Photo By Bianca Wilson | For the past two years, West has worked at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) as a Visual...... read more read more
It is rare for a person to find their passion in kindergarten. But that is exactly what Shelby West did. She was five years old the first time she held a camera. As her little finger hit the shutter button for the first time, a passion sparked inside her that was as bright and powerful as the flash from the camera. West fell in love with capturing the world around her. As a kindergartener at Western Branch Primary School, she entered a city-wide photography contest with a picture she took at King’s Dominion on a trip with her family. Of all the students in the entire school system, West's photo won first place. It was the first time her talent behind the camera would be highlighted, but it would not be the last.
For the past two years, West has worked at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) as a Visual Information Specialist in the Photography Division of the Shipyard Instructional Design Center (Code 1170). She is the first female to serve as an NNSY photographer.
Prior to starting at NNSY, West worked at Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) for nine years. During that time, she routinely collaborated with shipyard employees and knew it was the place she wanted to be. “I was very inspired by the environment and the type of work being done at NNSY. I’m so happy to be at the shipyard,” West remembered.
Since arriving at NNSY, West has captured hundreds of events including the 250th Celebration, groundbreaking ceremonies, Big Rock ceremonies, and more. But her favorite thing to capture is the work being done on the waterfront. “I love capturing ship movements or being inside a submarine, I find it really interesting. To me, that is what the shipyard is all about. Not every civilian gets to see that kind of stuff, and I love that I get to and that I can be a part of it,” said West.
West uses her talent behind the camera to shine a light on the work others do at NNSY every day. “My job is to put out a visual product that shows what the shipyard does and what it is all about. I may not be the one turning the wrench, but I can help capture and tell the story though photographs.”
NNSY Lead Public Affairs Specialist Mike Brayshaw first worked with West a decade ago during her time at MARMC and now regularly coordinates with her on a number of shipyard events. “Shelby is a terrific photographer and true embodiment of what our C.O.R.E. values are all about,” said Brayshaw. “The quality of her work is perhaps surpassed only by her great attitude and work ethic. One of her pictures truly is worth a thousand words in showing America’s Shipyard in a great light.”
West finds motivation in helping others feel seen and confident. “I really love working with people,” she said. “Sometimes, I have people come in to get their portrait taken and you can tell they are nervous. They say, ‘oh, I always take a bad picture.’ When I am able to take a good photo of them, one that they are happy with and that they feel good about, it gives me a great deal of satisfaction.”
Her supervisor, Code 1170 Division Head Dave Pastoriza, said West has a gift of connecting with people, whether she is behind the lens or not. “Shelby exemplifies what it means to meet the needs of a client and completely understands people in a way that many take for granted. It’s uncanny how she can anticipate what is asked of her almost immediately. She is a very thoughtful, caring, dedicated, and an extremely well organized down-to-earth human being. Anyone would enjoy having a person of her character on their team.”
West is humble about her talents and credits a lot of her success to her team members in Code 1170. “We all work really well together and the teamwork in our group is really amazing. I can ask anyone for anything. Everyone has each other’s back and that is a good feeling. We don’t have tension and we all get along. It is like a big happy work family,” said West.
It is no surprise that a family-like atmosphere is important to West’s professional happiness as family plays a crucial part of her life outside of work. She is a mother to two young daughters. Along with her husband, she enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, going to the beach during the summer and snowboarding during the winter. Along with soaking up the sun, West shares a love of art with her daughters. She is proud that her children have inherited her artistic talents and share her love for creativity.
She is not the first member of her family to work at NNSY. Her grandfather spent 30 years working at the shipyard, retiring in 1989. Though she didn’t plan on a career at the shipyard as a child, West thinks her grandfather’s stories of traveling for his job to Guam and Spain left a mark on her. “He would tell me about his work trips and all the opportunities he had,” said West. “I think if he were alive today he would think it was pretty cool that his granddaughter has found her own opportunities here.”
West said she is grateful to have a career doing what she is passionate about. Her motto is ‘if you love what you do, then you’ll never work a day in your life.’ For the first time in her life, she feels like she is living her motto. West said, “I get excited about my job because I love it. I’ve never been able to say that until I came to work at the shipyard. I wake up every single day excited about the day ahead of me, the work I have to do, and the challenges I can overcome. Every day is a good day.”
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2020 08:12 |
| Story ID: | 364958 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 255 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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