We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Balarezo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.

Alright, Jennifer thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

I think about this question a lot. See, I have always had love for art. I grew up drawn to different creative outlets. They varied from drawing, painting, and taking photos or videos, so I knew I had love for it but never thought about making a career out of it. When I first started my business in December 2021, I had just quit my 9-5 due to being extremely unhappy and constantly stressed. I knew I was good at my job, but I realized I was sacrificing more than just my time but my well-being too. When I started becoming more successful in my photography business, I would think to myself, “Man, where would I be if I had begun when I was younger?” “What if I never put down my camera to focus on school and finding a stable career?” These thoughts haunted me because I was getting older and wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing by taking a chance on myself and making this my full time job. I then started to reflect on my college journey and the roles I took on post graduation. I learned how to stay disciplined throughout my college career because it was a decision I made on my own to go back and pay for. I learned the importance of customer service when I worked as a front desk receptionist.  I learned communication and organizational skills throughout my years as an administrative assistant. I learned how to problem solve when things didn’t go according to plan when I worked as an operational assistant. These are just a few skills I picked up along the way before starting my own business. So, no, I do not wish I started my business sooner because I believe all my prior experiences prepared me for this journey I am on and have played a vital role in my success. 

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 take photos—of all kinds! There isn’t one type of session I’ll turn down, but I have been leaning more into weddings and portraits. Weddings because I love getting to work with a couple for months before the big day. I really get to know them and their love story. I make it a point to be as hands-on as they allow me to be when we curate the timeline together, and I really get to learn their priorities for the day, which helps me work better! If my availability allows, I’ll come to their rehearsal dinner with my point and shoot and get to know my couples families too. It makes the wedding day so much easier going and helps me really capture the authenticity of the day. When I take portraits, I take the same approach of getting to know my client more, their story, and what brought them to take portraits of themselves. I usually ask my clients if there is anything they’re insecure about, and instead of fueling it by hiding their insecurities, I encourage them to make it beautiful and gain their trust that I will make everything about them look beautiful. What sets me apart is that I truly try to get to know all my clients and use that knowledge to make each session 1 of 1. 

I love that social media gives us creatives not only a platform to market our business but ourselves as a brand too. I try to be as transparent about my life on social media so I am attracting clients who align with me and my values. I think it’s important to accept we aren’t for everyone, and if you want your work to feel authentic and true to you, you need to make sure you’re aligned with your clients as much as possible. 

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Sometimes I hear the narrative that photographers have an easy job because they “just take photos.” We take photos, but it’s not all we do. To run a successful photography business, you need to have customer service skills, marketing skills, effective communication, learn different software, scout locations, and so much more. While taking photos might be the most fun part of the job, it’s also what takes us the least amount of time (besides weddings). There is a process we follow from the moment we receive an inquiry to the moment we send out the final gallery and beyond if we want to make sure they come back! It’s important to recognize that most times its a one-woman/man show and that we are not only the photographers but also the marketing manager, social media strategist, etc. We wear many hats while also trying to balance our personal lives. 
I think it can look “easy” to start this journey, but for myself and a lot of creatives, the beginning is a tough time. We invest in ourselves—whether that’s time and/or money. We are constantly comparing and doubting our work. Some of us struggle with the idea of looking like we already have it figured out when we don’t. I believe overtime we learn to trust ourselves, our art and the idea that people will see it for what it is.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Instagram! The beauty of Instagram is that we can market our work but also show our personalities as well. I think it’s a great way to connect with your potential clients and have them get to know you a bit more on a personal level. Of course I believe there are boundaries on what we should share. I think it’s cool I get to connect with people about our favorite movies or music. Sometimes you’ll attract clients based on your personality, and I think that’s amazing too. I also use Pinterest a lot to show more sessions and attract people looking for similar vibes. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: JENNYBPHOTOS
• Other: pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/balarezojennifer/
  tik tok – jennybphotos

Image Credits

Jennifer Balarezo – @jennybphotos