Meet Shaune Sterling | Photographer, Actor & Creative Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shaune Sterling and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shaune, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
My name is Shaune Sterling. I grew up and lived in New York for around 30 years, however I was born on the island of Jamaica. I lived there for only a few years as my parents decided to migrate to New York when I was around 5 years old. One of my uncles was already living in NY and he encouraged us to come to the US for a new life and opportunities.

As a child I was always intrigued by all things in the creative arts. I was very artistic, loved to draw, loved music, acting and movies/films. My background in these creative avenues has, and continues to heavily shape my choices, my career paths and my world as a whole. In my teenage years I also realized that I loved business and entrepreneurial ventures. One of the challenges I faced early on in life was that I was an immigrant at the time. I was raised in America but treated as an immigrant. I couldn’t get hired for a normal job like my American friends and faced all the obstacles that an immigrant would face. With this obstacle in front of me, I chose to make money on my own. I found out that my father was an entrepreneur before moving to New York and had his own music shop in Jamaica. This further inspired me to be successful knowing that he moved here for new opportunities. As life was not easy, I didn’t want to take for granted the sacrifices my parents made in moving here, the hard work they put into being successful in life plus the sacrifices they made to be able to take care of my brother, myself and our family. As a teen I learned to buy and sell wholesale items. I would create my own ecommerce stores selling physical products both online and in-person. I am the owner and creator of the jewelry brand N O L O Jewelry www.nolojewelry.com which stands for No One Left Out, an all inclusive jewelry brand that encourages diversity and creativity. My interest in the creative arts and entrepreneurship would eventually be fused into me becoming a creative entrepreneur.

When I was a child my parents made sure to get me involved in all the things I was passionate about. That included taking piano lessons which I loved and even art classes over the summer. I always excelled in those areas as a child and was encouraged by my teachers to continue to pursue the arts. I remember there was a time when even one of the teachers at the school I attended saw one of my artworks and wanted to purchase it from me. This led to me pursuing a degree in the creative visual arts field and ultimately working in that industry for years.

After graduating from my first college with a fine arts centered visual arts degree, I got accepted into The School Of Visual Arts (SVA). I knew at this point that I wanted to work in film in some capacity and decided to explore a career working behind the scenes as a VFX artist. I joined their Computer Art & VFX program where I began learning an array of skill sets from photography, photo editing, compositing, animation, VFX, video editing and more. It was a four year BFA program but I only made it to the second year. I wasn’t able to finish the degree since I ran out of money and could no longer afford the tuition cost. This was devastating for me as I loved the school. It was one of my best life experiences. Being at a place where I was surrounded by like minded creatives who were out of this world talented was incredible. This was a HUGE set back for me. I invested so much money into the school and had no degree to show for it and a hefty student debt with no job to help pay for it. Although I wasn’t able to finish the degree I learned enough where I could still use what I learned to try and start somewhere. What I learned in the time there did helped to shape my career paths and direction toward photography and the world of film but it definitely was not easy to figure out what to do next. It took a few years to pivot and get back on track.

I decided to focus on photography and computer editing which provided me with work. I initially started photographing families and events but my love for fashion steered me towards focusing primarily on fashion photography. I worked as a photographer for a few years, liked it, but didn’t feel completely fulfilled with only being behind the camera.

There was a yearning inside for something more and I soon found out what that was…acting.

My love and desire to work as an actor blossomed later in life but the seed for that interest was planted in me when I was around 7 years old. One day I was watching a particular film named “Short Circuit” and had my first emotional connection to a film which brought me to tears. I was so emotional that I was unable to continue watching the movie. So my mom decided to call my uncle who was a film buff plus movie collector and had let us borrow the movie. I remember how surprisingly delighted my uncle was at finding out that I was emotional. He recognized at the time what was happening and he said to me in a cheerful voice “that’s good, you’re connecting to the story and the character!” He then encouraged me to trust him and finish watching the movie which I did and loved it. Ever since that time I have always gravitated to films with a great story and this unknowingly ignited a passion within myself for the world of film.

One day during my season of working as a photographer, I had received good news that my cousins (twins) who were around 12 at the time, had landed a role on a Netflix film called “Deidra & Laney Rob a Train” in 2017. I thought this was incredible and it reignited my long-lived love and passion for the craft of acting. I said to myself “if my cousins can get on netflix then so can I!” Prior to this news I was indeed exploring acting. I had even won an award for favorite elective for teaching a drama class one summer. I knew within myself that the yearning inside me was for acting and this was proven to be true once I began the journey to enter the industry. I enjoyed every moment from the process, the craft and finally breaking into the industry. Then, in that same year I was featured in Steve Martin’s music video “Caroline” where I acted alongside SNL star Cecily Strong.

One year later in 2018 I was able to see myself on Netflix for the first time in a film called “Ibiza” in the film’s opener. This was indeed a special moment for me. I was able to look back after being inspired by my cousins and see the dream become a reality no matter how small the role was.

