With the recent influx of social media influencers around the world, it may be kind of difficult to find someone relatable. I am always on the hunt for new influencers that have the same interests, fashion sense or lifestyle as I do. Living in a college town like Tallahassee, I sometimes find it difficult to relate to girls on social media that live in big cities like New York and Los Angeles. This was true until I encountered Shelby Barnes. Recently, I was introduced to Shelby Barnes during a Her Campus guest speaker event. I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions on the trials and tribulations of being a successful content creator in Tallahassee, Fl. She says, “Just because you aren’t in a ‘big’ city doesn’t mean you can’t showcase your talents and interests and make it work! My advice on this is: Make the most of where you’re planted right now.”
Shelby Barnes, from Pensacola, Florida, is an alumna of Florida State University. During her time here she studied Marketing with a concentration in Retail Management. It was during her years at FSU that she discovered her love for content creating. Barnes took a study abroad trip in the Summer of 2016 and says, “We planned trips to several different countries and Italy was on the top of my list…I remember thinking how much I loved to just walk the canals and bridges and just take so many photos and videos. I was thrilled to be able to show my family and friends this beautiful place we visited. I think in that moment I truly discovered that I had a love for storytelling– to share with others my passions, connect with them on their interests and give insight and advice.” It was then that she began her journey with social media.
Barnes describes her content as “different.” Her goal is to have every picture tell a story and speak for itself. She often uses unconventional props and beautiful locations to create unique content. Barnes is dedicated to her work and makes it a point to shoot content weekly with her photographer Kendi Austinson. You can get a feel of Shelby’s personality through her photos, which is something that sets her apart from everyone else. She says, “My content is a mix of lifestyle, fashion, and travel. When I started out, I wanted to be ‘different’, so I decided to tell my love story and add Jake (Barnes’ husband) into the mix. I add in fun trips we take throughout the year with a little twist or storytelling. I add in my love of fashion with lifestyle so everyone can relate. In every single photo I create, I go above and beyond putting my heart and soul into creating. I have so much fun with it.”
So, you must be thinking, how does she find the inspiration for these photos and most of all, where is she taking them? Barnes lets me in on a little inside scoop and shared some of the content creators that you must follow. Some of her friends and inspirations include Emily Layne, Kamryn Law, Paige Arminta Watts, Kimberly Anne and Tezza. Besides inspiration from other people, she also says that inspiration is all around you. Barnes says, “From little items in your bedroom to a random spot in a parking lot, use your imagination and create. Usually, I turn to Pinterest when I want to find fashion or editorial type inspiration. I love it because it helps me to envision what I want to create but give it my own little twist.” She also shares that some of her favorite spots to shoot content are Railroad Square Art District, Lafayette Heritage Trail, SōDOUGH Baking Co. and random parking garages.
I think we all know that the term “influencer” can sometimes have a negative connotation to it. I believe it is interesting to see how someone who would be considered an “influencer” handles that term. Barnes shared her view on the term stating, “The title ‘influencer’ can mean so many different things to different people. It usually comes with a ‘negative’ vibe to it, which can be a bit discouraging. I usually start out by referring to myself as a content creator when I first tell someone about what I do…Most of the time they go, ‘Oh, so you’re just an influencer?’, but being just an influencer is so much work. It’s more than just taking a photo and posting it to social media. Your one job as an ‘influencer’ is to provide value…Your job is to find a balance between sharing ads versus fun content, to share from your experiences or what you love and connect. Creating photos is only half the part. You have to come up with an idea, make sure the brand likes it, shoot and edit, and then engage…In a world that’s so easy to judge and compare, I want to be an influence that people see and relate to…If my job as an ‘influencer’ is to influence people I want to do it the right way…My goal is to hopefully impact just one person in a positive way, if I do that then I’ll be proud.”
I also got to know a little bit more about Shelby and her other passions. When she is not content creating, you can find her thrift shopping, DIY-ing, watching Netflix, traveling or hanging out with her cute mini dachshund. When asked about her biggest accomplishment, Barnes says, “I quit my nine to five job a year ago and wanted to pursue this ‘content creator’ life. I didn’t know what to expect. I started to pitch myself, engage and believe I could do it. I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am for those that support me on the daily and help me to live my dream. I’ve been able to work with some of my favorite brands, go on trips and meet some of my very best friends all thanks to this social media journey.”
You all must be wondering, what’s next for Shelby Barnes? She says, “I’d absolutely love to venture into other areas of social media. I actually just launched my blog recently– it’s called Styles by Shelbs— and I’ll be sharing links to my outfits, fun DIY’s, trip information and guides, fashion and styling, relationship advice, etc. I’m working on making more styling videos, Q&A’s, or just fun videos in general that people can gain something from! Plus, it’s just another fun creative outlet. I usually post them to IGTV but am looking to branch into YouTube too.” Overall, her biggest dreams are to make a positive impact on someone’s life. She says she’d love to continue to grow, be able to travel and let others know they can do this too.
If you haven’t checked her out yet, be sure to here because this is an Instagram follow you won’t regret!
All photos courtesy of Shelby Barnes.
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