Welcome

Cultivating creativity one courageous act of love at a time.

It’s no coincidence that you’re here. The stars have aligned and the Universe has brought us together for a reason! I’ve got tons of manifestation stories to share with you later, but for now, let’s get to know each other…

Hi, I’m Shannon!

Thank you so much for being here! I founded Shannon Chavez Production in 2016 with a simple goal: to tell positively uplifting stories. My dream has evolved since then, but it’s still pretty simple: I aspire to spread love.

I find I feel most creative and aligned with my life’s purpose when I’m pursuing my passions, chasing my curiosities, learning new things, and giving back to my community.

It also helps to be surrounded by people who inspire me! There’s nothing that lights me up like connecting with creatives and working with purpose-driven individuals towards a shared goal.

When I’m connected to my true self, I’m best able to serve others.

Dare to live greatly…

I believe that vulnerability is the source of creativity.

It’s not always easy putting myself out there, but I know that reaching my full creative potential requires opening myself up to the risk of judgment. The risk of failure.

I strive to show up as myself, bravely choosing to look fear in the face and say, “I’m going for it anyway!”

At the end of the day, all I really know for sure is that sharing my gifts with the world feels good, so that’s what I strive to do.

Feeling the mission? Then let’s continue, friend!

SHANNON

A little more about me…

There’s no easy way to sum up all of the hats I wear as a multi-passionate entrepreneur but simply put, I use my gifts and creative passions to tell meaningful stories that light people up.

Adjectives people generally use to describe me are bubbly, eccentric, fun, nice, happy-go-lucky, enthusiastic, friendly, a ray of sunshine, a little “out there.” lol I could go on and on, but I’m pretty sure you get the picture. My friends and clients tell me that I’ve got a knack for bringing out the best in them. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m not afraid to be myself around new people. My playful energy and positive attitude give me the ability to lift people up and ultimately, make them feel confident and at ease in front of my camera.

When I’m not out shooting or running one of my businesses, I’m home in PJs, curled up with a good book, tuned into a podcast, practicing yoga, doing manifestation spells or mapping out my next big idea with a mentor over Zoom. I live and breathe for late-night dance parties, trips to the farmers market, and home-cooked meals with my husband Alex (especially when it’s his turn to do the dishes!) We live in Dormont, the sweetest little Pittsburgh neighborhood, and by the time yinz are reading this, we’ll FINALLY be married after postponing our wedding a year due to COVID.

Wondering how I got here?

My obsession with cameras began as a little kid, but I fell in love with filmmaking and storytelling in college. I graduated from Duquesne University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and tons of connections from my internships with the Pittsburgh Penguins and KDKA-TV. Right out of school, I spent two years in small-town West Virginia working as the morning anchor, reporter, and producer for WDTV Channel 5 News.

I quickly realized that the “Dream Job” I’d landed wasn’t quite as glamorous or fulfilling as I’d imagined, so in March of 2016, I took a leap of faith and moved home to the city with a mission: to be happy.

I feel we cannot continue on without a shout-out to a key player in manifesting this mission: My camera!

For the sake of full disclosure: although I grew up with a camera in my hand, I couldn’t tell you the difference between mirrorless and DSLR, or even how a camera actually works. But I have learned how to use my camera in ways that have transformed my life and brought so much value to others — probably more so than I ever could have done had I formally learned all the technical stuff!

Sometimes it feels like I still have no clue what I’m doing, but one thing is for sure; following my curiosities and passions fills my cup and when I’m fulfilled, I’m able to serve.

Meet, Alex! My other half. A better partner than I could ever have dreamt up for myself!

He’s taught me how to budget! Not just in my finances, but in all aspects of my life. He supports my dreams, he’s always ready to invest in my ideas and I couldn’t run a successful business or do life without him!

He’s opened up my mind to new ideas and makes me a better person every single day. We love hosting parties and spending weekends at the lake.

SERVICES

You’re in the right place if…

*You’re a fun-loving couple in need of a romantic date night (and maybe a few new photos for the ‘Gram.)

*You’re in love and planning a proposal, elopement, wedding, or celebration or you simply need some photos for your save the dates.

