We were lucky to catch up with Jenna Whitmore recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I was never able to pinpoint what I wanted to be when I grew up. I took all the tests and assessments in high school, changed my major several times in college and still felt so undecided in my direction in life. Everyone around me was making strides, realizing their passions and moving forward with the obvious next steps towards their career paths. ((Cue my jealousy and continued uncertainty)) For years I held jobs that were great and perfectly satisfying but never my PASSION. I was never unhappy, but also never convinced that those were the jobs I would be doing forever. In 2020 I took a very honest and real look at where I was and where I wanted to be. Here were my common denominators in every job: Creativity, Community, and a strong love of people and relationships. Fast forward to today: I am a photographer and my work is emphasized in Personal Brand Photography, primarily for small business owners looking to create a dynamic new visual for their brand and organization. I work hard to create a personal and unique experience with each person I work with and I wake up every day so thankful for the job I get to do and the work I have done up to now. My hope is that my legacy will be that it is never too late to realize your passion. You can change your life, your direction, and your goals at any time and be happier than you ever thought possible if you just take a chance on yourself. I want people to look back on how I started and think “I can absolutely do that too!” I want my legacy to be the promise of success and happiness in any season of life.

Jenna, 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?

Photography has always been an interest and hobby of mine, even from a young age. I remember watching my Mom use her Olympus camera to take natural light images for her community college photography class and thinking “Wow, that’s so neat!”. Years later I bought that camera from her and started my journey from hobby photographer to professional! It definitely took about a decade, countless classes, a dozen lenses, and some serious anxiety before I got up the courage to start J.Whitmore Photography, but I am going into my second year of full time professional photography now and every day is better than the last.

I am a boutique photographer that primarily works in Personal Branding and Commercial Photography for small business owners and professionals. I work with some large companies as well, but my heart and soul is the small business owner. Their fight and passion is mine as well and I work diligently to show that in each image I produce for my clients! My expertise ranges from headshots to team portraits to food/product and a lot of styles in between! With Portraits comes high school seniors, maternity sessions, and weddings – and I love them all! While I don’t emphasize wedding photography as a staple to J.Whitmore Photography, I do offer and encourage micro weddings to come to me for a unique and intimate take on their special day. I have fabulous photographer friends that I refer the big, beautiful weddings to, but I do my best work when I can really focus on all the small details and capture the day in a photojournalistic style.

I am proud to say that J.Whitmore Photography is 100% referral based and I owe much of that to the tremendous organizations that I belong to – Little Black Book: Women in Business, Cottleville-Weldon Spring Chamber of Commerce, and Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Without the support and constant referrals, this little passion project turned business wouldn’t be where it is today!

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

I want to make a difference. Plain and simple. I think that looks different based on the projects I am working on, but at the end of the day, if I helped a business gain more exposure – that is a goal met. If I captured a beautiful moment at a wedding that the bride can’t look at with out crying – thats a win for me. If I gave someone their confidence back with a portrait after a major milestone in their life – then my mission is living up to its hype. Authenticity is the heart of my company mission. There is nothing more beautiful than truth and individuality.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Not being boxed in to one particular type of work. Yes, I use a camera every day, but the job itself changes based on the project. I love opening my computer and seeing what types of inquires I have received! I have shot sessions for children’s book authors, pageant contestants, pets, travel agents, massage therapists, CrossFit athletes, and more. No job is the exact same and that is such an amazing facet of this industry. I think it’s also so beneficial to me as an artist to get the experience of so many industries because it grows my craft. I am constantly learning with each new project I work on!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jwhitmorephoto.com
• Instagram: jwhitmore.photography
• Facebook: jwhitmorephotography
• Linkedin: J.Whitmore Photography LLC

Image Credits
All images courtesy of J.Whitmore Photography