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

Alright, Jacquelyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

If I had to start over again today, some things that I would do differently is how I started my business. When I was in school to become a photographer they send you through several different classes that highlight things like portrait, business, lighting, etc. The goal is that you get to try on different hats so to speak. They encourage you to niche down to a specific area but that can be hard when you are taking portrait photography classes, along with photojournalism and videography. Many creatives want to do just that…create! So putting yourself in a box can be difficult. What I really did not understand at the time that I have come to learn now is how important marketing your business is and why having your niche can support that marketing. When I introduce myself to clients now or even acquaintances at mixers, instead of saying ” I am a photographer” and leaving it open for interpretation, I introduce myself saying “I specialize in real estate and small business photography.” This has helped me grow my business tremendously. The majority of my work is real estate, interiors, short term rentals, and business headshots but from those leads who become clients I also get family portraits, seniors, lifestyle and so on. So to really shorten up my best advice for anyone looking to start their business, I would suggest picking your specialty and marketing that. It doesn’t exclude other opportunities or clients but it does help target your ideal client which is a really important piece for profitability.

Jacquelyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a local to San Antonio, I was born and raised here. I picked up my first camera in elementary, worked on yearbook throughout middle school and high school, learned a lot about the principals of photography through film and developing. What started as a passion and hobby in my youth transitioned into a career option when I switched majors in college. I tried my hand in many different areas of photography but ultimately fell in love with Architecture which is how I niched down to real estate. I really enjoy working with short term rental owners, interior designers, custom builders and real estate agents. I take pride in bringing professional imagery to their marketing and adding to their success in their business. Some ways I believe I help solve problems or bring value to my clients is setting up the shot. This can look like setting the table at an Air BnB, clearing out distractions on counters, removing unappealing items like trash cans, focusing on what the client wants viewers to zone in on in the image and most importantly, a quick turn around time from the time of their session to the delivery of their photographs. Something I really want my current clients and future potential clients to know about me is that I am the kind of business owner who truly values your feedback. I believe working together brings us more abundance and success so making sure that I understand your vision and can bring it to life is important to me. Most of my clients end up becoming good friends and I continue to nurture these relationships as I really love to see people succeed at their dreams. The growth of not only my success but my clients as well is important to me. Working within this area of photography allows me to refer out my clients to other clients as well as friends and family in need of their specialty. This also benefits me as most of my new clients are referrals. There is truly no greater compliment then when I get a new lead and they start of by saying “you came highly recommended by…” Something else I would love for people to know about myself and my business is I love to create. So if you find yourself in need of a photographer, even if it doesn’t fall in the real estate category, and you are interested in trying something new or need assistance in bringing your imagination and thoughts to life, I hope you connect with me. I love generating ideas, making a plan, and executing it with you.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Even before social media became what it is today, If i could go back and start all over again I would definitely put myself out there more when searching for mentors. While youtube and the internet have been extremely useful, I have been very fortunate to work with other professionals in my industry who take the time to teach and critique me which only makes me better. Having a close group of professionals that you can trust also comes in handy when you need help with a shoot or if you get stuck on something that you have not quite mastered yet. Along with building relationships with likeminded people within your business field, seeking out opportunities is also a resource. This can be anything from mixers to presentations. The power of networking can really expand your business.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

While I was earning my degree in college for photography I had to do everything the “technically correct” way. In school there is a fine line between what you think is creative and appealing and what is technically correct in industry standards. As the world of photography and digital media continues to grow and expand I have had to unlearn being technically correct. The best example I can give on this is an engagement session I recently had where the bride asked me to create blurred images of the couple to show movement. This is becoming popular and trendy on instagram! I was excited to break the rules so to speak but if I had turned in the same photographs to my professor they would have failed me. A portrait should technically be in focus, sharp, and not blurred. In my business today more and more people are interested in having something different and creative. My clients do not care if it is technically correct. This could range anywhere from underexposed images to over exposed images, blurred versus sharp or in focus, very vibrant images that almost look like a painting, and so on.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jacquelynkphotography.com
• Instagram: @jacquelynkphotography
• Facebook: facebook.com/jacquelynkphotography

Image Credits
All photographs were taken by me.