*You’re a bride thinking about gifting her fiance a boudoir book.

*Your family is growing and you want a way to capture all the sweet little moments.

*You’re an expecting mama (aka GODDESS!) who wants to honor her body and document her pregnancy.

*You’re a creative entrepreneur in need of beautifully branded content.

*You’re planning a party and your guests would love our Selfie Booth!

*You could use a confidence boost! (Hey, I’m Shan! I’ll be your hype girl any day!!)

*You’re sexy and you know it! You don’t need an excuse to pose for the camera!

Download my welcome guide for a list of services

Newborns, Nuptials, Proposals, and everything in between.

Love is my specialty!

With more than 100 weddings and nearly a decade of production experience under my belt, I’ve learned what my clients value most. It turns out, it’s not the epic drone shots, or the exotic locations or the artistic poses that bring them to tears….

It’s the RAW, natural, candid moments.

The in-between stuff…

*Quite mornings at home with warm coffee & extra snuggles

*The smell of fresh flowers picked straight from the garden

*Spilled popcorn and belly laughs on the living room floor

*Stollen kisses on sunset walks around the neighborhood

*Running for cover in the unexpected rainstorms

*Spontaneous tickle fights and EVEN peed pants!

*When mom and dad see their little girl for the first time in her wedding dress

*That brief moment grandpa joe makes it out to the dance floor and stands from his wheelchair

I set out to document this kind of magic. The spectacularly, ordinary, magically divine miracles that make up your story.

Weddings, birthdays and anniversaries give us an obvious reason to celebrate, but why stop there?

No matter what’s happening in your life at the moment, you’ve got a story to tell: a legacy.

So, how do you want to be remembered?

On my wedding day, my mom and I danced to the classic “I hope you dance” by Lee Ann Womack. It’s been our song since before I can remember. She even had a friend of mine perform it as a surprise gift at my bridal shower.

The chorus goes like this…

“I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean. Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens. Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance, and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.”

My mom has always encouraged me to live a full life with an open heart and it’s her legacy that I want to pass along to the next generation. Won’t you dance with me?

View my photography portfolio

choose the package that’s right for you

PROPOSALS & ENGAGEMENTS

I am a true believer in telling your story in a way that’s meaningful to you! Let’s spend a morning strolling through your favorite local farmers market or an evening building pillow forts and eating popcorn on your living room floor. Or… if you’re willing to trust me and you’re up for a little adventure, I’ll do all the planning and surprise you with an activity you’ll love! Better yet, I’ll help you surprise the person you love with the proposal or the date night of their dreams. Brainstorming this kind of stuff together is going to be so much fun! Click here for a link to a full engagement gallery!

BOUDOIR + BRIDAL SUITE

It’s my mission in life to help you recognize your worth and embrace your unique beauty! You deserve to feel beautiful and perfect, just the way you are! Join me at Eureka Studio for a day of self-love and a major confidence boost or bring your sweetie along for a steamy couples session and treat yourselves to a date you’ll never forget! Hair and makeup, massages, overnight stays and keepsake albums available to add upon request! A bottle of champagne (or your favorite sparkling beverage) included with every session! If you love the space, have it for your entire wedding weekend!! It’s a two-bedroom home in Mt. Washington with a full kitchen, front porch and backyard space with access to tables and chairs for intimate events of up to 24 people and the lighting is amazing for photos of your bridal preparations! See my boudoir portfolio!

PERSONAL BRANDING

I help creative business owners build trust and likeability with their idea clients by providing them with beautiful branded content to share across their platforms. Whether you’re just starting up a creative business or you’ve been running your own company for decades, I’ve found that building a community and consistently engaging with that community is key to running a successful and profitable business. When we show our faces in our brands, we tell our listeners who we are, and when we provide relatable, educational, and helpful information that aligns with our offerings, we can building strong and lasting relationships with our customers. Invite me into your home, your office, or your shop and we’ll style your space in a way that showcases you in your best light! If you’d prefer a session at my studio, come on over and we’ll style your brand story together! Click here to view a personal branding gallery.

