We recently connected with Jade Droese and have shared our conversation below.

Jade, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

I was a bit of a late bloomer when it came to choosing a vessel to embody my creativity, but I always knew that I loved watching my favorite artists’ and bands’ music videos. It never occurred me that it was actually something within arms reach to pursue until I met my current group of friends. When it comes to videography and photography, or really any creative ambition, a really big part of takeoff is about who you know. It was a beautiful blend of friendship and passion that kickstarted my love for cinematography; my desire to edit quickly came after. I specialize in concert videography, so it really helps being friends with a lot of people in that respective industry. I only started shooting about a little less than a year ago, so a huge part of continuing to only grow is buying and learning all the different equipment that goes into the art. Cameras, computers, SD cards, lenses, I can go on for hours! Choosing videography is something I quickly realized to be quite the investment, but the payoff is knowing I am doing it to shake hands with a future music video creator.

Jade, 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?

As someone still nestling into the artistic scene, I am still paving my way into finding my creative specialty. I got into videography by, once again, knowing a lot of people in similar fields but also through my dad who creates feature films! It almost makes me feel like creativity runs in my bloodline, making me eager to continue hitting the ground running. As for the services in question, I do both photography and videography, as well as edit for both. Between shooting and editing, the latter is definitely my passion although I love the art behind holding the camera as well. I think that I enjoy it so much because I get a personal sense of control, feeling like whatever content I create is something that comes straight from my heart!
I hope to continue to contribute towards the heart of music that resides within Atlanta. I personally know and love lots of underground bands that I would love to give publicity through my work. It can be hard at times to find ways to network when it comes to music, after all, how are you supposed to pitch a first impression when you are not on stage? This is where content creation comes in, and why video in particular means so much to me. Sure, I am the one controlling the camera and editing footage, but at the end of the day the videos I put out completely are in the hands of whatever band/performer is on stage. That to me is the beauty behind concert videography, because it gives musicians a chance to “practice what they preach” in a wide scale kind of way. With that being said, I love to collaborate, and am open to all different kinds of concepts. I also am very into street fashion, mixed media, and just about anything that allows both me and whoever else is involved to be creatively challenged.

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

Something that I live by, especially given the early nature of my career, is catering to personal relationships and doing what I can to prioritize them. While it is only inevitable that business will be just that in most of the people I will encounter in the creative world, I will never shake wanting to put a face to my name! I am a lover of all different kinds of people and find that I am able to learn something new every day by striving to always experience getting to know somebody outside of their craft. Thus far I have been able to build a network this way, although I understand this approach may not be everybody’s cup of tea. I will never regret this approach, however, because I can walk away knowing that even if me and someone have creative differences, I got to encounter someone new.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I definitely reap the most rewards through feeling like I am able to express myself through my work. I only want to continue to embrace my creative side, and being able to work with like-minded people always helps me find my voice in doing so. Half the battle is the subject of what I am shooting, but I get to know that ultimately I am one half of a two-way street when it comes to concert videography and photography. I want to be able to share with the world not only my creative eye, but also the many performances of those who bring music to life. I will always feel the victory of capturing musicians, because music is the most tender and subjective art; it is an honor to get to encapsulate that with a camera.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @gemwithalens
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-droese-31432122b?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Image Credits

Image Credits for Personal Photo: Skylar Krajack