Reach For The Sky
The Cycle Of Success
“Success works as a cycle – growth and contraction, balancing and unbalancing – all while you’re encountering hurdles that get higher and higher over time.”
— Julien Smith
We can all feel that growth and contraction … that balancing and unbalancing no matter what we do in life and/or work. It can be challenging to remember and trust that these hurdles get us higher and higher over time.
“There’s calm in each and every day, we just need to practice reaching out for it.”
— Ron Baratono
Let’s have a discussion 🙂
Comment below or visit HERE to enter the conversation
- What steps are you taking to achieve success (in anything in life)?
- What hurdles are you currently encountering (in any area of life)?
- Are you feeling balanced or unbalanced at this time?
- What helps you to feel more balanced?
- What do you reach for when needing to find calm in your day?
Hi — I’m Shannon O’Malley.
I’m a Minneapolis-based (soon-to-be Dallas, TX) photographer specializing in online dating profile photography, personal branding portraits, business headshots, and senior sessions. I work with people who want photos that feel natural, confident, and genuinely reflective of who they are — not stiff, overproduced, or performative.
My approach is rooted in natural light, ease, and emotional intelligence. I believe the best photos happen when people feel comfortable enough to be themselves — and seen enough to trust the process. Whether someone is stepping back into dating, refining their professional presence, or marking a meaningful season of life, my goal is always the same: to create images that feel honest and quietly powerful.
With over 15 years of experience behind the camera — and a journey that includes single motherhood, entrepreneurship, and a national CBS feature — I’ve seen firsthand how much impact the right photos can have. A strong image isn’t about vanity. It’s about clarity. It’s often the first impression that shapes how others perceive you — before you ever get the chance to explain yourself.
This blog is where I share insights on photography, visibility, confidence, and showing up with intention — both on and off camera.
When I’m not photographing clients, you’ll usually find me with my husband, my son, and our beautifully blended family — soaking up everyday life here in the Twin Cities (for now). We’ll be relocating to Dallas, Texas in 2026, where I’ll continue offering my signature photography experience for daters, creatives, and business owners throughout the DFW area.
If you’re here because you want photos that actually feel like you, you’re in the right place. I’m glad you found your way here.
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I think it is interesting who supports the "ups" versus the "downs." Some people I would expect to support the "ups" seem to be bigger fans of the contraction. Almost as if to keep me in my place – or the place they perceive appropriate. I like the keep on keepin’ on mantra through the ebb and flow.
Well said Debbie!! Well said!! I couldn’t agree with you more. I too fhope me it interesting when other choose/support/are bigger fans if the contraction. In my speculation it seems as though they subconsciously enjoy that place or perhaps that is how they learned to deal with things in their home environment growing up.
The best thing about our brains is that they can be "rewired", new paths can be formed if we want it to happen… one needs to make a conscious effort to make a different choice.
And DING DING with your comment in "almost as if to keep me in my place" !!! Again, I couldn’t agree more! I believe we are all mirrors for each other 😉
I too work on maintaining a keep on keepin on mantra 😊
Thank you for your comment!
Sorry– correction: "I too find it interesting"
Beautifully written
Thank you Rene!!! 🙂