hey there.

aquarius sun and rising, sagittarius moon. music addict. bookworm. preacher’s kid. queen of solo kitchen danceparties. forever sitting at the lunch table with all of the other weird kids.

in past lives, i spent many years in the wedding industry, had a solid stint as the creative director of a music fest, and was fortunate enough to see quite a few of my collage pieces become album covers. i experienced a major creative burnout after finding i’d boxed myself into a place where i was often on autopilot - creating on command for everyone but myself. during my time away from photography, i revisited many old mediums before rediscovering film.

when i realized that i could further explore a longstanding fascination with multiple exposures in a more organic and tangible way, i quickly fell back in love with the camera. what began as a last ditch effort to save my mental health during a difficult time quickly evolved into an obsession with seeing alternate universes from my imagination come to life by working with experimental films and fully embracing destructive photographic processes. introducing a lack of control into my art has brought me back to life in more ways than one.

one of the nicest things i’ve heard repeated over the years is that my work makes people feel like they were actually there. i tend to photograph the people and spaces around me as i see and feel them in an authentic way while doing my best to protect the natural flow of energy. deeply inspired by music, art, poetry, and nature, i find my work to be the most fulfilling and exciting when collaborating with others who are wired similarly.

i’m not for everyone. i will not recreate a pinterest image for you. i care very much about the details and prefer to weave meaningful layers and textures into my work whenever possible. if you prioritize unique imagery and have a project you’d like to work together on, please feel free to reach out via the contact form or by emailing me directly at shaina@shainasheaffphoto.com.

i am no longer accepting wedding inquiries.