We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jasmine Brinkley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jasmine, thanks for joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

My parents did right when they bought me my first camera in high school. I had previously shown interest in taking pictures because I always took them on my phone. Even before I had my phone, I would take theirs, and snap a pic of anything I thought had significance. Sometimes, it didn’t have to be pretty, it just had to be there. My parents would agree that the flowers were pretty but if they didn’t understand why I took a picture of two perfectly even wine glasses with the same amount of red wine sitting in them, they still knew that it was important to me. For Christmas, I think it was my freshman year, they bought me a Canon Rx7. This is still the camera I use today. At first, I would take aesthetic pictures while on vacation and it was nothing more than that. I would constantly hear people tell me that I could really take good pictures. I knew they were good but not good enough to where people pushed me to start paying people for it. In my junior year of college, I started Pura Vida Visions Photography, my personal photography business. I have business cards, I’ve had several successful shoots, worked on a tv shows and film, and have collaborated with local creatives. My parents did right by buying me my first camera and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Jasmine, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hello everyone! My name is Jasmine Brinkley and I am a freelance photographer. I started taking pictures for fun in highschool. I professionally started over a year ago. As a photographer who goes to the University of Memphis, I’ve had the chance of working with serval different artists of different age groups. I’ve networked with musicians, business owners, producers, videographers, etc. Being able to connect with different industries and people is an important intersectionality. I get to be apart of creative art that makes me feel proud about what I do.
My services offers an unlimited amount of raw/unedited pics + edited pics. My hourly rate is $60. There is not a deposit or fee applied to the standard hourly rate. No studio space is included.

I like for my clients to know that I can attend to their entire preparation for the shoot. I help with things they may need: hair, clothes, makeup, style, locations, creative planning, transportation, etc.

I want it to be known there’s a reason why I chose Pura Vida as the name for my business. I’m the type of person to have Carpe Diem and Memento Vivere tattooed on my body( I do). For those who may not know, they’re both Latin expressions: carpe diem: seize the day, memento vivere: remember to live. I value livid expression and genuinely living life. I think there is so much abundance in the world and photography helps me channel that. I wanted a name that represented not only what I stand for, what I cared about, but how I can show people beauty in truly living life. Each picture captures something different. Each person and shot has its own concept. We learn people through imagery and I want to be the catalyst in between people and that dream.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I was able to successfully build my audience on Instagram by working with different people and organizations. I’ve previously worked with musicians and artists at workshops. I’ve worked with young creatives in college. I’ve taken pictures/videos for fraternities and sororities. I’ve worked with groups to work on film/photoshoot projects. Recently, I’ve tapped more into my content creative abilities by making reels.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn was letting go of control. I got so used to taking care of things that I had to learn to let others shine too. When I work by myself, I know exactly what I want to get done and how. I’ve had to learn that people have that same idea. I’ve learned to allow them access to fulfilling it while allowing myself to represent my thoughts mine as well.
Advice for others: find your niche in what you can do and express it in the most comfortable way you know how.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @puravida.visions