Welcome to my site! 

I am Steph Shanks, owner of Steph shanks Photography and leader of a transformational group coaching program called, Women’s Power Hikers.  For years, I have been learning how to be an excellent portrait photographer.  I thought that success meant that I would be working my tail off- photo sessions back to back – day in day out.  I would struggle to get out of bed in the morning because I thought that until I was at that point, that I wasn’t good enough.  Success to me meant that I had to give up something.  To be truly successful, I felt that I had to be busy all the time, give up my valuable family time, and work hard.  I thought that if my business did not look like how I envisioned success to be, that I was doing it wrong.  I thought I was wrong, and I wondered how to do it right.  I looked at other photographers’ websites and tried to emulate their sites.  I learned web design, SEO, keyword research, and more.  Always, desperate to fulfill this wanting with more things- more outer knowledge.  

During the pandemic, I spent time learning meditation and how to tap into my own inner guide.  I learned that we are all searching for the next thing that will validate that we are not good enough.  I learned that our belief that we are not good enough just comes from programmed thoughts that were passed down to us from our parents and grandparents.  I learned that we can simply, let go of those self-abusive thought patterns.  I learned that if we are seeking more clients, more love, more connection- that first, we must be willing to receive.  To receive, to relax, to love- that is the truest quest.  

We are capable of such amazing things in our lives.  But we resist out of fear- that we will have to leave something behind.  We resist because fear tells us that we will fail.  We resist because the stories in our heads tell us that we are not smart enough, pretty enough, young enough, etc.  

I am here to tell you that you are perfect just the way you are.  There is no more waiting, the time is now.  If photography has taught me one thing, it’s that time is precious.  If you are here, looking at photographers- it means that you are ready.  We never know how long we or the ones we love the most will be around, so make the call and book the session today!