Photographer Spotlight | Shelby Miller
Shelby Miller is a new and talented photographer in the Texas Country Music scene. She has a unique, artistic eye behind the camera, with a special skill in capturing raw and real moments between artists and their fans.
Her genuine love for Texas Country Music is evident in all her photos. Even when she is working, you can catch her taking moments to set her camera down and fully absorb and enjoy each show she photographs.
Texas Country Music Magazine got the opportunity to talk with Shelby and hear more about her experience and her journey that led her to photographing in the Texas Country scene.
“Hey, it’s the teacher!” is usually what stops me in my tracks when I’m spotted at a venue somewhere along the I-35 corridor. But that’s what I am - a high school agricultural science teacher who also attends concerts in her free time. Last year it was 64 concerts, this year I’m a little over halfway there.
It’s funny to think about the parts music has played in my life. I grew up calling Gruene Hall during lunch in high school to ask about ticket prices, went to college in Stephenville where I can say I saw Whiskey Myers in 2010, Turnpike in 2011, Koe in 2012 (also thinking about how my ex-husband may have even asked if they’d play our 2014 wedding).
I kept concerting over the years, and it was on Good Friday of this year that I bought my first camera. Not even 24 hours later, I was headed to photograph a friend’s band at that venue where everybody’s somebody and my camera made me a photographer that quickly. I owe those Logan Ryan Band guys a huge thanks for being on the other end of my lens and accepting my silly mistakes. It seems like everyone’s photography journey is a lot of learning on the fly or from friends, and mine has been lots and lots of friends.
It's an easy answer for me when I’m asked to describe my photography style. For me, it’s about the people and their reactions. The musicians to each other or the audience. Capturing the front row because you don’t know if it’s friends and family of the band, or that die-hard fan that’s never missed a show, a first timer, or maybe it’s the person singing every song on Friday night off the album released Thursday at 11pm.
I often think about one photo Chris Kleinmeir took of Kody West a couple years ago of a guy hanging over the rail and to me that’s the shot. The one that says, “this is what the artists concert is like, so buy the ticket!”, even though I personally usually cry at Kody’s concerts which is not at all like that rowdy photo… but that’s just a me thing.
Finding my voice in concert photography has been a journey. I’m a millennial, verging on elder at that, who doesn’t use Photoshop so those double exposures are taken in the moment which I love! I’m really enjoying using monochromatics right now- they’re definitely a vibe!
Everyone needs to find their trademark and figure out what they want to be known for. It’s fun when you can look at a photo and go “heck yeah, so & so captured that!”
Hopefully one day I can have those kinds of photos, but until then, I’ll be at concert or in my classroom.”
We look forward to following Shelby’s photography as she continues to make a name for herself in the Texas Country Music scene. You can follow her on Instagram @shelbywhatnot or contact her for your photography needs at shelby.watson@go.tarleton.edu.