We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Whitaker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share a customer success story with us?

This isn’t just about one individual success story—it’s about all the amazing clients I’ve had the privilege of capturing through my lens. I think it’s fair to say that most people don’t exactly jump at the chance to have their picture taken. There’s always that underlying sense of nervousness, wanting to look just right. My mission is to make my clients feel at ease in front of the camera, and to have a good time while doing it. And honestly, I can confidently say I achieve this in nearly every session I do. Clients often leave saying how much fun they had and how comfortable they felt during the shoot. One even mentioned it felt like a great family therapy session—made me chuckle since I actually have a Master’s in Counseling!

Whether it’s family portraits, senior photos, or professional headshots, my goal remains the same: to ensure my clients feel seen, heard, and have a memorable, fun experience in front of my camera.

Jessica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a natural light photographer based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and though I wear many hats, my two favorites are being a wife and a mother. I’m married to Jeff, my best friend and the love of my life, and I absolutely love doing life with him. Together, we’re raising three incredible kids—two boys and a girl—and I honestly feel so blessed to have such an amazing family.

I grew up with a wonderful mom who always had her camera in hand, capturing every moment of our childhood. At the time, I didn’t truly appreciate it, but as I got older, I realized just how priceless those photos were. They became a window into our past, allowing me to relive beautiful memories I’d forgotten and see new ones I hadn’t even known about. Having hundreds of photos to look back on has been such a gift, and it’s where my passion for capturing moments began.

I’ll never forget the day I was gifted my first DSLR camera. I had just graduated with my Master’s in Counseling and Development, and my sweet husband knew how much I loved photography. He surprised me with a professional camera, but I was so intimidated by it that I didn’t touch it for two whole months. Once I finally did, though, there was no turning back. I dove headfirst into learning everything I could—how to use the camera, Photoshop, you name it. Late nights spent Googling and practicing soon became the norm.

Picking up that camera changed the way I saw the world. Before, I never really took the time to notice the beauty around me—whether it was the sky, the sun, or nature in general. But once I started photographing, my eyes were opened to the incredible beauty I’d been missing. Now, I find myself constantly amazed by the world around me, and I feel so grateful to be able to tie together the beauty of love and family with the beauty of nature in my work.

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

I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t exactly kept up with my website and social media the way I should. I have hundreds of sessions that I haven’t shared yet, and honestly, I do feel a bit guilty about it. But here’s the thing—I stay pretty consistently busy, not just with returning clients, but with new ones as well. And that’s all thanks to my amazing clients who spread the word about my photography services because they truly love their sessions. I feel so lucky that my business has stayed open and continues to grow, mainly because of word of mouth. So, if I had to pinpoint the best source of new clients, it would definitely be the glowing recommendations from my existing clients.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

It’s no secret that the photography industry is incredibly saturated — there are thousands of photographers offering their services. If someone posts on social media asking for recommendations, they’re almost guaranteed to receive over 100 comments.

In order to stay successful and resilient in this field, it’s essential to know your worth. Understand who you are as a person and what you uniquely bring to the table. Not everyone out there searching for a photographer is meant to be your client — and that’s okay.

When I first started my photography journey, it was tough not to feel discouraged by how many photographers were already in my area. But I kept going. I kept putting myself out there, promoting my work, and gradually raising my prices as I gained more experience and confidence. I had to stay focused on my business — not on what others were doing (or not doing).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jrenephotography.com
• Instagram: Jessica.rene.photography
• Facebook: Jessica Rene Photography | https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRenePhotography/

Image Credits

Mine- Jessica Rene Photography | www.jrenephotography.com