Aces of Trades: S&F Photography's Teres Smith captures memories as a photographer

HEBRON – She didn’t expect it, but she loves it.

“I was a typical kid growing up in the '80s,” Teres Smith said. “Since there were no cellphones and computers, my days were filled with going to school, playing outside, catching a local baseball game with my brother and playing volleyball and softball for my school.”

“I always thought I would grow up to become a cosmetologist, live a good life and be happy,” she said. “Not in a million years did I think I would become a photographer. Other than snapping pictures with my Polaroid instant camera as a kid, photography was not a hobby nor a pastime. I was interested in sports and playing sports but never once said, ‘I want to grow up and be a sports photographer.’”

Well, today Smith is a photographer, owner of S&F Photography.

“My primary business lies in sports photography,” she said. “My style is to keep things comfortable and fun. I try to find new ways to keep team photos trendy and fresh and strive to catch good quality action photo. There’s nothing more rewarding than catching the ‘money shot’ and sharing it with the client.”

“When it comes to senior pictures, family portraits, special events like weddings, proms, and engagements, or modeling shots, my goal is quite similar,” she said. “I want my client to feel comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera.”

Smith grew up in Coshocton, graduated from Coshocton High School in 1987, then attended the Ohio State School of Cosmetology. She ran a cosmetology business in Coshocton for a time, was involved in other businesses, then got married and had a son. She started S&F Photography in Hebron in 2011, originally as a joint venture.

“With my love for the small town atmosphere, it was a no brainer Hebron would be our home,” she said.

“I was at a point in my life where I knew I was missing out on my son’s childhood due to my work schedule,” she said. “I needed to be a mom first. When the opportunity presented itself to enter this joint venture, it was perfect. I could use a camera and take pictures, so I took a few courses to help me get more comfortable behind the lens. And so it began. I started taking team photos in the evenings for local schools. When the partnership dissolved, I opted to continue to run the business and expand the services.”

Jeff Quackenbush is the Newark High School athletic director.

“Teres has done an amazing job for our coaches and student athletes,” Quackenbush said. “She’s always available and has become a huge part of our athletic department. We all appreciate her hard work and dedication.”

“I love what I do,” Smith said. “I believe each photograph should tell a story. And although I do take pictures at my studio in Hebron, my favorite place to shoot is wherever the client feels most comfortable, whether that’s a neighborhood park, a field of sunflowers, grandpa’s barn, a local stadium or a backcountry road. Stopping time for just a moment and catching that memory is such a special thing.”

Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs – whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at [email protected].

More information

S&F Photography is located at 128 E. Main St., Hebron. To learn more, visit facebook.com/sandfphotography11.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Aces of Trades: Teres Smith captures memories as a photographer