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Uplifting the Ag Industry Through Livestock Photography
Ag Women Connect "Ag Talk, Your Story Matters!"
This week, Venessa interviews Sierra Franks who grew up on a Texas Panhandle cow-calf and Hereford show-steer operation spanning Texas and Oklahoma, and credits her grandfather and family history for shaping her values and cattle program. Sierra explains how showing steers led her into photography, beginning with a 2014 Show Champions USA internship that expanded into major events like Houston and a career shaped by long show days, fast turnaround editing, and industry connections.
She later worked with Legacy Livestock Imaging and launched Uplift Imaging in 2021 to change industry culture with a focus on kindness (“make kindness loud”), valuing staff, and mentoring women. A single mom of two boys, Sierra relies on family and a mostly female team to provide livestock, sale, rodeo, and portrait photography, shares how she recharges at home and on the ranch, recounts a road-trip story with her son, and outlines upcoming summer events and contact info.
00:00 Meet Sierra Franks
00:57 Panhandle Ranch Roots
01:54 Camera Sparks a Career
03:39 ShowChampions Breakthrough
05:09 Hereford Heritage Story
06:34 West Texas Weekend Sale
08:14 What Makes a Winner
09:29 Show Cattle After the Ring
12:36 Kids and Calves
13:55 Internship First Day Nerves
15:51 Houston Changed Everything
18:55 Editing and Fast Turnarounds
22:17 Launching Uplift Kindness
25:07 Staff That Feels Like Family
27:06 Mentoring the Next Generation
27:51 Beyond Livestock Photography
28:47 Single Mom Balancing It All
30:11 Pruning and Knowing Your Worth
33:53 How She Fills Her Cup
36:53 Advice for Business Pivots
38:48 Road Trip Storytime
43:44 What’s Next and How to Reach Her
45:47 Final Thanks and Wrap Up
Thank you for joining us at Ag Talk hosted by Ag Women Connect! America's Platform for Women in Agriculture. " Your Story Matters." We love recognizing our women in this industry! Go to www.agwomenconnect.com to find out a little more about us, and how you can connect with other women in agriculture! Want to be a speaker? You can reach us at AgWomenConnect@gmail.com
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