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

Alright, Jerry thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I was working for one of the largest photography companies in the USA. Ihad been there for over 12 years, and although I loved photography, the art and emotion seemed to dwindle. Was it the advent of digital media? Was it the lack of teachers showing how to use light , composition, posing? I don’t know what it was, but I saw my creative spirit leaving me. So, with the little funds I had for retirement, I asked my wife if I could use my retirement to open a small studio. I figured that doing things the “corporate way” was killing the creative inside me. With support from my wife and family, I opened my first studio. It was 400 square feet. No heart, no air, just 4 walls and an idea. I wanted to create a space where artistry was first , and if you give imagery that people could feel, the money would come.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I got in to the photography business in the late 80’s. After getting some less than stellar images from my wedding photographer, my wife said I could have done better! So I decided to do photography part time. Portraits and event photography were my starting ground. Now, I range from commercial, portrait, real estate, corporate , lingerie,boudoir, fashion, and event photography. What I feel seperates Masscreation Multimedia from other entities is my lighting and camera side manner allows one to feel a part of the whole process. I need the subject(s) to feel engaged and included in the whole experience! Listening and creating what they want within the vision of what we discussed. Also, not being afraid to offer new thoughts to make sure the client’s ideas are brought to fruition. You can always expect to feel a part of the experience, not just a prop!

Have you ever had to pivot?

Being that most of my business landed in the beauty/ fashion arena, during the pandemic, there was no work at all in those areas. For months, I was staying home, like everyone else, but being a business owner, if there was no work, I had no income. The only thing that coukd not be stopped during the pandemic was births! My cousin, Brenda Walker, a business person who I admire suggested maternity shoots! Maternity shoots were the only thing I could do, and would feel less worried about because moms were getting check-ups and I could take covid tests to insure my studio was a healthy work environment. So for weeks I got tested, brought in 1 mom to be every 4 hours or so, so that we could disinfect before the next shoot. I added maternity photography to my toolbox, and still enjoy them to this day.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building my social media presence was very trying. I felt like putting my work on display outside of maybe a gallery, or a showing was bragging or shouting, ” LOOK AT ME”. So, it was hard to post images , and basically ask what people thought of it. So I decided that I would only re-post what other clients posted. That worked miracles, because , to me, the client was saying look at me, and I was saying yeah look at what Masscreation did that you had to post. Now, I post when I feel a piece speaks to me. I have learned to do reels, and stories because that is the model for advertising now.

Contact Info:

• Website: masscreationmultimedia.shootproof.com
• Instagram: @masscreator, @myintimateeye, @masscreationstudio
• Facebook: Jerry Brown
• Twitter: @masscreator
• Youtube: Jerry Brown

Image Credits
All images taken by Jerry Brown for Masscreation Multimedia