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

Jimell, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I am luckily a full-time photographer and cinematographer but that was not always the case. Early on in my career, I was a photo assistant. That allowed me to make a living in the industry I was passionate about while learning and networking with fellow photographers. Assisting opened up the photo world for me. I was able to experience the various kinds of photography and work on a myriad of sets. While on set I met a few photo editors and years later those photo editors gave me my first opportunity to photograph for a magazine. One magazine turned into two and so on and so forth. I later got into shooting more video which really took my career to another level. Knowing what I know now, I would be more proactive with putting myself out there and marketing my work. I certainly feel like I could have sped up the process a little bit by doing so.

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

I am a photographer and cinematographer based out of Washington D.C. and I specialize in portraiture and narrative work when it comes to cinematography.

As a kid I was a big day dreamer and I had a hard time paying attention in class. I was the kid doodling on his notebook instead of listening to the teacher. I always knew I wanted to work in a creative field and I wasn’t made for the standard 9-5 job. I always liked photography but I never thought of doing it as a career until I started to intern at a photo studio in college. As an intern I was exposed to multiple types of photography and careers. From there I realized I had a passion for portraits and people.

Typically I get hired by magazines to photograph interesting people in interesting places in order to bring visuals to an authors article. I get to travel to locations I typically wouldn’t get to go and meet people I typically wouldn’t interact with. With video I’m usually hired to help tell stories or to sell products.

I think there are a few things that sets me apart from others. One thing is I have a knack at putting people at ease and making them forget there’s a camera in their face. From different ethnicities to different ages, for whatever reason people seem to like me. Another thing that sets me apart is my knowledge of lighting and tone. I can be a bit of a perfectionist and it shows in my work. I’m a student of photography and cinematography, and continue to learn and grow.

What I’m most proud of is a personal project that I started over ten years ago. Shortly after I got my first camera, I started documenting my grandparents. Both of them passed away in 2021 and those photos and that work is by far what I am most proud of.

I suppose what I want potential clients and people to know about me is I am striving for greatness and I want potential clients to join me on that journey.

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

In 2020, like most people I had to question what my life would look like in 2021 and beyond. I had no idea if there would be a photo industry and if there were how long it would take to get back to normal. Luckily I was able to receive unemployment and a business loan, so I could focus on myself and not money. During the Summer of 2020 I lived about a mile north of the White House and when the George Floyd protests erupted I headed out with my camera. That was one of the best decisions I’ve made, for my soul and my career. That experience transformed my life. Because of the protests I was able to join the DC American Photographic Artists board, which lead me to shooting for the National Basketball Players Association and for Nike.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I was an intern working at a photography studio we would show our work every Tuesday for critiques. At that time we all compared ourselves to one another and other photographers. I think when you’re starting out comparing your work to others is a good barometer for how you’re progressing as an artist but it’s unhealthy to continue to do that. Now the only person I compare myself to is myself. As long as 2023 Jimell is better than 2022 Jimell, I’m a happy camper.

Contact Info:

• Website: jimell.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jimellgreene
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jimell-greene-0b062329/