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

Jake, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

You would never think that working as a nurse and being a photographer would have anything in common, but I found that to be wrong. After working as a nurse for over four years I found that nursing and photography have a lot more in common than you would think. As a nurse, I learned so much about the human experience and how as humans we all have the same basic needs. I learned how to communicate with individuals from all walks of life and learned how to listen. This allowed patients to feel comfortable opening up to me and share personal details from their life they may not normally share.

This has helped me tremendously in photography, allowing me to connect with my clients on a personal level. It allowed me to have a different perspective then most. I understood more about human behavior and how to connect and listen to my clients. I was able to make my clients feel comfortable enough to let their guard down and capture more intimate portraits. They shared their stories with me and I listened intently and openly.

Nursing and photography has given me a deeper understanding of human nature and a drive to understand people on a new level. Without nursing I wouldn’t be as empathetic and curious about the humans I interact with as a photographer. It has given me a purpose beyond capturing a beautiful portrait. It gave me the drive to tell a story with my photographs.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I first started taking photos when I was in middle school. I would put my headphones in, turn my music on, and walk around my Grandma’s farm taking pictures of the landscapes and the animals that inhabited it. I first started to realize I had a talent for taking photos when my friends and family would tell me how good my pictures were. Eventually I got my first DLSR camera for Christmas and continued to take more and more photos. I started taking portraits of people and discovered my love for connecting with different people and capturing their beauty. It became a passion of mine to show people a different side of themselves they weren’t used to seeing or didn’t think they had. A few years later I got my first full frame camera and started photographing senior photos and weddings. This soon turned into more and more paid gigs. I eventually started to develop my own personal style that centered around fashion photography mixed with documentary style photography. I moved to Columbia, MO for college and became a part of a creative club of photographers and creators called DreamClub. DreamClub was a community of creative individuals that came together to create content. The founder of the organization Maya introduced me to a lot of new people in the industry and I quickly started working with many different people in the mid-Missouri area. Today, I definitely credit Maya and DreamClub with giving me the confidence and connections to keep on excelling in my photography. I have since started my business as it is known today. I am currently working on polishing up my studio photography and collaborating with creators all over Missouri and the United States.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

If there was one piece of advice I would give to anyone starting out it would be to just get started and not be afraid to fail or take a bad picture. I would also tell them to start taking pictures of what’s familiar to you and what inspires you. Don’t try to mimic what others or doing or compare your work to theirs When you take photos of the things that inspire you and fill you up with joy, your work will speak for itself.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think what helped build my reputation is networking with creators of all sizes in my community and beyond. I also think it is important to develop your own style that inspires you. You can look at other creators work or art from the past, but it is important to only take inspiration from it, and then make it yours. When you find your niche and what sets your art apart that is when your brand will start to stand out.

Contact Info:

• Website: www,jakehullphoto.com
• Instagram: jakehullphoto
• Facebook: Jake Hull Photography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobehull/
• Twitter: Jake Hull Photo

Image Credits
Models: Ellie Morman-fur jacket and black dress photos(2) Makayla Boone-paint covered face& pink legging boots Liz Lippelman-colored face photo with finger in mouth with short hair