Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaysen White. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jaysen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
If I could go back, I would make sure my business was on Instagram and YouTube from the start! The YouTube market is so saturated now, but back when I started leaning into photography (think 2011-2013) I think I could have had quite the successful channel! I also would have invested in truly learning photography, something I didn’t truly do until about 2019.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve been a Disneyland fan practically my entire life – I took my first trip from Northern California at 6 years old and went just about every 2 years growing up, until 2012 when I got hired into the Disney College Program out at Walt Disney World in 2012. Just a few months later, I met my future wife while working at Disney California Adventure! As an avid Disney fan and an eager photographer, it only seemed natural to blend the two, but that wouldn’t truly take off until I created a dedicated Disney-themed Instagram page in 2019. Just as quickly as I began to dive into posting about the parks, they shut down for the pandemic! During the shutdown I was able to really hone in on my photography skills and knowledge (thanks YouTube!). I also spent a lot of time interacting with the Disney Instagram community and absorbing all of the photography knowledge I could while patiently waiting to put that knowledge to good use when our parks finally reopened. Having this page and community has really helped me grow as a photographer and has helped me land a contributing photographer job with WDW / DLR Magazine, and even led to shooting my first Disney Wedding!
How did you build your audience on social media?
1 word: consistency!
Well, that and reels! I used to post on my page once a day, every day at 6pm! Instagram is such an interesting place in not only how it’s transformed over the years, but how it’s transformed photography! Just because you’re a decent photography does not necessarily mean you will have a successful page or business, you’ve also got to know how to navigate the changes in the algorithm and how people react to certain content. Even if you don’t like jumping on trends (I usually don’t), you must use trends to your advantage. I’ve been pretty fortunate to meet some great people through my channel, including a few who I consider close friends and mentors.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I’m a big fan of having my work printed. I think that goes for most photographers, and to have my work featured in WDW Magazine & DLR Magazine, where they can view it offline, truly means a lot to me! When I first came across WDW Magazine, I wouldn’t have imagined that I would ever make it into their magazines, so to be a part of their elite team of creators is truly amazing. And having my work featured by Disney Parks social media isn’t so bad either!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaysenwhitephotography.com
- Instagram: HappiestPlacePhotography
- Facebook: HappiestPlacePhotography
