Meet Shay Andrews | Photographer

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

Hi Shay, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking is tricky because I think everyone views it so differently. I myself have not been a big risk taker in my life. I am very much a planner and someone that has taken the route where I have a good idea what the end of the road looks like. Of course we all know that there is little to no growth without taking risk, but it is hard to take that leap of faith.

Although I haven’t been much of risk taker, I have always had a spark of interest in me to start a business. I have also always had a big creative streak that I never have utilized in a career or business venture. When I got my camera (originally just to have for life and kids) and had used it a couple times, I was hooked and really did not look back. I just knew in my heart this was something that I was meant to do. When I was first tossing the idea around of making it a business, I was trying to think about what it would look like and what risks I was really running. The money invested in equipment? Putting myself out there? Failing? I quickly decided that none of those “risks” were enough to keep me from trying something new and chasing something I love.

There is risk involved in anything you might want to pursue, but there isn’t a successful person out there that did not take risks to get where they are. That is something I continue to remind myself everyday, and because of that I have been able to dive head first into this business and see where it takes me!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I think a big thing that sets me apart from other photographers is the name and my inspiration behind my photography. Dry Lakes Ranch is the name that my relatives gave our operation in Stoneham, CO back in 1910. We have since moved on from the name but it holds so much history that is near and dear to my heart, so I found it only fitting to carry the name on in my business. My dad has now raised corriente cattle on our place for many years, so I enjoy incorporating that into my photos.

I love being able to tell the story of my family and the ranch, so I think the story-telling part of photography is what hits home for me. You get to interact with so many different people in such different times of their life and they have trusted you to tell their story in the form of photos. That skill of being able to story-tell through photography is something that takes time and is something that I try to get better at with each session. Of course there is also the technological piece of it, but I think what makes a good photographer is being able to connect with your clients and create something that is unique to them. I will always strive to make sessions a fun experience for my clients and something that they feel represents them in the best way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are lots of good places to eat in the town of Yuma and surrounding areas. A few of our favorite places would be Tumbleweed Brewery, Paper Moon Pizzeria, 4th and Main in Wray, Parts and Labor Brewery in Sterling, or the golf course in Yuma which has the best steaks you will ever eat! Speaking of golf, we golf a lot around here, so we would probably do that one day. You wouldn’t think so but we have a very nice, well taken care of golf course out here that many people spend their afternoons at. Another thing about living in small-town USA is there is usually a lot of markets happening on the weekends in the summer. Lots of antique markets and boutiques that put on fun events, so we would probably go find one of those on a Saturday! There are also multiple shops in and around Yuma to do some fun shopping!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband deserves so much credit for encouraging me and my crazy ideas and going with the flow! He is so supportive and I am so thankful for him. My family has also been behind me as I have started this adventure, always helping me make decisions and being free advertisement. I also have so many amazing friends that continue to encourage me and cheer me on. It takes a village!

Website: drylakesphoto.com

Instagram: @drylakesphoto

Facebook: Dry Lakes Photography

Image Credits
Dry Lakes Photography