Shane Bevel is an editorial and commercial photographer based in Tulsa, Okla. Shane spent nearly a decade working for newspapers from The Dallas Morning News to the Shreveport (La) Times and lastly the Tulsa World. He has photographed five major hurricanes, two LSU National Championship seasons and countless daily assignments. After leaving the Tulsa World, Shane has continued to photograph editorial assignments for national news sources such as USA Today, the L.A. Times, Bloomberg Markets while adding commercial clients interested in editorial-style images to his client list. His work may be seen at www.shanebevel.com.

1. Tell us how you found your way into photography.

I started making photos when I was just a kid. My grandmother showed me how to use her Polaroid Instamatic and it was all uphill from there. I got my first “real” camera in junior high school and after taking some classes I shunned my well thought out career in computers and headed straight for journalism school at the University of North Texas.

2. How do you classify yourself as a photographer?

Simply put, I am a story-teller, and I use that talent as an editorial and commercial photographer. After a decade in the newspaper industry I can handle just about any photographic assignment from food to portraiture, but I really love shooting outdoors, faith in action, sports and heavy industry assignments. I also teach one class per semester at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

3. Describe to us a typical week in your life.

Generally speaking I start my week on Monday night in Stillwater inspiring and being inspired by young photographers.
Then I usually shoot some editorial assignments somewhere in the region either for national or local media outlets. Then I work hard on building up a list of stellar commercial clients. I also handle all my own bookkeeping, marketing and of course spend lots of time with my two English Setters Belle and Brownie and my beautiful muse of a wife Frances.

4. What is  your favorite subject matter?

Currently my favorite subject matter is outdoors and hunting work. If I could make a living photographing upland hunting and pointing dogs I would be the happiest man in the world. Alas, we all have to pay the bills. The fact of the matter is that I love to make photographs of anything and I am truly blessed to be able to make a living doing so.

5. How do you approach a photo shoot?

I think it really depends on the shoot. With some editorial shoots there is little if anytime to prepare, so the best approach is to take a big breath, pack what you can carry on your back, and just jump right in.

However, over the last year it has been interesting to approach things from the commercial angle, talking with art directors, scouting locations and dealing with an assistant are all still fairly new to me but I am learning quickly.

From a creative stand point I like to select a lens or a technique to start the shoot with. Sometimes that’s the final image and sometimes it’s not, but it gives me a place to start. More times than not I start with my 50mm 1.4 and work from there.

6. Can you share with us a memorable experience from your career? A special moment, or favorite shoot?

Well, there have been a lot. Some really wonderful, some really horrible.

The one that always sticks out is standing on the porch of a beach house in Holly Beach, La. Hurricane Rita was bearing down on us and the family was packing their things. They kept talking about when they would get back and unshutter the house and get back to normal life. We had seen the results of Hurricane Katrina just weeks before and I knew that there would be nothing left of their home if the storm hit hard. In fact it did and all of Holly Beach was wiped off the map.

Weeks later I was standing in the first French Quarter catholic school to reopen when a nun announced that the bathroom had flooded due to an overflowing toilet. In a worry-filled voice a little girl asked: “Sister Mary Rose… how high will the water get this time?” My heart sank. Covering those two hurricanes for 2 months solid was one of the most taxing and rewarding experiences of my life.

On the positive side, traveling to El Salvador last year to document a Fuller Center for Housing project had so many wonderful moments it’s hard to pick one. Interviewing and photographing Don Antonio, a 90+ year old coffee farmer was among the best though.

7. Do you think being from (or working in) Oklahoma has influenced your artistic vision? If so, how?

I haven’t been here long, just about two years. But I love the creative community here in Tulsa and the ability to easily travel in a region that is not over-saturated with photographers. The wide open spaces of central and western Oklahoma remind me of west Texas where I was born. There is not much better in this world than watching the sun set when 90% of what you see in front of you is wide open sky. I try to capture that feeling in my work, the feeling of freedom and of endless possibilities.

8. How have you benefited from being part of a creative community (workplace, classroom, associations, etc.)

There are a lot of things I miss about the newspaper world (and plenty I don’t!) but one of those things is being a part of a team of photographers. Being a part of a staff for so long really taught me to pull inspiration from the work of my peers and apply it to my own vision. Although I still maintain a huge network of editorial peers, locally I have found some of that same advantage in groups like ADCT and of course my students at OSU.

9. What is your vision of the future of the industry?

Wow, who am I to say? I know that the future of the editorial industry is unsure to say the least, but I have faith in the work and respect for those who do it. I think that our toolbox will continue to expand every day, but I think that all in all we will continue to be effective in whatever medium we are presented with.

10. What is the vision of your future?

I don’t really know I suppose. In my dreams it’s all beautiful English Setters on point, antique gun barrels warm to the touch and world class glass to capture it all with. In reality it’s likely a life filled with great moments captured in a box and shared with the world.

11. Can you lend some advice to young photographers?

Meet everyone you can. Put your work in front of anyone who will look. Then shut up and listen like your life depended on it.