We were lucky to catch up with Jackie Camps Children & Family Photographer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jackie Camps, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Sure! The biggest risk I’ve taken is, by far, the decision to start my own photography business. I didn’t have any prior business experience, nor did I really have the full understanding of photography. I knew I loved taking photos, and bringing joy to others with it. Ever since I was little, I’ve had a camera in my hand. I’ve always loved capturing real moments and memories, simply so I could look back on them and remember that time in my life! What’s interesting, however, is that I didn’t set out to do this as a career. I graduated from UCF with a degree in Education and taught for a few years in Central Florida at the elementary level. I absolutely loved working with children, and always have. When that path ended abruptly for me, and I had two young children of my own I picked up the hobby of photography. I wanted to capture every moment with my children – they change so quickly! After having a few friends and family ask me to do the same for them, I considered taking this to a professional level. I invested in the correct equipment, and started learning as much as I could about taking professional quality photos. That part came easy believe it or not! It was the business side of things that has truly been a learning experience! However, I grow more and more each day – and after almost 6 years under my belt, I think I can truly say I’ve reached far beyond any goals I ever set for myself. I know the hard work I put in to this, and the support of my family and friends has been a huge part of my success, but first and foremost I give thanks to God for ALL of it. Without him, I don’t think I would have survived trying to raise two small children, run a household, and run a full time thriving business! The best part of it all is that I get to meet so many new families every day, who I consider my friends, while doing what I love and helping to support my own family at the same time!
Jackie Camps, 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?
I got into this industry simply out of a love for photography and capturing life’s beautiful moments. As a former elementary school teacher, I knew I definitely wanted to work with children – therefore I specialize in photographing both family and children of all ages (including college grads!). My goal is to provide them with beautiful memories of their true selves. A posed photo is lovely, but there’s nothing like a real emotion captured forever. I am always reminding my clients to embrace who they are and where they’re at in their lives – even the tough moments. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had mothers come back to me with songs of praise for capturing who their children really are! You can’t always expect kids to smile for a photo, and that’s ok! Especially with really young children – they are full of emotions trying to figure out the world around them! There will be times of anger, sadness, joy, and wonder all in the same 60 seconds! As a mother, I know what it’s like to see your children grow so quickly and change so fast – I want to hold on to every bit of it. That’s what I try to do for all of my families, and it’s what I’m most proud of when it comes to defining my brand. Patience and love in all things is how I try to approach each and every day in both my personal life, and especially in my service to others!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
They say word of mouth is the best form of marketing, and I believe that to be true. Other than seeing what I post on social media platforms, my clients come to me almost exclusively through referrals from past families! I treat each and every one of my clients with the same love, respect & patience as I would my closest friends and family. I believe that is why I’ve continued to see my clientele grow at a rate I never imagined! And it’s important to say, I have the BEST families!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Other than having a source of income for my family, there are a few things driving my creative journey for sure!
For starters, I thoroughly enjoy it! I’ve always had a creative personality and being able to constantly utilize that is, for lack of a better word, AWESOME!
Having the ability to meet new people, and give back to my community is also a driving force behind my hard work and dedication to my business. It has also allowed me to support several charities and organizations in my area.
What keeps coming to the forefront, however, is my growing faith in God and knowing that I have a huge platform to speak from! As a Christian, it is important for me to demonstrate what being a follower of Christ looks like, and to inspire others to not only seek God, but to live a life full of love and kindness for everyone around them. As my business continues to grow, so can that love.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jbc.photo
- Instagram: @jbcphotographyfl
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/jbcphotographyfl
Image Credits
Professional photos are taken by myself, Jackie Camps (JBC Photography) Behind the scenes photos are taken by my lovely clients.