Alumni Feature – Maria Sharp

Hello! I’m Maria Sharp, a 2013 photojournalism graduate. Since graduating I have started my own wedding photography business in Cleveland, Ohio. I’m in my second season and things are going great!

I’m able to use my storytelling skills that I learned while at RIT to create meaningful, gorgeous images that my clients can cherish for a lifetime. I love capturing the essence of my couples and being able to illustrate for them what their real love looks like.

One of the reasons I’m where I am today is because of networking. I cannot stress how important it is. In school everyone talked about networking so much that it became white noise, but they were so right! The summer after graduation I contacted any local photographer I wanted to work for, asking if I could second shoot for them. A lot of people said no, but a lot of people also said yes – even midseason! From there I met one of my mentors who invited me into a local wedding photographer networking group. That group has since led me to jobs, weddings, friends, and all in all a great resource. I’m thankful to work in an area with so many talented people.

I never once saw myself as an entrepreneur growing up, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Wedding photography is such a perfect fit for my type-A personality. I love being able to capture timeless moments with people who actually want you around. I thrive on the high paced energy of a wedding day. I love working for myself, you certainly need to be motivated because no one else is going to tell you to do your work. But when you love what you do it hardly feels like work.

Wedding photography used to be a completely different industry. It was looked down upon by “real” photographers but it’s a different world now. People love their job and create crazy amazing images. I love being a part of such a meaningful community!

To see more of Maria’s work, go to http://mariacsharp.com/