We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Georgia Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Georgia below.
Georgia , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?
As a young freelance photographer, managing your own social media versus hiring someone else to do it involves a balance of time, skill, and resources. With that being said, I manage my own social media for GEJOPHOTO because I prefer to have total creative control on how I am presented on the internet. This also allows me to communicate with my audience and clients directly in an authentic and genuine way. Keeping up with trends while still creating engaging and unique content by myself is a challenge, but essential for establishing my business’s presence on socials. My biggest advice for those who want to start posting more, but have no clue where to start is to do a little research. Look at other creator’s content and take inspiration to figure out how to make it your own. Eventually ideas will start flowing as you find your style and rhythm. My next biggest piece of advice is to post consistent, quality content. Posting consistently is one of the most difficult parts of social media, but definitely the most rewarding. Figure out a posting schedule that works best for you that allows you to put out content without overworking yourself.
Georgia , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a college student, freelance photographer and business owner. I study chemistry at Louisiana State University while working as a student photographer in athletics. Sports have always been an integral part of my life, however my role in sports has changed over the years. I grew up playing soccer, softball and basketball but was forced to quit altogether after enduring 4 concussions over the course of 9 months in 2017. With my newfound free time, I picked up my mom’s old DSLR and started photographing my former club and school teams. I eventually joined yearbook my junior year of high school and became the editor. My love for photography blossomed as I started to take on clients for senior portraits and family photos while continuing to document the high school experience for our yearbook. When I graduated, I knew I wanted to continue my career in sports at a bigger stage, so I set my sights on LSU. With some of the biggest athletic programs in the country, joining the creative team at LSU was my dream. After only a few months on campus working for LSU’s yearbook, one of my now coworkers reached out and asked if I was interested in working in athletics. Within the month, I was working inside Tiger Stadium amongst some of the best college creatives in the country. During my time here, I have been able to photograph a wide variety of sports including football, gymnastics, basketball and softball. As I now go into my senior and final year working in LSU Athletics, I am incredibly thankful for the people and opportunities LSU has brought me. I have photographed some of the biggest games in school history, including the Women’s Basketball National Championship in 2023 and the Women’s Gymnastics National Championship this past April. I am proud of how much I have grown in not only my photography, but in my business and as a person. On my social media I create videos that give insight into what my life as a college student studying chemistry while also working in athletics and building my own business. I post “day in my life” videos, sometimes give advice about photography, and create content for LSU fans to enjoy as well. Outside of LSU, I established GEJOPHOTO LLC this year, my freelance photography business. I take on a wide variety of clients from graduating seniors to proposals to events and parties. I produce photos that are bold and colorful that feel alive and full of energy. Being creative and documenting such special moments in so many people’s loves has fulfilled me in a way that nothing else has.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is seeing how my work affects others. As a freelance photographer, I get to be a part of major moments in my clients’ lives. I’ve photographed numerous graduating seniors, sports games, soon-to-be parents, proposals, weddings, birthdays, fundraisers and much more. Seeing how much these images mean to each and every person I work with is why I keep going. Photos keep memories alive and I am grateful every single day that I have been able to preserve so many memories for so many people.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
When I started working for LSU, I quickly realized how lucky I am to be a part of a brand that reaches a global audience. I had already been posting my photos on Instagram, but I started to make videos to showcase my photos on TikTok. I started to realize that there was a potential audience that could be interested in what I do for a living, whether that be LSU fans or those looking to start a photography career. I branched out from just posting my photos and started to make videos that give insight into what it’s like to work in LSU Athletics and this is when I started to notice a lot more growth. In order to build a social media presence, you have to first believe that either you or what you do is interesting. If you don’t find yourself interesting, then others will not either. Finding your niche can be very difficult, so start by trying out a variety of different types of content. Keep creating content and posting consistently and you will eventually figure out what works best for you and your audience. Once you’ve found your groove, keep posting quality content consistently. This is by far the hardest aspect of social media and why I believe most people do not find success. It may take a while and get discouraging, but just keep creating!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gejophoto.com
- Instagram: @gejophoto
- Twitter: @gejophoto
- Other: TikTok: @gejophoto
Image Credits
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