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

Jasmine, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

My brand is built around standing out from the industry standard. In today’s photography industry, most photographers are after the newest and most technologically-forward camera lenses to create images as close to perfection as they can get. It’s common for photographers to want to get the sharpest image possible with the most consistent and reliable modern lenses possible. I, on the other hand, am focused on finding the most interesting vintage equipment that I can. I’m not after perfection, I’m after character. I collect lenses with interesting perspectives, distortions, and quirky characteristics. Many of the lenses that I love and use the most in my work are actually rated quite poorly by other professional photographers online due to the very reasons that I choose to use them. But I am after a feeling of authenticity and timelessness, and by combining vintage lenses with modern camera bodies, I am able to provide that in a way that works for a wide variety of clients who really appreciate my unique approach. The result is photos that really set my work and my clients apart from others, something that matters a lot to me and to my clients.

Jasmine, 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 first jumped into the world of photography in 2005 through a film photography course. I started out working with vintage cameras from the 1970s, learning how to develop my own film and photos in the darkroom by hand while also learning the history of photography and studying many of the great photographers of the past. I continued with film photography courses for a few years before jumping into the digital photography world in 2009 through the Fine Arts program at York University in Toronto. With this duality of old and new as my foundation, it’s no surprise that later on in my career I felt inspired to combine these two worlds by adapting rare and interesting vintage lenses to modern camera bodies to create the unique images I am now known for.

Since taking my work professional in 2018, and moving my business to Miami in 2020, I’ve had the pleasure of using my hybrid approach to set a wide variety of clients across a wide variety of industries apart from their competition. Consumers today are constantly bombarded with visuals throughout their everyday, and it can take something really interesting and different to make people stop, look closer, and get curious. That is exactly what I aim to do with my vintage lenses. Having a wide variety of vintage and unique lenses to choose from allows me to carefully select a specific lens for each client and each job, creating images that stand out within that specific industry – from automotive to fashion and many in between.

The ability that I’ve developed to adapt to many industries and clients is probably the thing that I am most proud of in my work. My many years of using vintage equipment in a variety of settings has taught me how to create beautiful, unique, and engaging images in just about any setting or scenario. I’m not afraid of any challenge, and am always excited to experiment with a new industry or idea.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has consistently been referrals and word of mouth. Though I work diligently on marketing, SEO, social media, and other streams of building my client roster, the clients that often have the most fun working with me are ones who have seen my work and heard about what I do from other clients of mine. When you’re doing something different and unique in such a well-known industry, it can be hard to get those differences across just from traditional marketing efforts, but when a client of yours is raving about their experience working with you to others in their industry or inner circle, those new leads come to you with a greater understanding of exactly what you do and why your different approach can really benefit them. This is why it’s so important for me to build awesome relationships with my clients and keep in touch with them regularly.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

As I mentioned before, client referrals are very important to me, so keeping in touch with my clients and fostering brand loyalty is naturally also of utmost importance. I do this in a few key ways, starting with our first experience working together. I always over-deliver, and I think this sets me apart from others in my industry especially here in Miami. I truly believe that going the extra mile during a photoshoot and delivering more than I am contracted to is the biggest spark to creating brand loyalty with my clients. It helps them to realize that I care about their brand and I don’t want to hold back any great images that were captured during our time working together, as I know how much those additional options matter to them when choosing which photos they want to use in their business.

After that first shoot, I also reach out by email asking them for feedback. This helps my clients to see that I care how my images are working out for them, and that I am interested in understanding their needs for future photoshoots and bettering my work going forwards if we work together again. In my feedback questionnaire is also the option for them to opt in to future emails from me, so they can be aware of any promotions I may be running in the future that may benefit them. This way, I am respecting those clients who do not want to receive those emails while opening the door to future bookings with those who are excited to take advantage of my promotional offerings, fostering even more brand loyalty. Surprisingly, clients who don’t want to receive promotional emails from me often also become returning clients because they appreciate that I respect their wishes to not send extra emails, and they want to work with people who understand how they best like to communicate (or not communicate, in those cases).

Using these methods to communicate with and work with my clients in ways that offer value, respect, and flexible communication allows me to build a growing roster of loyal clients who love what I do and book with me regularly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jasminesomers.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasminesomersphoto/

Image Credits
Jasmine Somers Creations LLC