Going Above and Beyond: Meet our Stellar Support Team

We believe transparency builds trust and trust is good for everyone. We recently published our roadmap and are working nonstop to deliver for our current and future members. Along with product updates and improvements, we’re peeling back the curtain even further and taking you behind the scenes with our staff. First up? No team deserves the spotlight more.

We’re pleased to introduce Anne, Jelan, Sarah, Damari, Amanda and Karen, known to most as our amazing Technical Support team, but around the office more often referred to as serious PhotoShelter rockstars. Everyday, they’re on the front lines solving problems for our members, from those in trial to the pros who signed up on day one. They recommend new templates, show you how to use our Quick Send tool when you’re fighting against a tough deadline, dole out SEO tips and help you set up sales before the holidays (among a ton of other stuff). And most importantly, they do it all with compassion and endless patience. They’re also talented photographers and videographers, animal lovers, visual artists, singers, crochet enthusiasts and lifelong fans of public radio.

Our Technical Support team is a huge part of what makes using PhotoShelter so special and it’s important to all of us that you get to know them personally as well as professionally.

The @photoshelter customer service is peerless. I inquired about a second site & found out they provide discounts for multi account users. Sarah (who has helped me before) has answered each email quickly & with in detail. Take ’em all out for a drink @awfingerman! #freelance

— Business Of Photography Workshop (@BusinessOfPhot1) October 16, 2019

Along with fun facts about the team, we’ve included some of the wonderful feedback our members have sent back to us. If you have thoughts or want to share your own special interactions with our support team, we’d love to continue the love in the comments below.

Anne Carlin

Technical Support Team Manager
Start date: October 18, 2016

Let’s get some info on your background. Where are you from? Hobbies? You name it.  
I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. I moved to the Northeast for film school at Ithaca College and never really left. I have a background in documentary filmmaking and prior to working at PhotoShelter, I worked with a nonprofit focused on creating documentaries and media campaigns designed to improve public health. In my free time I like to go backpacking, cook, and hang with my cat, River.

Tell us something people wouldn’t know just by looking at you – a fun fact about yourself.
I spent 3 months in Iceland for an artist residency. One of my favorite things I learned in my time there was how to bake bread in the ground using geothermal energy.

Why PhotoShelter?
I’m passionate about visual media and storytelling, so I was immediately drawn to PhotoShelter’s mission. I’m excited to come to work every day knowing that our tools aim to help visual creators tell stories and ultimately make their day-to-day workflow as seamless as possible.

“I am so wonderfully satisfied with Anne’s action and service – I have not had to trouble PhotoShelter with too many problems but when I have had a few questions or rare problems occurring it has always been dealt with promptly, professionally, super-supportive and so above expectations it just solidifies the service you give. I am a very very happy PhotoShelter user… and will be for my lifetime in photography!!!” 

Jelan Coley

Senior Technical Support Specialist
Start date: January 3, 2018

Background:
I’m from New Jersey and I studied documentary filmmaking and journalism in college. My hobbies are freelance photography/videography and other art projects I can get my hands on. I like drawing, painting, and pretty much anything that involves using my hands to make something. I also like (and own) birds. 

Fun fact: 
I’m extremely competitive at playing Taboo & I still play Pokemon Go (Team Valor).

Why PhotoShelter?
I like the idea of building resources and tools for the photographer community I was (and still am) a member of. It’s nice to be able to help people who have similar passions achieve their goals and I enjoy still being around creatives at work like I was in college.

“I am a computer novice and recently renewed my account after a three year hiatus. I called customer service to see how I could get started right. Jelan took the call and answered every question, walked me through the setup and was extremely knowledgeable and patient. She’s a real asset to your company and, though I seldom, if ever, write a message complimenting customer service, I had to let you know what a gem she is to have representing PhotoShelter. It made all the difference in the world.” 

Sarah Pace

Technical Support Specialist
Start date: October 1, 2018

Background:
I’m originally from Charleston, South Carolina but I’ve lived in Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey and now Brooklyn, NY. I’m never without a book (or six) and I spend a lot of my free time writing for small magazines and journals all over the world. When I take photos, I use a Minolta X-700 or a Pentax K1000. I’m also a devout dog-lover.

Fun fact: 
Every Saturday morning I wake up at 6am to listen to Shrunken Planet on WFMU, a local radio station here. I’ve been listening since 2010 and I’ve never missed a show!

Why PhotoShelter? 
I’ve been shooting film since I was 13, so photography has always been a passion. What I love most about PhotoShelter is that, no matter what kind of photography you shoot or equipment you use, being a member here (and an employee) is like being a part of one big family. I’m always learning something new and someone always has a great story to tell — especially our members!

