We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brynlee Jensen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brynlee below.
Brynlee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?
Before I went full time with my photography business, I was going to school toward becoming a nurse and working 12 hour night shifts as a CNA (nursing assistant) at the hospital. 3 years into my career as a wedding photographer, I ran into a past patient at a wedding whom I took care of and she told me I was one of the few people she remembered caring for her in her early journey of healing from her traumatic brain injury. She told me she thought of me as more of a friend and always looked forward to the days I worked. By fate, we got to meet again and it was such a sweet time getting to hear of her recovery and how I played a role in her life. Her story.
Looking back, I’ve learned so much from that job and without really realizing it, I have put that same care in my business. At the end of the day, I am taking care of people in all different walks of life. All with different stories. In the hospital I was caring for people on some of the hardest days of their lives. One day they’ll look back and some will remember me caring for them. Now I serve people on one of the happiest days of their lives at their wedding. And one day they’ll look back and will remember me. It doesn’t matter if it’s their hardest or happiest day, I want them to remember me being kind, thoughtful, leaving at the end of the day feeling like I have their back. Like they just gained a new friend in their life. I look to serve all of my people in the best way I know how. Something that helps me do that (and helped me back when I worked at the hospital) was before I even go inside, I take off my “Brynlee hat”, meaning, I put all of my problems and life stresses aside, and walk in full invested in them and their story. It all becomes about them. And I find that’s something I’ve become good at from working as a nursing assistant. I’m so grateful for that job and all it’s taught me.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a wedding photographer based in northern Utah, but love traveling all over the states. I aim to document wedding days in a timeless yet artful way with true to color editing. I am a sentimental person at heart and that bleeds into my work, always looking for special moments I know will be cherished for years to come. I have been shooting weddings for 7 years now, totaling in just over 200 weddings! People are so unique and interesting and I love getting to know them and their story. Speeches from loved ones are one of my favorite parts of a wedding day because I get to know more about my clients through their friends and family. I take the responsibility of my job seriously and love every second of it.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I had known more about back end management programs like Honeybook to keep me organized. The part of the job I fell in love with is shooting and interacting with people so it was tricky at first getting the hang of contracts and invoicing. As soon as I got systems in place within my CRM it really helped me be able to focus on my people again.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being an artist and owning a creative business is being able to shift within my business when I feel personal growth. My branding, my work, everything is a reflection of who I am as a person and if I feel something isn’t working or I need to adjust in one area, I can. I always have permission to shift and do things differently if I feel like it doesn’t reflect who I am anymore. It allows for personal growth and I love that I can make that a priority. It also allows my ideal client to find me and fall in love with who I am as a person, making even more room for trust and friendship, not just a business transaction.
Contact Info:
- Website: brynleepaige.com
- Instagram: @brynleepaige_
- Facebook: Brynlee Paige Photography
- Other: Email: hello@brynleepaige.com Pinterest: @brynleepaige_
Image Credits
Wild Pines Collective (personal photo), all others by Brynlee Paige Photography.