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Hi, my name is Shawn. Don't let the name fool you - I'm a girl. I think and act impulsively with my heart and it has led me to some amazing places.
I am originally from Vienna, Virginia, a small-ish town outside Washington, DC. I always felt Australia was where I would end up, and studied a semester abroad at the University of the Sunshine Coast in 2006. Two weeks before leaving, I met a guy.
After returning to the USA to finish my journalism degree, I was thisclose to accepting a job in New York City, pursuing what I thought was my dream magazine editing career. My heart knew it wasn't right, and that the city would strangle the sunshiney beach lover hiding inside me.
So, much to my mother's dismay (love you mom), I chose to move 9,000 miles away instead of into a cramped apartment on 14th Street. I moved in with that guy on day one (we hadn't seen each other in over a year), and now, nearly six years after we met, we are married.
The only problem with this scenario is that living on the Sunshine Coast + being under a variety of working visa restrictions meant never really doing what I thought I wanted to do: magazine editing. For two years I was a barista/strawberry picker/freelance writer by day, bartendress by night. I tried three different business ventures that failed because they just weren't right. I soon learned it would take more than a pretty business card to succeed.
So I saved for a great camera, started shooting everything for free, and rediscovered my love for photography that I first found at 17. Sabra Creative was born! I have learned so much along the way, and without realising it have discovered my very own style. It involves capturing the moment that you never knew existed. It is all about natural light, the environment, your expressions. It's about presenting every print and product with a sprig of lavender, a package wrapped in raffia. My logo represents the cherry blossom trees which signal the arrival of spring in Washington, DC.
I miss home sometimes. Packing up and moving isn't easy, but neither is staying in the same place when you know it's not where you're meant to be.
I hope we can meet, and talk about your story, because I want to hear it all, and have all the time in the world for those who are passionate about finding the right person to photograph the biggest (and smallest) moments in their lives.
Thanks and see you soon.
xx Shawn xx
sabra creative
about me