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

Alright, Jenny thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have always been passionate about creating, but professionally I chose to take what I understood to be a “safe” path – go to college and get a degree, get a 9-5 job as an engineer. It paid the bills, still does… but ever since I first began thinking about my career there was always part of me that wondered what it would look like if I made it my job doing something creative that I loved.

A good friend of mine who I met at my engineering job at the time, a UX designer and project manager with expertise in marketing, launched a collaborative community to support entrepreneurs building their brand ideas from scratch. Back then I considered photography a hobby, but I had maybe charged for a couple small photo jobs. So I told my friend that I really wished I had a business aspiration so I could support her… she reminded me that I already had one! My friend was the one who pushed me and said that my photography practice could be more than just a hobby. Having the support and belief of a friend is what gave me the push to give my brand a go.

Once I started putting the work into imagining my brand and making it come to life, I was suddenly motivated to see it through. I was GOING to book my first wedding – SOMEONE was going to trust me with that and I knew I’d do a great job. It wasn’t long until I realized people liked the work I was doing, and actually wanted to pay me money to do it. That’s when I knew I could start pursuing this path alongside the one I had originally chose for myself.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a photographer who specializes in weddings but also families, brands, and individual portraiture when the fit is right. I fell in love with film photography at the same time I was discovering and shaping my own creative brand, and my work is inspired by the true-to-life, elegant, classic look of film.

I think my technical background gives me a somewhat unique approach to my craft. Being a critical thinker and problem solver can come in handy when you’re working with people on the biggest day of their lives. And, I have been told I’m a jack of all trades – I’ve troubleshot hiccups with the timeline in a pinch, sewed buttons onto tuxedo jackets, advised couples on some photo-related technicalities with their wedding website, even sang for my couples so they could dance to something! I love wearing multiple hats and being a servant problem solver – this is part of my recipe for a great client experience.

When I was first getting into the industry, I found myself able to connect quickly with my community of photographers and other wedding vendors. The community helped me learn the ways of the industry, as a complete outsider. In my experience, the industry was extremely welcoming and made me feel like I belonged. That empowered me to really own my brand, feel confident in the quality of my work, and fearlessly put myself out there when opportunities presented. Then, during my first full year in business, I earned a front page feature on a big wedding blog, for a styled shoot I participated in and submitted. This was a goal I had set for myself way in the future – I was so surprised and humbled, knowing it could have been a long time until my name was being put out there for the world to see… but someone was seeing it now! As a new creative entrepreneur, this was a proud moment.

While that kind of recognition feels amazing and extremely validating… it was when I graduated from styled shoots and second shooting to serving my very own couples who fully trust me and love my art, that made me feel like this was a job meant for me. It is so fulfilling to memorialize these moments for people and their families, and their happiness definitely fuels me to keep creating.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

After launching my brand, I found myself learning as I went. And of course I still am! In the beginning, I found and absorbed ALL the free information I could, and there was so much out there. I emphasize this to new photography entrepreneurs when I meet them – the amount of education that is readily available on Youtube, about photography, business, and running a wedding photography business, is plentiful.

Now at this point I definitely have invested in my business to learn from some of the best, and the world of wedding photography business educators is full of experts. But in the beginning, I was able to make it so far just listening to the advice of other photographers on Youtube, and joining online communities where industry conversations were happening.

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

When I hear from my couples how happy they were on their wedding day, and how I was a part of it. And when they get their images back and they’re so excited to have those memories for life. It’s probably a source of pride for any wedding photographer you ask, but really… it sure is a striking feeling, knowing how important these images are for people.

In my “9-5”, the impact of my work is a few steps removed from the end user. In this job, as a creative, I’m making something that is directly bringing joy to real people. There’s nothing like it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jennywagnerphoto.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennywagnerphoto/