We recently connected with Jordan Hefler and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, thanks for joining us today. What’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

When I studied Photography in college, I primarily focused my work through the lens of a fine art approach due to the nature of the program’s curriculum. Doing client work for money (instead of focusing efforts on creating “meaningful” or conceptual work) was somewhat taboo amongst the other art students, and the few who did dabble in work outside of the fine art realm were overwhelmingly focused on shooting weddings.

As graduation approached, I felt incredibly pressured to pick a direction- fine art or wedding photography. I ended up interning for a wedding and portrait photographer and it was my first introduction to someone locally who had a successful photography business vs. the names of famous artists we had been studying in school that had more traditional “gallery” success. Working for her showed me that there is such thing as blending fine art and your personal perspective into client work and that you don’t always have to pick a side. Working for her also showed me that I absolutely hated the wedding industry.

I photographed a handful of weddings as a second-shooter and then three on my own before I decided that I would never shoot another one again. I had the revelation that if I was going to hate my job as a freelance photographer I might as well hate my job and work for someone else (and not has near as much stress and clock out at 5PM!) I made my business tagline “Do What You Want” to express my frustration with the pressure that freelancers face when it comes to doing what is seemingly expected of them. That was almost a decade ago.

Many prospective clients, friends, and family over the years have questioned my decision and to me it really solidified that most people don’t realize there is a whole world of work for photographers outside of the wedding industry. To this day, I have made “I don’t shoot weddings!” a quirky cornerstone of my brand and it’s a conversation starter, a way for me to differentiate myself from the industry, and overall a way to keep my sanity.

Everyone needs photos of something and my work has taken me all over- music festivals, college football games, million dollar homes, backstage (and on stages) with celebrities, oil fields in the middle of nowhere, casino resorts, tattoo shops, international conferences, big name food chains, boats in open water, rooftops, fashion shows, funeral homes, luxury restaurants, skateparks, mosh pits in empty warehouses, the list goes on. You name it, I’ve probably had an opportunity to shoot it which is why I’m so passionate about sharing my story so that other aspiring photographers can know that there IS a blueprint for success doing whatever you want!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc, what type of products/services/creative works you provide, what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others. What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

I grew up as an artistic child with a father who had a side hobby of photography and a mother who was a super crafty maximalist and schoolteacher. I was always photographing my stuffed animals with my dad’s camera and creating silly stop motion films with the family camcorder. In middle school I got a bootleg version of Photoshop and began playing around with graphic design and photography for my Myspace and Tumblr pages. I had a sewing machine and was obsessed with Project Runway and Teen Vogue- I was always tearing pages out of magazines for fashion inspiration and trying to recreate editorial looks via self portrait. I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer one day until I realized that it was the PHOTOS from the magazines that I was really drawn to. Once I realized I could go to school for photography, I enrolled at LSU and pursued my Bachelor of Fine Arts with my concentration in Photography and a minor in Art History.

I currently own my own photography business, Jordan Hefler Photography and am based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I like to think that I am known for my love of color, music, and personal expression. I bring my unique visual style to everything I do, and these days, that’s mostly editorial and commercial shoots for a wide range of clients spanning many industries. I blend my decade of photography experience with my background in social media management, influencer marketing, content creation and graphic design to help brands translate their identities through visual content beautifully and colorfully.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I believe that social media is a no-brainer when it comes to showcasing your work, but it can also provide a glimpse into your personal life and the behind the scenes of your business. There has never been a more accessible time in history for both the consumer and the creator. The changes in trends, platforms, and algorithms may be out of your control but what you choose to share is not. If you can think of social media as a tool instead of a burden, it can be so powerful for your business. Show up authentically and stay consistent and the following will happen over time.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being able to express myself and share it with others has always been rewarding but turning my creative passion of photography into a business has leveled up the reward factor ten fold. Using my perspective and creative talents to solve a problem for someone else or help brighten their life in some way and then get paid for it is surreal. Whether it’s photographing a campaign and seeing how the images play into the company’s success, shooting a legendary concert for a local publication and hearing how grateful fans are to have the printed photos in the magazine, or helping a fellow entrepreneur update their headshot to give them more confidence as they launch their brand, seeing how my photography can have an impact on others is the most rewarding aspect of being a creative.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jordanhefler.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanhefler/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JordanHeflerPhotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanhefler/