It’s sometimes hard to articulate an “eureka” moment. When something becomes so crystal clear that you can’t believe it’s actually there. For Sam Shoge, his “eureka” moment came in the form of a YouTube video. He had been searching for years for a creative outlet…that one “thing” that provides a yin for your yang. He knew what he wasn’t – an artist, a musician, a gardener. He didn’t even own a camera, but when he watched videos about drone photography, something clicked.
Sam claims that he can’t take a decent “ground” photo with a regular DSLR camera, but something magical happens from his DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone camera. His photographs tell a story, from a bird’s eye view. Sam’s images tell the story of land meeting water; the early morning light kissing the water; the stillness of an early morning bathed in mist.
Once Sam found his creative outlet, it was full steam ahead. His growing knowledge of this still new technology came in huge waves. Sam’s personal interests in technology innovation and rural landscapes and community combined with aerial photography and videography provided a maker’s path for Sam.
“I was drawn to drones as a tech-savvy adult who had long been seeking a creative outlet. It was a natural fit,” he explains. He could be seen all over Kent County at dawn and dusk, his favorite time of day to photograph, honing his craft. Whether it’s in the field or at the computer in post-production, Sam is constantly learning new techniques.
Sam received encouragement from friends and family to take his new hobby to the next level. As an economic development professional in Talbot County, he is familiar with entrepreneurship. Soon, Shore Studios was born. He transitioned, as he now had a grander scale to seek new ways to tell bigger, more immersive stories…someone else’s story.
He takes pride in the distinct elements that must be carefully combined to create an aerial photograph: deep technical skills, a keen awareness of light and an eye for composition and movement. Already a relationship builder as a professional, Sam works closely with clients to capture an individual story. “My goal is to work closely with them to build relationships and, by doing so, to understand the message each image needs to uniquely convey. Because of this, every project at Shore Studios is different.”
While each project is different, they are all looking from above. Sam’s motto for Shore Studios says it all – New Perspectives Await.
Sam may be reached at 443-406-8082 or info@shorestudios.co. See his work at shorestudios.co or at Facebook @shorestudiosco (“co” not “com”).
A New Dimension to Storytelling
The accolades keep rolling in for Sam Shoge, both personally and professionally. Sam’s wife, DeLia, gave him a drone for Christmas in 2016 and Sam founded Shore Studios in the spring of 2017 to capture photography and videography of the Eastern Shore and Chesapeake lifestyle from new, aerial perspectives.
One of his drone photographs at Downrigging Weekend in Chestertown was selected by Chesapeake Bay magazine as a “2018 Best of the Bay” photo contest winner. In addition to being published as a two-page spread, the photo was also published in their 2019 calendar.
This recognition follows on the heels of another of his drone photos winning “People’s Choice Award” at the Chestertown RiverArts juried photo exhibition in 2018. Entering his photograph, “Chestertown: Through the Fog and Ice,” in his first competition ever earned him the “People’s Choice” award.
In January, Shore Studios was honored to receive the “Best New Business of the Year” award at the annual Excellence in Business Award Gala held by the Kent County Chamber of Commerce. Each year, the Kent County Chamber of Commerce takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding businesses and individuals in the community. The “Best New Business of the Year” award is presented to a business that has been operating for no more than three years and has made substantial contributions to the community. Recognized for delivering a unique and innovative service to the Kent County community, increasing revenues by 400% in 2018, and winning numerous accolades, Shore Studios received the most votes in the category.
Sam plans on exhibiting more of his drone photography in the near future, but in the meantime, visit www.shorestudios.co to view some of his work.