Meet Shelly Porsch Chetty of SPCcreative Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelly Porsch Chetty.

Shelly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My parents gave me my first camera, a plastic Diana-style camera with film spools and a spring-loaded shutter as we debarked on a family vacation when I was just five years old. Over the years, every time I went away or celebrated a special day at school, their first question was whether or not I had enough film. If my friends showed up with four rolls of film for the week of Girl Scout Camp, I shot four rolls a day. And I wrote everything on the back of the prints. Names, dates, interesting stories, you name it. Yeah! We printed our photographs back in the day. That was the only way we’d see what we had photographed, and that’s why we still have them now.

After graduating from The University of Texas with a degree in Journalism/Public Relations, I continually used my basic composition skills to document and publicize events and activities in conjunction with my work. It was truly my favorite part of my job. On a personal note, I have boxes and boxes of great snapshots of my children as they were growing up because I carried an instamatic camera in my purse ALL…THE…TIME.

Then, about 12 years ago I attended a presentation on lighting for portraits. A very classic-style Master Photographer showed me how to actually see and control light. OH MY GOODNESS! I was blown away. Suddenly the whole world appeared differently than it had just one day before. On Tuesday we just had the sun and clouds, but Wednesday I recognized a main light, backlighting, shadows, reflected light, and how they worked together. I was obsessed, feeling exactly the same as if I had fallen freshly in love. It was all I could think of, all I wanted to do. Everything I saw became a photographic challenge to set up and capture.

My first official gig was on the playing field at a Katy Taylor v Mayde Creek Varsity Football game. I photographed high school football for about five years, proposing, designing, and creating an updated and weekly-changing game program that won a national award and then revolutionized the way football programs are created for the Katy schools. That time and the people I met naturally led me into high school senior portrait photography.

Continuing education has been crucial to setting my studio apart from the multitude of photographers in this city. Because there’s a lot of talent out there, and people have a choice on whom to work with, I make sure to attend at least one or two advanced level photography schools and several smaller classes and workshops every year. There are so many ways to see and use light and technology, and I soak it all up like a sponge.

For several years as I was finding my way, I photographed anything and everything until I realized that t it’s best to pick a lane and stay in it. Choose what you do best, specialize, and set yourself apart.
Today I focus on three primary genres:
• High School Senior Portraits,
• Total Woman Heirloom Portraiture capturing the many facets of a woman from the boardroom to the boudoir,
• Corporate assignments such as headshots, annual reports, and extended small-business cohesive brand-building.

I work hard to provide an exclusive high-quality experience for my clients while creating images that are bold, personal, unique, and FUN.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! If it was easy, everyone would do it, right? Let’s call it a twisty road rather than smooth or bumpy. How ‘bout that? Of course there have been challenges.

To an outsider, the photography business looks like fun and games and if all I had to do was show up with my camera and a few lights to produce great images, it would be. Actually building a viable business from nothing and keeping the doors open for more than ten years has been quite a growing process and that part continues. I’ve done it all without debt. Bit by bit. Piece by piece. One goal at a time.

I’ve learned to delegate tasks such as bookkeeping, accounting, studio maintenance, and a few other things which has helped immensely.

Probably my biggest challenge was in learning to embrace the value of my own work. I remember feeling almost guilty in the early days for charging just a pittance. After all, I loved what I was doing SO VERY MUCH. How could I really expect people to pay for it? Little did I realize that after covering insurance, taxes, equipment, studio props, print products, etc. I was practically paying people for the privilege of photographing them. That had to stop, so one of my mentors sat me down and helped account for the actual costs of doing business while establishing fair yet profitable guidelines. That was a huge turning point!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about SPCcreative Photography – what should we know?
SPCcreative Photography is a boutique portrait studio specializing in three genres:
• High School Senior Portraits
• Total Woman Heirloom Portraiture, capturing the diamond-like facets of a woman and her personality from the boardroom to the boudoir.
• Business-related assignments ranging from annual report work and corporate headshots to cohesive branding consultation and folio building.

Our clients become like family to us. We treat regular people like celebrities and we treat celebrities like regular people. We take the time to get to know them and learn what they want in their portraiture, how they want to be portrayed, and how they plan to use their images before we even start planning their actual session. We consult in advance on wardrobe choices and styling, and we collaborate with some of Houston’s finest hair and makeup artists to provide a full service in-house experience.

We offer a professional indoor studio as well as a quirky and unique private outdoor portrait park which gives us the illusion of having traveled to multiple locations. Of course we love to work in remote locations as well, but it’s great to be able to offer a dedicated space that is not dependent on things like property-access or the weather.

A week or two after the portrait session we sit down together with our clients to help them choose and order their selections through a fun and interactive process. With our specialized software, we can show them exactly what their artwork will look like on their own walls, removing any guesswork about sizing or placement.

Most people come to us for lovely artwork that will enhance their home while capturing the essence and age of the person(s) being photographed. To help preserve all of the additional images that they love the best we also design lovely signature albums and heirloom quality small print products.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I’m an artist, so creativity and attention to detail are critical.

Beyond that, if my subject is not comfortable in front of the camera, it’s my job to help them relax and let their inner spirit shine through.

Most of all, though, it’s my job to help my subjects truly SEE themselves the way I see them. There’s nothing better than watching my clients as they view their images for the very first time when:

• A high school senior boy picks up a little swagger because he realizes that does look cool, not like the gawky dork he’s thought he was ever since junior high.

• A mother (or a daddy) reaches for the Kleenex when they see the changing moods and the genuine beauty of their graduating daughter who is about to leave home.

• A woman bursts into tears when she finally sees herself as beautiful–truly gob-smacking beautiful– for the very first time.

All of these things happen here on a regular basis. As long as they continue, I will know that I have done my job and done it well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.spccreative.com
• Phone: 281.773.7465
• Email: shellychetty@spccreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spccreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPCcreativePhotography/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SPCcreative

Image Credit:
All images ©Shelly Porsch Chetty/SPCcreative Photography — all rights reserved

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