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

Alright, Jordan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights 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?

It took some time, but being able to make a living with my photography business has been well worth the wait.

I started taking images when I was 15, then went to college and got my degree in photography. After that I moved to Nashville, TN and started working retail and eventually became a creative director for a small marketing firm. It really wasn’t until the pandemic hit in 2020 that I realized that not even a “steady” job was all that guaranteed and began to question why I had put off my dream of becoming a full-time photographer for so long. Though as scary as both my husband and I losing our incomes for 6 months was, it gave me the courage and determination to take the leap, put myself out there and pursue my long awaited dream.

Although I do wish I had started my photography business earlier, my “no regrets, just lessons learned” attitude has taken me far enough to become full time in my industry.

I am extremely passionate about people living their lives to the fullest and I love to encourage everyone to go after that thing that lights them up every day. Believing in yourself is the hardest part. Once you get out of your own way and work hard, I truly believe your dream will come true.

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

Hi there! Jordan Smith here. I am a Georgia girl that now lives in the great city of Nashville, TN. I am a wedding and portrait photographer that absolutely loves to help people tell their stories.

It’s truly an honor when people allow me to capture special moments in life, whether it be a wedding, engagement, branding session or a newborn joining a family, It’s an opportunity to create a moment and capture it for a lifetime. Connecting with people is one of the most important parts of my job. When someone feels comfortable in front of the lens is when the magic really happens.

Three words to describe my photography style? Warm, Authentic, Inspiring.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, it’s a mixture of two things. One, capturing special moments for others and two, working in a way that stretches my creative muscle. When those two things fall together perfectly is when I know I have done a good job and created beautiful images. It’s the most rewarding feeling to be able to preserve a special moment in time that will last forever and be a constant reminder of that emotion/feeling for whoever is involved.

It’s also just so cool to think about what photography is at its simplest form: light. Without light there is nothing, no life, no images, no highlights, no shadows. To be able to harness and control what light does through my lens is something special to me.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Absolutely! I could probably write a book with all the self help podcasts, books, blogs posts and instagram accounts that have contributed to my entrepreneurial motivation, but I will spare you all the horrible grammar and just give my top 5. Furthermore, I truly believe that if you stay in a constant state of just being willing to learn, you can’t go wrong.

Top 5 List
-The Four Agreements (book)
-Atomic Habits (book)
-The Ed Mylette podcast
-The Heart and Hustle podcast + education
-The Skinny Confidential podcast

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jordansmithphotography.com
• Instagram: @jordan.smith.photos

Image Credits
Jordan Smith Photography