannon would either save the 1k for a Sigma Art 105mm, or spend it on sales education. Or a Denny’s background. You’ll have to listen in to get that inside joke. Don’t miss the best advice Shannon ever “received” and the advice she has to share. Resources from Shannon: Pictocolor (plug in) YouTube Books: Lindsay Adler posing book Follow Shannon: Instagram/FB: atchleyphotography http://www.atchleyphotography.com/ Read Full Transcript 00:01 They said, Shannon, actually from actually photography and you're listening to from nothing to profit. 00:06 Welcome to from nothing to profit a photographer's podcast with Matt and Kayak where each week they talk to photographers about what is working in their business now so you can swipe those ideas and grow your business faster. 00:22 Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast. So I'm really excited. I have my friend Shannon Ashley on from northern Alabama and we have a really cool story where we met, I mean it was I guess over a year ago now. We met at after dark, um, and we've been fast friends ever since. And so we hung out at sink this year and next year we're speaking together at sync. And in some aspects I think like you're like my soulmate of a friend because you're hilarious and you always make my day brighter and make me laugh pretty hard. So thanks so much for being on the podcast. 00:57 Well thank you for asking me. 00:59 Yeah. So Shannon, we are, I'm excited to have you too. 01:03 Oh, you guys are both great. I'm excited to be here. 01:06 Yeah. So here's, let me tell you a little bit more. So it's kind of, this is how, this is how I met Shannon. So I was, I went to after dark and I was doing like this walk about with Marcy, Marcy and Christy and Shannon was there and I hadn't met her at all, but she wasn't, she was there and um, I was talking to Marcy and Marcy is like, yeah, you know, like we're okay, but have you seen Shannon's work? And I was like, no, I don't know who Shannon is. So like as we're walking around downtown in the middle of Wisconsin, I'm like looking at her Instagram and like dialed lighting, you know, like I would say you're probably one of the better photographers, Shannon. I've ever seen it off. Um, off camera lighting for sure. 01:41 No. Well thank you. Yeah, I didn't even realize that. Didn't realize you were looking at me at after dark except, but they are now. Yeah. But I did not realize that. So that's, that's really awesome because you're so good. You're in Cape Cod is it's caught. Yes. 01:58 Hi. Yes it is fine. 02:00 Okay. You guys are both great. So that is a huge compliment coming from you. Yeah. 02:06 Well thanks. Um, okay, so let's just kind of jump into the questions and kind of go from there. 02:10 Yeah, yeah, for sure. Huh. So Shannon, we're going to start at the beginning here. And so, um, can you share a little bit of, uh, like your expertise or what you feel like you're known for? 02:22 I feel like I'm acting, I am known for lighting. Um, you mean in the photography world or with the Bobbitt yes, yes. In the photography world. Yeah. I would say it's sliding. I actually teach lighting at the modern senior. Imagine. Um, I, I guess that's it. I've really never asked anybody, but like, you know, that's the venue noticed my art when you looked at my work. So I would say that that's it. 02:47 And then what about like under your photog...