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About Sharon Holkey
What does an outdoorsy, beach person do when she's become somewhat, temporarily, disabled and can no longer participate in the outdoor activities that have become her lifestyle, her identity? . . . She picks up her phone and pretends to be Leroy Grannis, a well known and respected local 1960s surf photographer from Hermosa Beach, CA. Grannis and an award winning Indonesian photographer, Hengki Koentjoro, have been her greatest inspirations. Leroy’s surf lifestyle imagery and Hengki’s minimalist, black and white, long exposures captivate her. She's been a Nat Geo enthusiast since childhood too. Instagram has given her a platform to experiment alongside exceptional photographers and artists while getting feedback Photography has been a therapeutic artistic endeavor.
Since 1977, Sharon has lived in Southern California, mostly along the coast. She's originally from scenic rural Pennsylvania, born into an artistic family and community, She ventured west with two friends settling in San Diego, California. It was love at first sight, she was obsessed with the beaches, tide pools and marine life.
She has since moved to Los Angeles and has had a long creative career in textile print design. In 2013, Sharon began photographing her coastal surroundings with artistic intent. Sunsets, seascapes, and beach lifestyle are her main themes. Her earliest editing style was influenced by her textile career; vintage, painterly, experimental and colorful. She's evolved into a more classic style and seeks to evoke an ethereal, meditative feel through diffused lighting, environmental textures and seasonal weather patterns. Her next foray will be to photograph while in and under the water. She plans to experiment with creating augmented reality, layering coastal scenery with atmospheric phenomena.
Sharon's desire is to have the viewer feel as though they have been transported into a peaceful scene, somewhere they will want to visit often.