My favorite part about Salsa is that he’s not just a photo booth! He’s a video booth too!! You and your guests can take photos, capture boomerangs, and gifs, and record video messages up to 2 minutes long with a handy dandy Bluetooth microphone. PLUS, all the goods are uploaded on the spot to a live gallery for safe-keeping and 24/7 access!

During the event, you and your guests can text or email the images to your phone or download them all at once the minute you get home. Imagine waking up the morning after your wedding and scrolling through the hilarious drunken messages from your friends and family before you even get out of bed! Who needs prints?! Let’s save the environment!

CLICK HERE TO INQUIRE ABOUT YOUR DATE

“Shannon has genuine happiness and joy for what she does. Even throughout Covid she worked with us on all of our changes and provided input to make our lives easier. As it got closer to our wedding on 10/24/2020, we went over every single detail to fit everything we wanted in our busy wedding day schedule. She nailed every single aspect and made a clear impact. A lot of our guests gave us compliments on her professionalism and enthusiasm. I highly recommend her for everything from general shoots to your big day! She is AMAZING!“

Mike + Nicole Friedsam

I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity @airbnb has given me to supplement my income during a very strange year as a small business owner.

“Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Mark Twain

Meet, Amy! My hypnotherapist and dear friend. I like to think I manifested her into my life 😂

We’ve got some honeymooners coming all the way in from OH this weekend to stay at @eurekastudioPGH on their wedding night! 🥰 Love a good excuse to buy up all the fresh flowers at @traderjoes 🌼🤪🌸

Happy birthday to the most beautiful, fun loving woman I know: my mom—the dancing queen!

AIRBNB

Dreams really do come true!

When my fiancé / accountant Alex sent me the listing for a house in Mt. Washington addressed 412 Eureka Street, I took it as a sign.

If you’re from Pittsburgh, you know that 412 is our area code here and the word “eureka” had me feeling as if I’d just discovered something spectacular!!! 💡

We’d been talking for years about ways to grow my business and to generate some passive income as a means to free up some time in my busy schedule and the next logical step was to secure a studio space to use for photoshoots.

We booked a tour at 412 Eureka with our amazing friend and realtor, Emily Caudill. It was the first day of a “staycation” we’d planned in place of our cancelled honeymoon back in July, 2020 when the world shutdown due to COVID-19.

My intuition spoke loud and clear the moment we walked through the door and I knew instantly that it was meant to be. We put an offer in that day, and by the end of August, I had the keys to my very own creative workspace.

After a ton of work to renovate our new space with boudoir photography in mind, what began as my studio had transformed into a gorgeous, bright and airy two bedroom, boutique style hotel of sorts. So, a year later, I listed Eureka on Airbnb and in just 5 days time, had 7 weekend reservations!

Funny enough, Alex and I had been dreaming of one day, opening a bed and breakfast in our retirement. 25 years or so earlier than planned, but magically enough, it feels like perfect timing. In my favorite book, The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho writes “When you want something, all the Universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

There’s certainly been a higher power at work throughout this entire experience. How else could one explain something so miraculous? I hope you’ll come and experience the magic for yourself!

Unlock Your Experience on airbnb

PODCAST

Light up + LEAD WITH PURPOSE!

I believe that every single person on the planet is born with a purpose! We’ve all got something uniquely special to offer one another and when we find something we’re good at, we should share it with our communities!

We’re a part of something a whole lot bigger than ourselves and when we work together with the greater good in mind, we’ve got a chance to make a difference in the world.

We as human beings have the power to design the lives that we want for ourselves, we just have to intend it! I believe that the only things holding us back from achieving our wildest dreams, are the mental blocks that we create for ourselves.

When we pursue the things that we love and when we start believing that we have the freedom to do absolutely anything we choose, we will begin to see opportunities pop up in our lives that we may have missed when we were distracted by the negativity and the stress and the hard work that’s been fogging up our vision.

When we really start to think about what we want, when we figure out what’s driving us, we can begin to live each moment with more purpose and intentionality.

There’s unlimited potential in that!!

What is calling you?

Click here for Show Notes and Resources

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