Am I Driven? Absolutely!

Susan Wines '08

After one conversation with Susan Wines ’08, one thing is clear: she is one driven person. “I do not like standing idle,” she said. In addition to being a Converse senior majoring in music education with a 3.98 grade point average, the Boiling Springs, South Carolina native is also a teacher and a successful photographic business owner.

A gifted musician, Susan provides double bass, electric guitar and guitar lessons both privately and through Spartanburg’s Music Arts Center. She has played for the Spartanburg Philharmonic, conducted a bass clinic for Dorman High School and a summer strings camp for James F. Byrnes High School.

“I really enjoy being in a setting where I can inspire. I find it frustrating if I’m teaching someone who is a bit complacent, especially if I know they can do better.”

While music may be the cornerstone of her heart, photography eventually introduced her to the world of business. “I began to dabble with photography during a seventh grade trip to Australia. We were actually in Tangalooma, Australia which turned out to be a perfect place for shooting landscapes with my simple point and shoot camera. I was drawn to photography almost immediately and went on to join the yearbook staff at my school.”

Susan’s parents took note of her interest and bought her a slightly better camera. She gained experience by taking photos of her family and friends whenever she could. After her senior year of high school, she landed her first paying gigs. “A friend of mine asked me to photograph his wedding and my high school hired me to shoot sports.”

Knowing that her skills as a photographer were improving and were also in demand, Susan set about launching her own business, which eventually matured into SW Studios. “I conducted a lot of research online about starting up a business and secured my business license. I even designed my own website, which was very basic to begin with but has developed into something I can live with.”

Since she’s shooting in the digital age, Susan also took classes in graphic design, and has since become proficient with InDesign, Illustrator and PhotoShop. “The classes were good but most of my photography skills have matured simply by experimenting.”

One of the things that becomes evident in conversation is Susan’s mind for business. “I have to make wise decisions about my advertisements, the photographers I hire (she currently has two working for her), taxes and contracts. Through my website and word of mouth, I normally have my plate full with weddings, headshots, engagement photos and pet photos. Rather than having fixed packages for my customers, I talk with them about the types of shots they want, and we develop a specific package for that customer. I take each project very seriously and view them as actual documentations of an event.”

For weddings, Susan has traveled throughout the region. “I was even hired to shoot a wedding in Kentucky. It’s usually much less expensive to hire me than to hire someone local because I have virtually no overhead because I handle the photography, development, mounting and framing. I actually do not even charge my customers for mileage if the event is within a fifty mile radius.”

As for the pros and cons regarding digital and film photography, Susan sees the advantages of both. “I think that film is becoming a lost art. With film, you need to really be proficient with all of the camera settings and how the film itself will react. With digital, I can instantly judge if the lighting is the way that I want it, shoot many more photos and deliver them much quicker.”

With her music lessons and photography gigs filling up her calendar, one is left to wonder what she does for relaxation. “Relaxation? What’s that? Virtually every weekend is accounted for through the photography business or music lessons. But I like it that way. Am I driven? Absolutely, but I love it.”