We were lucky to catch up with Janessa Sanderson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Janessa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Photography is such a deeply personal art form for me. I’ve been a photographer since 2012, when I was a single mom with a toddler. I fell in love with capturing the joy in her eyes while she freely ran and played. My dream became to create time capsules of love not just smiles while looking at the camera. I want my clients to remember exactly how they felt in those moments. I see the way a new mother looks at her child. I see when a husbands hand grazes his new brides back when he thinks no one is looking. It’s the gratitude in the eyes of someone saying their final good byes to their loved ones. I look for the moments in between the moments.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a wedding, branding, and lifestyle photographer. I offer photo, video, and content creation throughout South Florida. From the beaches to the lush tropical gardens, every outdoor location here offers such a stunning backdrop for the stories I get to tell through my lens. Each photoshoot is unique and I try to capture the raw emotions and beautiful moments that unfold. In branding photography, I embrace the challenge of creating images that truly resonate with a brand’s identity. I love diving deep into the essence of what makes each brand unique and translating that into captivating images.

I truly love this career.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Photography was NEVER the plan. I knew I wanted to help people. I was in school to become a nurse. I had wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl, but I was struggling with juggling my time. Between being a single mama and the school load, it just wasn’t working. (Shoutout to healthcare workers, you are incredibly strong.) I decided to pivot my life completely and switched my degree to business. I wanted to work for myself and knew I would find a way to help others along the way somehow.

Its been 12 years. Through volunteering, fundraising, donating hundreds of hours of photography to various charities and causes close to my heart. I have been a part of thousands and thousands of lives, I’ve been able to give out over 1000 holiday gifts to seniors and unhoused people over the past couple of years because of this career. This isn’t the way that I planned on helping others but I feel so grateful that I found my own way.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

There are no rules when it comes to photography. There are guidelines to help you create a visually pleasing images yes, but when it comes down to it, beauty is subjective. You are creating your own art in your images. Don’t worry about fitting into a mold of right and wrong. Capture what YOU find beauty in and do it in your own way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://goldenpalmphotography.com
• Instagram: @GOLDENPALMPHOTO
• Facebook: @GOLDENPALMPHOTO