Ag Women Connect "Ag Talk, Your Story Matters!"

Uplifting the Ag Industry Through Livestock Photography

Venessa Wood

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0:00 | 46:59

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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

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