Sharp and clean: Meet Herron alumnus photographer Kimber Shaw

Every so often, we feature a Herron alum to highlight how our graduates are carving out unique and varied career trajectories. Today we're spotlighting Kimber Shaw (B.F.A. Photography '14), a commercial and fine art photographer currently based in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Shaw took the time to answer questions about his big break, what it's like to shoot for commercial clients. Read on to learn about the day-to-day of his camerawork.

HERRON: What originally piqued your interest in photography?

My grandfather was a photographer who gave me all of his analog gear, including a darkroom. I started to tinker around with photography when I was 16 or 17 years old and it was an immediate connection for me.

HERRON: How would you describe your photographic aesthetic?

Honestly, I think I try and stay away from one aesthetic because it can be limiting. I mostly shoot commercially, and when I shoot for myself it is usually portraiture. I am very interested in the cleanest, sharpest shot I can get, so I guess that is my approach.

HERRON: What's your day-to-day like as a photographer?

I do some freelance work, but I am hired full-time as the lead photographer at the Honolulu Design Center, which is a furniture store. That entails a lot of shooting. I work 40-50 hours a week and I would say half of that time is editing my images so they are ready for publication. On average, I am juggling five to six projects a month. It is fantastic.

HERRON: You capture a variety of subject matter, ranging from interiors to landscape videography. What do you love to shoot most?

I absolutely love to shoot furniture because of the challenge that it holds. The items are big and angular, and some surfaces are reflective and some are not. It makes for a treat to light each item I shoot and to really study the design behind each piece—and there is a constant learning curve. It's really a dream job for me.

When it comes to going out and shooting for fun, I enjoy flying drones and capturing footage from a different perspective because video can teach a photographer a lot about framing and composition.

HERRON: Five years after graduating with a B.F.A., your client list includes Adidas, ESPN, HGTV, and New York Times Magazine. What was your first big break?

My first break was Adidas because it showed me the side of commercial photography that I was really interested in – the big scale lighting, strokes, backdrops, and large production teams working together for a single image.

HERRON: What are some of the biggest technical challenges you've had to overcome with your image-making process?

Good question. File management is so important when you are processing 500-1,000 images a week. Being able to go back two or three years and quickly find a single image that a client wants is something that every photographer should be able to do and it's not easy.

Another thing that is a challenge is the popularity of photography with social media. Clients are less willing to pay big bucks for photos because the medium is so common place now. Everyone is a photographer… but not everyone is a good photographer.

HERRON: In what ways did your time at Herron prepare you for this career path or impact you creatively?

Herron was such an incredible experience for me. I really grew up in those four years because of the faculty. Andrew Winship was a great professor who made me think outside of the box and to see the things around me in a different light. He was the reason I received a summer-long fellowship at Ox-Bow School of Art in Michigan.

Secondly, Linda Adele Goodine [a former Herron photography professor] was an incredible mentor to me and paved the way for my career. I was her studio assistant for three years and learned the ins-and-outs of photography, both the technical and the theory. I don't think I would have gone to San Francisco Art Institute and receive my master's if it was not for her.

HERRON: Which photograph or series are you most proud of and why?

A collaboration with Johnathan Baker (B.F.A. Photography '15) my senior year of undergrad at Herron is still something I look back on and am truly proud of. Our exhibition was titled "Four Wide on the Backstretch" and it taught me a lot about the importance of collaborating because when it is done right, amazing things can happen.