Meet Shannon Kirk | Photographer

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

Hi Shannon, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I pride myself on customer service. I make sure that I respond to clients or potential clients within a very timely manner, I also make sure that when I send out my photo galleries to my clients that it is done rapidly, and to the best of my ability in terms of how the photos look. When I start to work with a client, I ask them questions about what they like about my photos that made them reach out to me, what they want to see in their own photos, and just to tell my about themselves. The best photos can come from the most random things, like when I have a couple taking photos, sometimes telling them to tell each other an embarrassing story or something funny can give the best candid photos.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Getting to where I am now was not an easy start, and I know I don’t have the easiest road ahead of me. Here in New Orleans, there are so many other photographers who do amazing work, but I believe that my photos set me apart from those other photographers. I try to give my clients the best that I can, and not every photo has to look exactly the same. Some photos deserve to have a darker look, or a brighter look. A lot of photographers stick to one look, and make every photo very similar to the next, when that’s not necessarily how it should be. Each photo tells it’s own story. If the mood in the photo has a deeper feel, I feel that photo can have a deeper, more intense look. If it is bright and airy and laughing and joking around, then a bright look makes that photo pop more. I want the world to know that I am the fun photographer who wants to make you laugh and doesn’t always want the most perfect standstill photo without emotion. Give me the emotion, give me the joy, give me the sadness, give me everything, and I will give you the photos you dreamed of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love helping to plan a fun week trip, especially having all the experience with planning my wedding and itinerary for friends coming to town for it. The first place I would take them would be the Audubon Zoo, it has such a unique feel and it has been my favorite place to go since I was a little girl. Anytime someone tells me they are traveling to New Orleans, that is the first place I tell them to go. Another thing to do is to go on a swamp tour, which are best to go on during the summer when the gators are out the most. It is such a neat thing to experience, and I hope that everyone does get to experience it at some point.
My favorite food places would be Frankie and Johnny’s. They have some very delicious New Orleans cuisine. Another great restaurant is Nola Cookery in the French Quarter. My favorite food dish is fried alligator. When people say that gator tastes just like chicken, they aren’t kidding!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to give all of my credit to my very-soon-to-be husband. Throughout. my journey of starting my business, he has been through my side the whole time. He has encouraged me to go above and beyond, he has encouraged me to shoot for the next galaxy instead of the stars. When I tell him of a potential photo shoot, he is cheering me on telling me how much he believes in me and that I’ll do an amazing job. I really would not be in this position without him.

Website: skirkphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skirk.photography/

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