About Sheldon Anderson
I grew up in a small town in North Louisiana in the 60's and early 70's. Running around on my grandparents small farm, fishing, hunting, helping in their garden, milking, chasing and being chased by cows, gathering eggs in the hen house, just having a grand old time. From a family of very limited means, I didn't ask for much but worked hard for what I received. Yes, a more simple life that many kids now will never know about. A slower pace than today for sure! Looking back, would not have traded it for anything.
I guess that foundation went a long way in teaching me to be more self-sufficient, learning to do things on my own, figure things out, thinking outside the box.
These life lessons carried me thru my school years, started working at 16 while going to school, never attended collage, married at 20, two children. We worked hard for the things we were blessed with, wasn’t an easy life but better than many around us.
1978, My full time work carrier path started. Out of school, living in Alexandria La, it was time to find direction. Started work in the auto parts, agricultural & industrial parts supply business which gave me a wide view of critical support structure of business around us in our daily lives.
1981, I took a more focused direction in the industrial bushiness, moved to the New Orleans area, 1st taste of a larger city, four years in the big city was too much, and moved back north to the area where I grew up.
1987 is when my current career started with a German based family owned international industrial gearing and automation manufacturing company where I work as District Sales Engineer/Manager. Supporting the Louisiana and south Mississippi markets working with plant and equipment builder engineers to use our products in their businesses. It’s been 38 years in this roll. Actually only the 4th job in my life.
Then comes photography; while traveling to Germany on company trips, I started taking photos of this new world. Never really doing anything with them but showing them to family and friends. Yes, this was before Facebook.
2012 is when I started taking this a little more serious after returning from a trip to Ireland & Scotland. This is when started to realize many of the photos just didn’t match what I remembered about those special moment.
That’s when photography became a bigger focus. As I noted before “figure things out”, I had to understand the “Why”. Never have taken any photography training classes or formal training, where to start?
2013, I joined a camera club in Baton Rouge with over 100 active members and looking at other photographers on YouTube looking for answers to the “Why!!” I bought better camera gear, helped but still not answering that question. Monthly photo contest, I could see other people’s work and styles.
It was when I found a couple of photographers on YouTube that I was following that would show how they post processed their images, that’s when the “why” started to become clear. I started following their processes, teaching myself the software tools, things started to change with my images.
All camera have limitations compared to how “we” see the world around us. GOD blessed us with eyes and a brain that can achieve wonders. Emotions, feelings, interests, all of which factor into the memory of that moment.
It’s understanding the limits of the camera, understanding how & what image data to gather; then using software to recreate that moment. Yes, the pieces of the puzzles are starting to come together.
2014, Is when I started showing my work and was shocked that people liked it. After wining several of the contests, I became the Artist of the year in Color Prints, level A (semi-pro class) and Artist of the Year, tied with Cathy Smart in total win points across all categorizes.
2015, is when I started showing my work at local art shows, then moved to regional, and the top rated juried art-shows across the eastern US. Now, the world with this web site.
I hope you enjoy my work and it would be an honor for you to hang my Wall Art in your home!!
May you have a blessed day!