We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jen Colony a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jen, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I truly believe just being human centered first in your business can make you successful and set you apart from others. Remembering that we are all human, dealing with outside stressors like money and relationships- and that expectations have to be managed from that first conversation pre contract. As a wedding photographer my business runs off of word of mouth mostly, which means I have to provide an amazing experience from contract to gallery delivery to ensure that referral from my brides and grooms. And going above and beyond their expectations is really not hard. Checking in during the planning process for your couples is so easy. Offering to help them find vendors that you love- having that knowledge leads to confidence from your clients. Showing empathy is a huge way to be successful in this industry too. I have had brides lose family members not long after their wedding, and making sure they get those family photos back as soon as possible for them to reminisce on or to have for their memorial is really special. I think if you use that old as time golden rule of “treat others how you want to be treated” then your business and success can speak for itself.

Jen, 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?

My name is Jen, and I have been a wedding/couples/family photographer for about 8 years now. I started as a hobby, and after getting pregnant with my son I decided to leave the corporate world and make it a full time business. I started as a family photographer and of course I was hooked because I saw my family in the families that came to see me. I loved the connection I saw with these families, and the way I could freeze that little moment in time for them. Then I started documenting couples and weddings, and that was everything I didn’t know I needed at the time. There is something incredibly special about someone trusting you to document a day that most people only do once. These couples trust me to document their wedding day from their eyes, and to capture moments they don’t always get to see. And much like my own wedding, there are people in the pictures who maybe aren’t around a year later. And how special is it that we get to hold that moment long after people have passed. I don’t limit what I shoot these days- I think all seasons of life are meant to be documented. And at the same time I know it is a luxury to get photos done, so keeping things affordable for my clients to come at least once a year is SO important to me. I recognize that things are expensive, and photos aren’t a necessity. But I also can recognize that most of us moms don’t get in the pictures with our babies, and there’s a level of importance in that photo possibly being a family heirloom for our future grandkids or family members to come. So my business practice is to keep everything mostly client centered. Remembering I wouldn’t have this business without them and keeping what’s important to them at the core of my business.

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

The most rewarding part of being a photographer is getting those texts that say “I can’t believe that is me” or “I’ve never felt so beautiful in a photo before”. Having someone not only admire my work, but more importantly admiring themselves, is the best feeling. Photography is subjective, and anyone can click a button on a camera. There is an art in seeing a moment and finding ways to make it feel cinematic or nostalgic. And lets face it we all love that nostalgic, comforting feeling. The reward is in capturing that feeling, and letting your clients see not only how beautiful they are but how sweet the moments happening right before them can be.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson is am STILL unlearning is that I have to have a specific style of photography. When I first started taking photos I had no idea what my style would even be, and over the years it has evolved. I pride myself on making sure I take new educational classes every year to keep up with the trends or learn something new, but my style has slowly just become a feeling. Not every session needs to be edited the same. Comparison is an absolute thief, and in this industry we all put so much pressure on ourselves to be on trend. Or to edit like the creators who have 25k followers. I am at a point in my business where my style might not be for everyone, but I truly enjoy my job and the art I’m creating and I’d like to think my ideal clients feel the same.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jcolonyphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.colonyphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/j.colonyphotography