We recently connected with Jessica Small and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jessica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned photography by attending many photo workshops, watching YouTube, reading books on photography and I took a continued education course in digital photography. It is still and on-going learning process. Photography is an industry that is continuously changing and growing. I love it. I feel the more I photograph various subjects, the more I learn and perfect my craft. It is definitely trial and error, but I am thankful for the journey.

Knowing what I know now, I think I would have asked more questions to seasoned photographers and not hold back. I am much more transparent now and have confidence. I also love feedback. Any advice that will help me become more efficient and help me grow, I am all ears for.

The skills for photography that are most essential is having a good eye, knowing the best times to shoot, depth of field, patience is key and hands on experiences as much as possible. The best way to learn a new skill is by being consistent and practicing it.

There weren’t any obstacles that stood in the way other than investing in a good starter camera and having a quality lens. Any photographer will tell you that all of of our equipment costs and nothing is cheap; especially if you’re hoping to keep your items for awhile.

Jessica, 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?

Hey everyone my name is Jessica Small and I am a freelance photographer based in Dallas, TX. I have been doing photography for about 8 years now and it has become my favorite paid hobby. I mainly photography models, events and lifestyle. However, my goal is to one day photograph engagements/weddings. I started out doing sports photography ; basketball and football. I enjoyed it but it was quite challenging because capturing people in motion is something I still struggle with today. Don’t worry, I have no doubt I will master pics in motion one day. I also have done family photography with the focus being on children. That is fun to do around the holidays but other than that I don’t do it often. I’ve always enjoyed taking pics of just about anything. I’m that friend that will take a random photo of you or takes pics of foods or anything I think looks cool. Pictures are timestamps in our lives that creative beautiful memories and tell a story. I love it. Being able to capture moments for special occasion always makes my heart happy. It is a blessing to be able to do this and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

If you have ever booked a photoshoot with me, then you know I like for it to be fun and relaxed. I am a people person with a calm demeanor. I like to make people feel comfortable during their shoot. I think when people feel confident and supported it makes a difference in the shoot. If any client of mine is shy or perhaps nervous, my goal is to try to eliminate it. How do I do this? Days before the shoot I like to reach out to the client and ask questions and give them an opportunity to ask any questions. It’s a mini get-to-know you situation. I do have a goofy side, so I tend to make people laugh if I see they are nervous during the shoot. No lie, works every time lol.

I think was sets me apart from others is my personality. I want the shoot to feel unplanned and just a vibe. Nothing is forced and just have fun. I don’t feel it should ever be too serious and stiff. That’s so not my style. Besides, I want the client to re-book some day too.

The thing I am most proud of is not giving up on myself. Photography isn’t necessarily easy but a great challenge for me. Some people have given me negative feedback , which pushed me to work harder. There’s always someone that won’t like your craft and that is okay, because I don’t do it to please them. I do it because it’s my passion and I can only get better. It’s only going up from here.

If you want to see my work, follow me on Instagram at JessicaLorenphotos. It is a portfolio of some of my projects I’ve done. I am continuing to grow in photography and you can see where I started to how far I’ve come. I’m still in shock of my work, but I have a heart of gratitude,.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

My family and true supporters have paved the way for me. I am so thankful to my day 1’s and clients that have referred people to me. I love making connections and meeting new faces. I do believe staying consistent on social media makes a difference too. You have to sell yourself and people want to see your work. I also like to introduce myself quarterly to new followers on my Instagram so they can get to know me . I want people to feel welcomed if they ever work with me. I think that is important. How you make someone feel creates a lasting impression, so in my opinion it must be a great one.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Business cards are essential, social media page or website so people can see your work, attending events and networking as best as you can. The majority of clients I’ve met have been via social media and being present at various events even if its online. Another effective strategy is just talking to people everywhere you go. You never know who may need photos or know someone that needs photos. All of these things have been a great asset to me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @JessicaLorenphotos

Image Credits
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