We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeffrey Bennett. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeffrey below.
Jeffrey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.
Many years ago a couple inquired about having me photograph their upcoming wedding. They came to our meeting armed with specific examples of my work. They saw something in those selected shots they loved. Something they thought was creatively beyond the normal realm of “wedding photography”. Photographing their wedding they encouraged me to be free creatively and get weird. Working with this couple changed the course of my photography career and I’m forever grateful.
Jeffrey, 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?
There are so many components to photographing events from time management, anticipating moments, to capturing each detail. But after more than 20 years experience photographing events I’m convinced half of the job is working the people. It’s perfectly natural to be apprehensive towards a stranger with a camera. I believe I’ve cracked the code to getting everyone comfortable so they become collaborators. Being friendly yet direct I help couples and larger groups get into a photo. Whether it’s funny or dramatic, there’s more to it than just posing people. I give them confidence. The results show from hiring me. My clients end up with more great photos of the guests they’ve invited.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Don’t just show your work, explain it with your own face/voice in videos. People love hearing directly from the artist why and how they came to the choices they made. Your audience might come to see more in the work or to feel more of a connection to your brand after hearing about your process.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I think many photographers obsess over gear far more than they should. It took me year to realize that my own creative ideas mattered so much more than a camera or lens. I would tell this to any photographer starting out: get any camera it doesn’t matter, just start creating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jlbwedding.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlbwedding/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jlbwedding
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-bennett-83b967a/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JLBwedding
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/jlbwedding/