As both a creative and an entrepreneur, I am always brainstorming ideas and possible businesses that would play to my strengths. I had started a photography company that offered general portrait and event photography but wanted to niche down what I offered. Then the idea came to me that since I am an actor/model plus know how important it is for actors to have creative content and headshots, why not incorporate that into what I do as a photographer? Why not offer a package for not only models but aspiring actors? This was how my photography company Sterling’s Touch Photography was born. A photography brand that helps models, aspiring models, actors, from all ages not only create content but also be a voice of encouragement to them. I was also blessed to be selected as the director of photography for the company Great Gifts Club www.media.greatgiftsclub.com

This is how my background in the creative arts and entrepreneurship has played a role in shaping who I am today and what I do. I wear many hats but absolutely love it. I’m grateful and humbled to know that through the help of family and friends I’m able to do what I love. I am able to fuse my different interests and passions in ways that work hand in hand for me and complement each other, allowing me to work in various fields without compromise.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey as an artist has taken many twists and turns over the years. It was definitely by no means easy for me to figure out which route to take where art was concerned. Art is a field that’s quite broad and there are so many avenues one can traverse in the wonderful world of art. With so many options available it can at times be a bit challenging to find your niche. The easy part for me was that I knew early on what I was good at doing. As a child I loved to draw. It came naturally to me but the hard part was figuring out how I would be able to make a career out of what I was good at doing. I decided to begin by getting a degree and went to a community college where I studied fine arts. I enjoyed it but after graduating I wasn’t sure where to go with the degree.

Around that time I was living as an entrepreneur and was selling products online through an ecommerce platform. I did that for a few years as I continued to try to figure things out. I reached a point where I felt that it would be good to go back to school but this time choosing a degree that I felt could work for me financially and still allowed me to be artistic and creative. After doing some research, self searching and seeking the advice from those close to me I had a light bulb moment. I knew that I absolutely loved movies and the art of filmmaking. I applied to The School OF Visual Arts (SVA) and after getting accepted, I joined their computer arts and VFX program. There I began learning the digital applications used in the creative fields of photography, editing, VFX, the film industry and more. I wasn’t able to finish the degree because I ran out of money and could no longer afford to attend. This certainly was a huge setback for me. Despite not being able to finish the degree I took what I learned and I started over. I chose to focus primarily on photography, digital art and editing which proved successful for me.
As a creative who also has interest in the entrepreneurial world this has also helped me build a brand and find success as a creative entrepreneur.

I would eventually end up working on the other side of the camera as well and I have spent the past several years working as a photo editor, as well as behind the camera as a photographer and in front of the camera as an actor. So I guess the camera, whether it be photographer or film, is where I have found my home. It wasn’t a straight forward journey but with perseverance, I was able to figure out what works for me as a creative.

Art is a unique personal expression and no two artists are alike, no two artists think alike, draw alike, dance alike, sing alike and so on. There might be similarities but we are all uniquely created people and I believe what sets me apart from other creatives is simply being myself. My jewelry brand N O L O Jewelry was built around this idea of expressing and embracing what makes you unique. From an actor’s perspective, recognizing that there is only one of me and no one has the same voice as me, creative thought process and imagination has helped me in that field. As a creative as a whole, what really helps me is embracing what I offer to the world in place of trying to copy or replicate someone else. I learned this principle through being an actor and I apply it not just to acting but to all creative areas of my life. Whether that be photography, editing, a new business, the same rules apply.

We are all beautiful and unique in our own ways and embracing my own style and creativity has helped me to shape my own place in the creative world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Westchester County, NY just 30 minutes from New York City. If I had a friend visiting the area they would most certainly have a great time. There is so much to do in Westchester county and in NYC. I would probably start with a few spots in Westchester which is more suburban before making my way to the big city. If my friend likes to walk I would first take them to Kensico Dam, a beautiful dam location where you are allowed to walk to the top of the dam and enjoy the amazing view from there. I would suggest going in the evening so they could see the moon as its reflection glistens over the water. After working up an appetite we could then head to one of my favorite Thai restaurants called Bangkok City in Pelham.

Another day we could head to the Westchester Mall which has some popular stores such as Nordstrom, Bed Bath & Beyond, Gucci, Neiman Marcus and more. While there we could have lunch at one of their many great food spots at the food court.

For the rest of their stay, we could take trips to the big city which has what seems like endless things to do. New York City has many famous landmarks, tourist attractions, places to hang and to eat. We could take the metro north train to the famous Grand Central Terminal, then walk a few minutes to the famous 5th avenue where the NYC Public Library is located. Bryant Park is right behind it where we could relax for a few. We could then head over to 42nd street Times Square where they have the annual New Years Eve ball drop. While in that area I would take my friend to one of the popular broadway shows such as Aladdin, MJ or Hamilton to name a few. I’m sure my friend would be tired and hungry at this point so we could grab some food nearby at the Dallas BBQ or Applesbees.

I love art so I would most like take my friend (if they love art as well) to one of our popular museums such as The MoMA, the MET or the Guggenheim Museum

Another day we could walk the famous highline or take a ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty or to Governors Island and enjoy food there from the vendors on the island.

To wrap up their trip I would see if they would be interested in visiting the Brooklyn bridge, which is one of our many famous landmarks. While in Brooklyn we could eat at the famous Juniors restaurant to wrap up our trip.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
God first. Without my faith in God none of what I do would be possible for me. My mother, father, brother and sister who have and continue to pour into me, believe in me, encourage and support me through the years. I would also like to recognize my other family members and the friends who have also supported me throughout the years. Too many names to individually mention but they know who they are and I greatly appreciate you all.

Website: www.nolojewelry.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/theshauneshow

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/shaune-sterling-351606287/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nolojewelry

Other: My IMDb page: imdb.me/shaunesterling My Jewelry stores Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/NOLOJewelry My photography Instagram page is www.instagram.com/sterlingstouchphotography My jewelry store’s Instagram page is www.instagram.com/nolojewelry.com