Women Outdoors: Sherlitha Caldwell
Nothing can express something more purely, intensely, or succinctly than a photo. Wife, Mother and Nurse, Sherlitha Caldwell, certainly knows that to be true. “There’s definitely a story behind the camera lady,” says Caldwell.
Her new journey began in June of 2013 when her grandmother passed away. At the time Caldwell was a nurse and unbeknownst to her, the death of her grandmother took a physical toll on her health. Caldwell recounts driving and being overwhelmed by the long hours of her job. Then all at once her left side became numb. “I’m like I’m stressed out, I’m having a stroke.” She drove herself to the hospital and to her surprise, she hadn’t suffered a stroke, but a panic attack. As time progressed, her panic attacks increased in number.
Ultimately, her doctor recommended that she see a psychologist. “You know we people of color are not trying to hear none of that.” Reluctantly, Caldwell sat with the psychologist for six sessions. “I found out that what triggered my panic attacks was my grandmother dying…When I got stressed out at work, everything just came back.” Then the psychologist asked Caldwell what she could do to lighten her load and what she liked to do. She mentioned being fond of pictures. It was at that moment that the psychologist said three words that changed her life going forward – Just take pictures.
“I started out as a Southern Soul Artist Photographer,” says Caldwell. She would take pictures of artists such as J1, Avail Hollywood and T.K. Soul. After which, Caldwell transitioned into trail riding. Using her childhood relationship with Roderick Davaughn, she landed her first trail ride in 2014 with the Young Guns of Houston, Texas. As per Caldwell, gaining everyone’s trust was difficult at first. “You have the southside of Houston, you have the northside of Houston, you got east Texas, you got everybody and they’ve got their own picks,” says Caldwell.
To make her stand out from the other photographers, Caldwell made it a point to capture pictures of 
everyone coming through the gate, while other photographers focused on capturing certain subjects. “I don’t care if it’s a cat in the middle of that trail ride scene, I’m gonna take a picture of everything,” says Caldwell. “That’s what makes me different from anybody else.” Everyone is special and important behind the lens of Captured Moments by Sherlitha.
While gradually winning the trust of the trail ride community and staying committed to delivering top photography in mass numbers, her labor throughout the years would not be in vain.
In 2018, she made more money in her photography than she did while nursing. As a result, she put in her notice at her job in 2019, after 20 years of nursing. “If I could give someone else 110%, I definitely could give it to myself…I can honestly say through everything with Covid, I never stopped working.”
Her decision to leave nursing not only sparked her photography career, but it also sparked her mentoring and music management journey. Motivated by her own personal childhood experiences, Caldwell mentors young girls who were not afforded the opportunity to have guardians. She also manages a local Southern Soul Artist by the name of Hisyde, whom she’s very proud.
“I capture moments in my life. I mentor because my parents didn’t raise me. My parents gave me to my grandmother at five days old. My dad was in prison. Nobody knows that side of the camera lady.”
Currently Caldwell has her own studio and a community group, she refers to as the Gorilla Squad, that consists of photographers, DJ’s and small businesses. “I believe that God put me here to help everybody.” says Caldwell.
To stay informed with more of Sherlitha Caldwell photography brands follow her on Facebook & Instagram at Captured Moments by Sherlitha!
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