ABOUT

ABOUT ME

I always find it so hard to write about myself! For starters I am far from a writer. I am a talker though! I do not know a stranger, and usually greet everyone with a hug!

With that being said Hi, I am Whitney owner and photographer here at Whitney Shea Photography. I am from a small town here in Licking, Mo. You know that town you hear about in country songs that has one stop light, a great little coffee shop, a huge flag, more cows than people, and everyone knows everyone! Yep that’s my town!

When I was younger I took advantage of this small town, I didn’t realize just how great it really was to come from a place where everyone knows something about everyone. But now that I am getting older and realizing that there might just be more good in this world than bad. I left and came back more than once. We had devastation hit our family, along with death… Every single road lead right back here to this little town that I call home full of familiar faces, a wave as you drive by, a helping hand when you need it and a place where I will forever be Kenny Trout and Teri Hoylman’s daughter. Someone always has a story about my dad, that I usually have to apologize for but always ends with “I sure do love Kenny”. My mom’s picture hangs in the high school gym from their volleyball state championship in 1979. So it is safe to say I have roots here in this little town! I look exactly like both of my parents and so does my sister but we look so different that people don’t even know we are full sisters! Strange huh?

I live my day to day life surrounded by two handsome cowboys and lots of animals! I am married to my best friend, one of the hardest working men I know. He calms my crazy and supports my wild ideas. He is the backbone to our family and the absolute best role model to the second cowboy in this family Benton! When I am not working I am usually chasing them around from one arena to another.

I have always loved photography even when I was a kid I had snapshots that I took with my throw-away film cameras from Walmart scotch taped all over my bedroom. I guess you could call me a little bit of an entrepreneur or as I like to call it a dream chaser! I have done a lot of things in my adult life. I even owned a movie theater! As fate would find it I found myself at a crossroads a few years back. Whether to follow the safe route or chase a dream.  I started by shooting sports, then I pointed my lens at my son Benton. From that moment on I just knew I had found what I was supposed to do in life, I was right where I belonged!

I could not be more blessed with the support I have had from this little town, and surrounding towns around while chasing this dream of mine. I have made some amazing friends and really stepped out of my comfort zone. Most people don’t believe me when I say this but I have a super low self-esteem so putting myself out there on social media and in the public eye was a huge leap for me personally. But I did it, and so far I have nothing but kindness and support! I always want to keep growing in this profession. Whether I am getting more or better equipment or furthering my education I don’t feel like I will ever learn all that there is to know, and I like that.

So now that I showed you all that I was really blessed from my daddy with the gifted gab! The short version of this long story is, I am a wife to my tall dark and handsome cowboy, Philip. I am a mom to a perfect little boy named Benton. He is my entire world! He is the orneriest most athletic-cowboy you’ll probably ever meet. He thinks he is really funny and will tell you lots of jokes to make you laugh. His favorite and opener is always “What type of bagel can fly?” … “A Plain One” I know; I know too Punny!!!

If you are still reading this thank you!! If you want or need to know anything else feel free to ask! I am available to travel anywhere! I have big goals and traveling is on the list! I look forward to working with you, I put my heart and soul into each and every session I shoot and each one of my clients mean more to me than they will ever know. Without you, my dreams wouldn’t be coming true! So Thank You Again!

XoXo, Whitney Shea