“The Staff goes the extra limit, and an extra shout out for Sarah Pace. She was exceptionally patient with my lack of knowledge and helping to resolve my issues.” 

Damari McBride

Technical Support Specialist
Start date: July 8, 2019 

Background: 
I am originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am a professional photographer focusing on portraiture. I’ve worked in education for the past seven years through a couple of nonprofits teaching photography, and life skills through the act of play. I also love cooking, dancing, singing, and laughing.

Fun fact: 
There are a lot of things that I am scared of. Halloween is terrifying, but I like candy so I make room for it. 

Why PhotoShelter?
I wanted to align myself with a company that is working to improve the lives of photographers through tech and education. I also used the product and liked that everything that I needed was under one roof and it’s something that still draws me in. I love the people that I work with. I love that PhotoShelter not only invests in the skills of its employees but their personality as well. Everyone here is talented, welcoming, and cultured. 

“Very satisfied! Damari resolved my issue straight away. Thank you for the quick and quality support.” 

Amanda Yoder

Tech Support Specialist
Start date: June 26, 2019

Background: 
Originally from North Carolina, I went to school in my home state and earned a BFA in Theatre Arts. I’ve been living in Brooklyn for 4 years now. My husband and I are both musicians and we love playing country music and showtunes at home. I’m also a big foodie and am currently learning to make cheese while planning a few trips to visit some of the world’s best restaurants!

Fun Fact: 
I get really competitive at board games.

Why PhotoShelter?
I love that PhotoShelter is a company of humans, all great at what they do and well-rounded individuals. We’re also working on products that actually benefit our members and solve problems for them. I worked as a freelance artist in the past, and saw firsthand how anyone could create a new product or service promising to launch your career or get you more work, but oftentimes these services were just rebranded iterations of one another, profiting off their clients’ willingness to blow a paycheck on yet another professional product in hopes of it one day coming back to them. It’s clear to me that PhotoShelter and Libris actually meet unique needs for our members, without empty promises, and we are continually adapting and improving based on client feedback.

“Amanda was great. She was very personable, professional and helpful. I was on the phone with her shortly before the end of your workday and we can out of time. She cheerfully agreed to do some further research on sample PhotoShelter websites the next morning. When I logged in the next morning her email was waiting for me with just the information I was looking for.” 

Karen Goldman

Technical Support Specialist 
Start date: April 4, 2019

Background:
Originally from LA, I live in the Bay Area now. I‘m a concert photographer and music enthusiast, and enjoy urban exploration and crochet.

Fun fact:
I’ve been photographing concerts for about ten years now and for every show I have attended, I purchase either poster or record, sometimes both. 

Why PhotoShelter?
As a photographer, I really appreciated seeing that PhotoShelter has an easy yet thorough way for photographers to successfully sell their work.

“I have been a customer of PhotoShelter for 3-5 years, and have made my fair share of calls into your customer support and have never been disappointed. Karen went above and beyond to make sure I was in full understanding of how to achieve my goals, and made several great suggestions along the way. It’s customer service like that that keeps my loyalty to your service, and always gets my recommendations whenever I hear a photographer in questions of which service to use. GREAT JOB KAREN and thank you again!” 

We also asked the team if there were any members they wanted to shout out —  

JC: I love Shannon Wild! 

AC: Shout out to Amanda Lucidon! Her photos of Michelle Obama are inspiring and put a huge smile on my face. She’s also a pleasure to work with.

KG: I’m in love with Steve Simon’s political convention photography.

DM: [Not a member but I] just want to shout out the entire team for answering all of my questions — there have been a ton and will continue to be a ton. They have been extremely kind and patient with us newbies and that’s awesome!

And what their favorite tool, feature or template is —

SP: I love the Horizon template because it feels like walking through an art gallery. It’s also an easy template to experiment with! Just a few weeks ago I created a blog workaround on my site using a drop-down menu and custom pages, which is nice because I can display my visual work next to my written work on a single platform.

KG: I like organization, so the Image Browser is the best place for me. If this area is organized, your site will be easier to navigate.

AC: Quick Send! I love being able to quickly send out a download link to photos.

AY: Automated Fulfillment with our integrated print vendors – makes it so easy to sell prints and products.

DM: Hard to choose, so here’s a few: Client Proofing Tool, Element template and Quick Send Tool.

JC: Horizon is my favorite template because I like the look of the large thumbnails and the ability to have gallery descriptions in the portfolio. I also love the idea of being able to store my photos in cloud storage which would also allow easy access for clients with permissions.

You can reach out to the team at support@photoshelter.com