Shane Lavalette was commissioned by the High Museum in Atlanta to create a series of photographs for the exhibition Picturing the South which would become his monograph, One Sun, One Shadow. It was primarily through traditional music—the sounds of old time, blues, and gospel—that Lavalette had formed a relationship with the region. This history became a natural entry point to explore the connection between music and the landscape of the American South through images.

One Sun One Shadow was named one of the “Best Books” of the year by photo-eye and shortlisted for the Kassel Photobook Award and the Author Book Award at Les Rencontres d'Arles. Lavalette's work has been featured by various publications, including The New York Times, TIME, NPR, CNN, The Telegraph, Aperture, Hotshoe, and Foam Magazine. Lavalette’s photographs have been exhibited widely, in addition to being held in private and public collections around the world.