We were lucky to catch up with Jalisa Rogers recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jalisa, appreciate you joining us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

In 2018, I was a senior at Utah Technical University. Like any other student in their senior year, I was taking demanding classes, working on a capstone project, working (almost) full time, and honestly, looking for just one easy class. So, I signed up for Film Photography and Dark Room Developing. If you know anything about film and the dark lab process, you’ll 1) laugh at my initial impression that it would be an easy class, and 2) understand that it consumed absolutely ALL of my free time and money. I fell absolutely in love with it. I immediately signed up for a digital photography class for my last semester, saved all my money in order to buy a digital camera kit (Canon EOS Rebel 6t), and again – spent all of my free time learning how to use my camera.

I hauled my boyfriend at the time to most of the classes to use as a model, and as a result, he also ended up learning quite a bit about photography. He took my senior portraits, and today, he’s an integral part of my wedding photography business as my go to second/assistant photographer!

Between the college years and now, we have spent countless hours photographing family memories, documenting all of our big vacations, our first home purchase, our pets, and each other on both film and digital. I started photographing weddings in 2021 when a close friend and former instructor got married (huge shout out to them for trusting me to document their wedding as my first one!). Today, I bring my love of candid and artistic documentation to all my clients. I work primarily in the DC – Baltimore, Maryland region, but I am eager to travel world wide!

Jalisa, 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 am a digital and film wedding photographer based out of Maryland. I am nestled between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland, but I am eager to pack my bags and photograph your love story wherever it takes you! My wedding photography is mostly documentary, with an editorial flair. I strive to document real events and true emotions and those events unfold, while adding in my own artistic touches to romanticize every moment. I focus heavily on artistic details, relaxed and fun candids, and couples portraits rooted in what makes them feel comfortable. I want my clients to look at their photos and say, “Wow! That feels exactly like us!”

I am passionate about clients who value the experience; those who hold simple moments close to heart, those who appreciate the art of human connection, and those who value photos they can hold in hand. I photograph weddings that are intimate and relaxed, and those that are raging parties. I love documenting weddings that are unique with couples that are unafraid to break the mold of tradition and do what they really want.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a wedding photographer, and more-so even a wedding documentarian, is creating multi-generational heirlooms that both preserve memories and tell a love story. For most, weddings are more than just a celebration of love; they are one of the few times in a persons life where all of their loved ones, family and friends alike, are gathered in one place. It is always such a treat to see these, often separate, parts of their lives intertwine in joy and love.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

A really common questions that wedding professionals frequently ask each other over dinner is “are you full time?” or “do you want to go full time?” And honestly, I’m in a very unique position where I am NOT full time, and I do not want to go full time! Being a wedding photographer is a “side hustle”, but more than that it’s something I do for fun; I love photographing weddings and couples, I think it’s important that people can have images and tangible memories to cherish, and it’s a hobby that brings ME joy. On the flip side, I also love my 9-5 “day job”. I work in cyber security, and find that the mix between using left and right sides of my brain is a challenge that I enjoy.

In full transparency, I also love that as a photographer, I will never feel pressured to take on a client that may be a bad fit simply because I have bills to pay. I have the flexibility to meet with my clients, and select to work with them just as much as they select to work with me. It helps me ensure that I am delivering 120% to each couple because I value their story and them as individuals, rather than just wanting to fill my books.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etherealloveco.com (this will soon be changing to www.jalisaroslynphoto.com)
• Instagram: @etherealloveco (this will soon be changing to @jalisaroslynphoto)

Image Credits

Headshots – Photographer https://www.meglaffeyphoto.com/
All other photos – https://etherealloveco.com/ (Will soon bee https://jalisaroslynphoto.com)