We recently connected with JP Dewberry and have shared our conversation below.

JP, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

I think the biggest challenges now are visibility and percieved value/savings. When I first started shooting on my own (without a photographer affiliate), social media was simple in that if you had 500 followers and you posted content, all 500 would see it-or at least the majority. Cell phones were still in their lane of being mostly phones. People went to photographers because they provided a clear level of differentiation from what people could do on their own.

Today however, many cell phone cameras compete with traditional DSLRs such that the value of the photographer is no longer what is was. Everyone now is a “good enough” photo taker so why pay someone else to do it? You have to have and do waaay more than just have a camera and hundreds of followers.

My goal has always been to provide an experience- of a scenario, moment in time, place in life, etc.

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?

I am a self-proclaimed creative/art director, photoshoot producer, and sometimes I even press the button on the camera lol. I provide full service photo shoot production (makeup,wardrobe, concept/location, props, editing etc.) for clients with a focus on creating an experience that is unique, non-boring, and specific to the client’s story. I believe the most erroneous ways I may come to any particular concept on any given day inherently sets me apart from any other producer, director, or photographer.

I got into this industry while attending Houston Community College for certifications in image consulting, men’s tailoring, and visual merchandising. At that time, I started with altering/designing wardrobe for myself for a nightclub gig I had. From there, I began to do the same for a few girls who were featured in some of Houston’s prominent hip hop artist videos.

However, it angered me to see how they were being treated. Some had aspirations to work in the modeling space that didn’t involve taking off their clothes. At that point, I decided I would never shoot photos of [black] women that were distasteful, disparaging or objectifying.

From there, I started working with a few girls to curate a more visually diverse portfolio- starting off with being their stylist at photo shoots with other male photographers. However, the girls weren’t really given the opportunity to showcase other talents that they had of the non-physical variety. So I started to do it myself.

I think the thing I am most proud of is the fact that I have been able to produce the works that I have with zero formal training. Everything I’ve done has been grassroots, self-taught, and several, SEVERAL trial and fails worth of knowledge and lessons learned.

The main thing I want people to know about my brand is that If it’s not funny, I likely won’t want to shoot it. The majority of my personality is rooted in dichotomy, extreme technicolor, and sarcasm. So to that end, I just wanna tell jokes through pictures LOL!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think it’s hard for non-creatives to understand that just because we are creative doesn’t mean it comes easy or when you want it to. The other part is that many of us burn out really easy or our creative talents are directly tied to our moods and/or sense of fulfillment in our lives.

For instance, I can come up with ideas and concepts and problem solve creative ways to enhance many things beyond just the photography space in my sleep. However, when it comes to the business side of photography, I and the first to admit that a better person to handle those things would be a non-creative in my opinion for me. That’s not where my skill set lies and it takes away from the brain space that I have to be creative when I have to focus on things like social media posts and how many times a day I’m doing it etc.

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

Strangers. Lol. When I first started, I would come across people on the street, in the drive-thru, in line at UPS😂-anywhere and would just ask them if they would be willing to do a shoot. It could’ve been something about their look or their personality etc. that gave me an idea for a concept immediately when I saw them. The motivation was just to see if I could produce what I saw in my mind.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.JpMakeDaPhotos.com
• Instagram: @jpmakedaphotos
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/jpmakedaphotos
• Other: https://vimeo.com/6043921