Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessica Mulcahy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jessica, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

For most small businesses we all start the same…With a dream and a hail mary. Mine started with a wish. A wish to spend time with people. To make them laugh, to enjoy my 24/7 job and get out of the 7-6 life. To have some freedoms to spend days with the people who mean the most to me, and when it was all said and done, it gave me the strength I needed to take my daughter and I to safe place. To move forward and strive. It hasn’t been easy, and it challenges me every day to be better, to do better, to give more, and when you get right down to it, isn’t that what life in general is all about? Living in every moment and capturing each one to take with us when we leave. I never imagined in less than 5 short years after picking up a camera to make a go of my dream it would lead me to such a growing business. In 2022 alone I have seen over 275 families, captured over 15 weddings, and wrapped over 40 babes. The connections I’ve made and the people I have met makes the late nights editing, the stress of my own head (Was going full time the right decision). My clients become family to me. SO many children I’ve had the pleasure of watching grow. They inspire me to keep the energy, to be goofy, and to always remember that life is serious and stressful enough as it is…Laughter is what reminds us we’re still living.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a full time photographer! What could be more fun right? I recently told a little girl who said she wanted to be a photographer because it looks like fun all the time how little time I spend with my family and that I’m usually going on about 3 hours of sleep during primetime (October thru December), but after I said that to her I followed up with, but I get to play with you today and give your mom a true gift, fun captured in time. And that sums up what makes all of the hard work worth it. There is nothing more amazing than a family raving about their galleries, or a bride and groom speechless, or since we’re in the age of social media, seeing those profile pics change to one of your photos.

Most people say that photographers are a dime a dozen, and they’re not wrong. When I was starting out I got a lot of backlash, it’s inevitable right, someone wanting you to fail. It fueled me. I took workshops, watched a lot of YouTube, Pinterest, and had a few mentors who guided me … My Yodas as I call them. It’s intimidating trying to find your niche in an industry that is so packed. So finding that thing that sets you apart from the others is no easy feat. I remembered this line from a movie…”Everyone is waiting for you to fail, do everything you can to prove them wrong. Stand out and you can make a difference” My very first year my editing was rough, my posing even more rough, but I kept going, offering mini sessions like crazy at $30 or $40 a piece. Having people come to my house just to practice. As I was getting better I was enjoying still staying at a reasonably affordable rate. I remember being a single mom, and knowing pictures weren’t at the top of the priority list and how I wish now that I had more. Though don’t get me wrong I happily annoyed my family with disposable cameras at every function (Yes back in the day those were the “thing”). That first year at Christmas. I received a Christmas card from a single mom and her son I had shot a couple of times that year, on the back she wrote “I could never imagine being able to afford pictures of me and my son, let alone multiple times in one year, you don’t know what that means to me” …She was wrong, I did know, and that is what fuels me every day in my business now.

Don’t get me wrong, making a living while still wanting to give back, to stay in the “area” of affordability is very taxing…It leaves me with over 150 sessions and 5 weddings to sit and edit in 2 weeks time, but the payoff is so worth it. Growing a business, but also staying grounded and remembering what you came from is what makes a success. Striving to do better, be better, and give better, well to say that I found happiness in my business is an understatement, and my life would not be the same without the experiences I’ve had, the clients who’ve become family, and the love and support of those closest to me. It’s cliche to say I’m truly blessed, but I am…and it all started with a wish.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I can only hope it’s my personality (This would be where I would insert a laughing emoji lol) I like to have fun. I like to play. As a lifestyle photographer for me it’s just not about the sit and looks. It’s about the playtime, the games, the laughter. I want to capture memories during your sessions, I want you to look at your galleries and I want you to smile remembering how alive your child’s laugh was when you tossed them in the air, or how I turned that pout into a laugh by running around them being goofy. What is the point of a photo if there isn’t a memory attached to it? I can only hope that’s what continues to bring back so many of clients year after year. Although I think a lot of the dads would tell you it’s because I’m also freaky fast lol. When you’re playing I’m snapping, grabbing all those moments to give that our session time goes by quickly and they can take off the stuffy clothes, or get back to the tv during football season, or have their wives back to normal because the stress of outfit choices, hairstyles, and just plain getting the kids ready has made her into a slight terror…we’ve all been there lol The last thing a photographer should do is add any stress on…coming to see me should be the relaxing part where everyone can destress and enjoy each other!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I truly believe that life is truly pathed for us. I could sit here and give you the crossroads speech we’ve all heard either from our parents, influencers, or the movies, but you’ve heard it, so I’ll give you my story instead. When I picked up my camera for the first time it was almost as if I’d found freedom. I spend 13 long years in a relationship that was less than up to par. Abusive in more ways than one. There were good times of course, but even in those good times I spent them fearing for the next bad times. I was running an in home daycare and started shooting on the weekends and evenings. Every time I felt myself improving behind the lens was another wish that one day it would help me get out. My daughter who was 13 at the time enjoyed everything about having a photographer for a mom, and even though I was working two jobs she knew that it was helping us build some freedoms that would allow us to finally break the chains, and get out…It took a couple years, but once we did, my business, my work, and my demeanor took an amazing turn and I found happiness and strength in all aspects of life. I found myself working with a smile, a real one. Excited to go to work and come home and edit. Finding that kind of peace in life is something everyone strives for but not everyone achieves. It showed my daughter at 15, that following her dreams and working hard pays off no matter your circumstances. It’s not easy, and like everyone burn out in work is a true test, but having an abundance of work, especially these days, is so much more than a blessing, it’s a true gift, and a testament to character. Moving past it I am so grateful for the struggles. This year I got to marry my soul mate, my biggest support system and having that has made all the difference in my journey. My husband and daughter fuel my desire and love for my business. Find your people, it’s what gets you through all the hard days!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jsphotographystl.net
• Instagram: @js_photography_stl
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jsphotographystl

Image Credits
Katie Stephens Photography LLC (Wedding Photo)