Artist Spotlight: Tracy Sham
SOMA Celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and AAPI Artists!!
Tracy Sham — Professional Photographer. Activist. PTA Member. Pianist. Music Lover.
Tracy Sham. Photo by JC Carey from JCPhotoMedia.
Born in Malaysia, Tracy Sham grew up in Queens, NY and has lived in Maplewood for 10 years. For 7 years Tracy Sham Photography has become a successful local bussiness. Tracy and her husband have two boys in the South Orange Maplewood School district.
“In my ten years living here, it has been exciting to see the Asian population grow and thrive. I love living in Maplewood, particularly the Hilton neighborhood - truly still the most diverse area in town.”
Tracy Sham with Husband and her Two Sons. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Ramos Family Maternity Photo Session with Twins. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Tracy Sham is a professional photographer who photographs newborn babies, families, business professionals and bands.
Newborn Session with the Goldberg Family. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Promotional Photo Session with Scott Kettner from National Beat. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Fringe Salon Staff, Maplewood, NJ. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
From High School Graduations and Career Photos to engagments and family portraits, Tracy captures important life moments to treasure for generations to come. According to Tracy, “the secret sauce is rapport. Getting a portrait posed nicely is easy, but capturing each individual's unique essence is magic.” Tracy loves telling stories with images — the joy of a family, the elation of a newborn baby, strong corporate leadership, or the raw power of a band. Tracy’s sessions have the energy of an industry photoshoot and broaden the possibilities of the client’s photos.
CHS Graduates Class of 2020, Isiah Siders and Zubin Kremer Guha. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Confident Speaking Coach Maureen Jones from MoLifeSpeaks. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Josephine and Harrison Engagement Session. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Family Session with the Rosefort Family - Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Erin Scherzer and her family in front of the great Maplewood sign. Paying homage to the Beatles’ Abbey Road cover, but in Maplewood. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Holiday Photo Session with the Citron-Sanders Family. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Carol Velez Fardin and Family. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Book Cover “Rebel Music in the Triumphant Empire: Punk Rock in the 1990s United States” by David Pearson.
Bottom Left, Tracy Sham who had no idea she would make the cover of an academic book.
Taken from ABC No Rio, Lower East Side, NYC. Photo by Chris Boarts Larson
Tracy Studied music theory, reads sheet music, and learned to play 4 instruments. She currently focuses on piano and is a fan of live bands. Tracy Sham's passion for photography was ignited by her love of music. Watching her friends' bands perform in NYC clubs such as CBGB's and ABC-No-Rio had a massive effect on her. She was driven to document the raw emotions and energy in their performances. What started as simply snapping photos of bands became a lifelong career.
By 17, her work had been published in albums and fanzines. This led her to a BFA in Photography from the School of Visual Arts, where she was immersed in traditional crafts of lighting, film developing, and darkroom printing. After graduation, she traveled the world as a photographer assistant, working in the fashion, commercial, and music industries with luminaries such as David Sims, Christian Witkin, Gregory Heisler, Matt Mahurin, and Clay Patrick McBride. This experience has given her work its unique aesthetic.
“As Alfred Eisenstaedt said, “It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter. I find it hard to say it better.”
All stage access at the Linkin Park concert in Chicago, IL. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
NJ’s own, Ex-Citizens Arrest singer, Ted Leo, from Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.
British Asian R&B singer, Sonna Rele for Universal Records.
Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Tracy’s work can be described in three words—versatile, vibrant, and lively! Her versatility comes from having photographed across a wide range of disciplines including music, fashion, publishing, product imaging and corporate events. There is a unique vibrancy & energy in her work. Underpinning it is not just creative instinct, technical proficiency, and judicious.
Band Promo Session — Dollar Store Riot Photographed in Front of the Old South Orange Mural.
Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Album Cover Photo Session with hani Zaccarelli. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Masayuki Sono, architect, sitting in front of his design: Postcards - a memorial honoring the 274 Staten Island residents who died on Sept 11th, 2011. Postcards is a permanent sculpture in Staten Island, NYC.
Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
One of three SOMA Wishing Trees — Make A Wish Trees — to put an end to Anti-Asian Hate and Racism,
Ricalton Square, Maplewood, NJ. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
An activist in social issues since she was a teen, Tracy continues her social activism as a mother including her sons in protests and vigils and making them aware of racial inequality. Tracy was one of twenty Asian-American women that organized the South-Orange Maplewood "Stop Anti-Asian Hate" candlelight vigil on March 26, 2021 honoring the victims in Georgia.
Opera Singer Veronica Mak at the Stop Anti-Asian Hate Candelight Vigil in Maplewood’s Memorial Park Duck Pond on March 26, 2021. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Video & editing by Michelle Quaide
As part of Asian American Pacific Island Heritage Month for 2021, Tracy has helped to document many of the events including the Lion Dance AAPI Heritage Month kick off event on 5/7/21 where dancers paraded down Maplewood Avenue mimicking Lion movements and stances to fend away evil and bring luck and prosperity. The Lion Dance was followed by the Masala Bhangra and Bollywood Dance Party. Wishing Trees in Maplewood Ricalton Square, Maplewood Libraries, and South Orange Spiotta Park are for making wishes to put an end to anti-Asian hate and all forms of racism. Tracy photographs pro bono for SOMA Cross Cultural Works, the Group organizing AAPI Heritage Month and other events including Lion Dance; Halau Hula on 5/22; and HOLI Festival of Colors on 5/23. For a full list of AAPI Heritage Month events in SOMA visit maplweoodartsandculture.org.
Lion Dance Photo Opp of New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club Lion Dancers
with Maplewood and South Orange Township Officials on May 6, 2021. Left to Right: Dean Dafis, Maplewood Deputy Mayor; Sheena Collum, South Orange Village President; Frank McGehee, Maplewood Mayor; and Victor DeLuca, Maplewood Former Mayor and Current Township Committeeman. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Masala Bhangra Led by Mimi Stella, and Bollywood Dance Party with DJ Señior Carberry in Maplewood Village on May 6, 2021. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
Porchfest Maplewood Logo created by Julie Weinberg.
Porchfest with Wide Angle Lens Shot. Photo © Tracy Sham Photography.
“I am part of one of the best local organizations called Maplewood Porchfest. Each year on Labor Day weekend, homeowners from the Hilton neighborhood in Maplewood get matched with dozens of bands and musicians to perform for free on residents’ porches or driveways. It is like a one-day walking lollapalooza event, and my husband Matt and I are proud to help Susan and Ben Williams and the team put it on every year. What’s so great about Maplewood Porchfest is that it brings the community together outdoors to enjoy the different music styles from brilliant local musicians of all ages.”
The next Maplewood Porchfest is scheduled for Sunday, September 5, 2021, with a rain date of Monday, September 6, from 1-5 PM. Just like in previous years, our free event will feature numerous porches around the Hilton neighborhood of Maplewood with a wide array of music and entertainment throughout the afternoon.
Tracy is very involved with the South Orange Maplewood school district and community. For the past 3 years as an active member of the Tuscan Elementary School PTA, Tracy helped to organize International Night events to share diversity and culture with SOMA’s youngest and impressionable residents. She loves exploring new places and has curiosities about depilated buildings and homes. She has always loved looking at old photographs. Tracy enjoys history, science, traveling and trying new food from other cultures and she especially loves comfort food. Tracy speaks Cantonese, hopes to have a dog one day, and looks forward to capturing your story in photos.
Tracy Sham on photo assignment for the legend Grand Master Flash.
Photo by Clay Patrick McBride.
www.tracysham.com
https://www.facebook.com/TracyShamPhotography
https://www.instagram.com/tracyshamphotography
Tracy Sham is a member of SOMA Arts Registry, a free online hub serving Maplewood, South Orange and neighboring towns. It focuses on artists, arts professionals and arts organizations, with the goal to extend their local, regional and national market reach. SOMA Arts Registry was created by the Township of Maplewood and Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture to support the local arts community.