We were lucky to catch up with Jessie Neumaier recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jessie , appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am definitely much happier pursuing a creative career rather than being stuck in something that I am not really interested in. From the beginning, I always knew I wanted to be immersed in a creative environment within my career, but I didn’t know exactly how to go about it. That’s when I discovered my love for photography and film. It brings me joy knowing that I’m capturing intimate moments for the community and people around me that they can cherish for years to come. Within my age group, I am surrounded by those who are currently in school pursuing their education to get a regular “9-5” job. Because of this, I am constantly thinking about the thought of “what if that was the route that I took instead?”. When I put myself in their shoes and imagine what my life would be like, my first initial feeling is that I would feel miserable (to put it bluntly). If I were to be working a regular job, waking up, going to a cubicle, and doing the same tasks every day, I would constantly be yearning to do something so much more with my life. My days would blur together, I would not be content with my work, and I would constantly be looking for a way out. The best way to describe it is that I would feel restricted. I want to have creative freedom, create something I’m proud of, and work hard while doing it. Thinking about how miserable I would be makes me want to pursue photography even more because there is quite literally nothing else I would want to do with my life. It sucks feeling like I’m not doing what everyone around me is doing, but that feeling gives me validation because it shows that I’m willing to step out of my comfort zone to motivate me to do something that I’m passionate about.

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

My name is Jessie Neumaier; I am a sophomore at Columbia State Community College. I am 20 years old, and I am a Photographer. I went to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga my freshman year, and I was constantly battling the idea of what career path I wanted. My advisors and professors at UTC would always ask me what I wanted to do/what I was passionate about, and I never had the answer. The summer after my freshman year, I decided that it was best for my mental health to transfer to Community College. That’s when I started my journey as a photographer. A friend of mine gave me her old camera, and my passion for photography has prospered ever since. I am a portrait and landscape photographer (but open to other types of photography). I provide any type of portrait sessions, including senior sessions, couple sessions, family sessions, etc. I work with my clients to capture moments that are personal to them. I make sure to ask my clients anything they prefer me to capture or edit during and after sessions. I also ask that they send me any inspiration pictures they have. I implement my editing style and my creative eye into the pictures while still applying their ideas into the art as well, to make it more personable. I do this to ensure my client is heard and happy with the process/result. I think what sets me apart from other photographers is that I do my best to make my clients feel comfortable and make the session fun so that my clients can be more comfortable in their pictures. Since I am also a landscape photographer, I like to implement nature into my work. I also would love to start utilizing props in my sessions that feel personal to the client, and that would set their pictures apart from others. I am most proud of my hard work and my drive. I am also most proud of my growth and how I am able to look back at my work to see how I could grow. I continue to push myself to go above and beyond and exceed personal expectations. I want my clients to know that you will always have a space to communicate your ideas and what you want to accomplish through our session. I also want my clients to know that by building our relationship, we can create a space for comfort, enjoyment, and most importantly, have fun!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part about being an artist is creating something special that means something to other people and myself. I’m able to look back at my work and know exactly what was going on at that moment. It creates an aspect of nostalgia. I believe that’s why lots of people love getting their pictures taken, to remember certain times in their lives. I’m able to create a capsule in time; they will never get that time or that same feeling back. Another aspect is being able to show people why I love what I do, making people feel good about their pictures, and sharing the art I’m creating with them.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

A goal that drives my creative journey would be to create something that matters and to build something from the ground up. I want to be my own boss and have my own business for this reason. I want to be able to look back on my business endeavors/accomplishments and be proud that it is something I built myself. When I have feelings of doubt or discouragement, I think about my future self, looking back at where I started versus where I end up, and I want to be proud of myself and my work. That’s what gives me motivation to keep going.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bessiespov/
• Other: Email: [email protected]
  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bessiespov?_t=ZT-8t7aaEwHT1X&_r=1

Image Credits

Karen Halbert and Jessie Neumaier