About Me

Hi!  I'm Stephen Sullivan.  I'm a Musician, Music Teacher, and Photographer.  I also write music and poetry.  I grew up in Indiana, near Indianapolis, but moved to far southern Indiana in 2020, after spending some time working and living in Cincinnati, Ohio.  I'm currently in my 30s, and work for a music store my parents and I founded in Scottsburg, Indiana.  I teach Piano and Voice there.  I hold degrees and certificates from the University of Indianapolis (2013), Indiana Wesleyan University (2017), and am an actively licensed Indiana Music Educator (P-12 Choral and General Music, renewed 2023). 

 

     I've been taking pictures just for fun since I was about 14 years old, and in 2022 decided to take the craft seriously, and make it the other half of the services I provide.  I trained on a Rebel T5 by Canon bought used that summer, did a lot of free work for both myself and the family business, mainly to build samples (I have thousands!), and mainly of car shows and nature/landscapes.  This year (2024), I wanted to get a refurbished full-frame, and in early November, it finally happened.  I now have a great refurbished Canon 5D Mark III, and am actively adjusting to using it.  A lot of this build-up came out of the support that random strangers and friends/relatives provided on photography sites like PhotoCrowd out of the UK, Viewbug, and others.  I'm ready to go and do great work for pay, just as I've done in music off-and-on for over 20 years, starting in middle school!

 

 

 

Photography

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     Out of all of the movies and multimedia presentations I ever viewed or listened to, it was our old family videos that interested me the most when I was growing up.  So, my original intention with Photography was for it be a hobby, but I started getting more serious about in 2018, largely so I could post content on PhotoCrowd, a British/global social media site for photographers.  In 2022, by which time I had been recognized by some of the people there, I bought a DSLR, after buying a new Point and Shoot in 2019.  I am a professional musician and have had many gigs and paid opportunities since earning my music degree from the University of Indianapolis in 2013, followed by teaching licensure and certification in 2017 from Indiana Wesleyan University, but between my lack of jobs in teaching so far, and my interest in high-quality musical performance and notable Photography products and services, I'm looking to keep moving in a new direction.  I also haven't had as many paid gigs since moving to southeast Indiana, and need to supplement my other work.

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Music Packages:  $100 per hour of music plus gas/vehicle costs (For distances of over 40 miles one way)

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Photography Packages:  starting at $100 per hour, available for Senior pictures, Weddings, Civic and Cultural Events, and more. 

 

I had a like-new Canon EOS 1200D (Rebel T5), as well as a brand-new Canon PowerShot SX740HS that captures up to 4K video, but now I rock a refurbished Canon 5D Mark III full-frame DSLR, while keeping the PowerShot as it is far better than its predecessors.  I also have nice photo editing software and am open to improving that software choice.  Even though I now have all-pro equipment (except the point and shoot as it's slightly limited), I can make really good deals with prospective clients, and get you very high-quality, high-resolution images that you'll remember for a long time, and appreciate.  My old cameras were both considered under-rated for their capabilities, and I spent part of the Fall and Winter of 2023 and early 2024 learning to use the manual modes, as well as improving my editing techniques.  Rest assured, you will get at least as good of quality out of my work as any well-known, high-dollar photographer or photography business, especially as I gain even more experience and more gear.  Rates and packages subject to change.

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Current Photos shown (most of them) were from before I had a full-frame, except the Veteran's Day sample, Photo of my minivan, and some of the nature photos.  As I have more samples to show from the full-frame, this will be updated.

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*I may be unavailable for shoots outside my comfort zone, or that require, say, drones, which I don't have and don't currently plan to purchase, rent, or use.  I would be open to partnering with a drone photographer, however.  Boudoir shoots are not for me.

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Rates factored in are considering the following things:

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1. Cost of gas/vehicle maintenance that may be needed

2. Distance (within 40 miles preferred, gas tax added and sometimes hotel costs for longer distances/other states)

*International travel is not an option for me at this time, not even Canada unfortunately.  Perhaps this will one day change.

3. Does the customer want edited, unedited, or both types of photos?

4. Photos are delivered to order within 2 weeks of the event or events, unless the events or other photo shoots are highly labor intensive, last for many hours or multiple days, etc.

5. I have excellent editing software, but if a customer has a preference for me to use other software, if they want props, two or more shooters/photographers, etc, those costs are additional.

6. Gas and vehicle costs are kept at no more than 80% of what they might be when the event happens and when travel is needed beyond 40 miles.  This may change over time, but is designed to ease the customer's wallet, to the extent I can.  It's to save money.

7. Contracts are agreed to before any work is committed to.  Verbal or text agreements alone won't be considered as having any grounds for legitimacy.

8. Local customers and potential customers may meet me in person at an agreed-upon location.  More distant potential customers may communicate via text, Messenger, phone, email, Zoom, whatever they want pretty much.

9.  Future equipment upgrades, greater gain of skills and experience, and similar means of professional development will impact prices and preferences, at least once 2025 begins or slightly later, based on how much business is coming in as well.

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Contact Stephen Sullivan at 1-317-997-3510, or via email at sullivans1989@gmail.com.  Stephen is also active on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.  Remember that Stephen offers Music services as well, which he has more experience in at this time.

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My promise to Customers in a nutshell:

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1. I will save you money!

2. I will get you great quality photography or music services!

3. I will work within your means to my best ability!  I don't have much money myself right now, and haven't yet so far in life.  I understand!  Otherwise I'd have a brand-new pro camera, a drone, and maybe a Cadillac!    :)

4. If I screw up majorly (which I doubt), you still get all of your photos AND get a refund, up to 100% depending on the level of errors made.  Delivery is crucial.  I'm a DoorDash driver already as well, so I know.

5. If there's an emergency, a big crazy storm (especially a Blizzard as I don't have a Jeep!), personal or family emergency, etc, I'll work to find a solution that works for all parties involved.  I am human, too.

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