We recently connected with Shannon Jorgensen and have shared our conversation below.

Shannon, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

Photography as an art form was something I was drawn to early on in high school. I took a class and learned all about the mechanics of the camera as well as dark room processing. I loved it all! However, I never knew what a career path would look like in photography as I was entering college and trying to figure out my major, so I decided to go the business route. This would prove to be a good choice as it gave me a great foundation. But, fast forward 10 years, I found myself in a corporate finance job feeling unfulfilled and terrified about what the next 30 years would look like sticking it out there.

I had also just gone back to work after my first son was born and I knew deep down that this was not how I wanted to spend my days. I craved more time at home with him and also knew I had a strong desire to capture all of his little milestones. It dawned on me that working with other moms and families in this stage in life who felt just as sentimental about preserving these precious days could be the perfect fit!

I recall taking the hour long train ride into the city listening to as many photography & entrepreneur related podcasts just trying to soak in as much information in my limited free time as I could. It all came together for me as I would sit in the mother’s room at work pumping my best work gal pal. We’d share our hopes and dreams, struggles in motherhood and all the office drama in our small enclosed private space. I kept coming back to this idea of pursuing photography. On the other side of the curtain, she would encourage me to go for it and even lined me up with her neighbor who happened to be a photographer. I had a phone conversation with her during one of my lunch hours and got just the spark of encouragement I needed. A short time later my husband’s job relocated us to Michigan and I left my corporate job ready to jump into photography “full time”. Some of my hardest but most rewarding days would follow as I learned how to balance motherhood and photography.

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 metro Detroit family photographer. I aim to capture authentic moments in all stages of family life from maternity & newborn sessions to annual and milestone family sessions. I also expanded into providing unique, modern school photography. I use a simple black or white backdrop and engage with the kids allowing their true personalities to shine through and avoiding the awkward “look at the camera and say cheese” school picture. It has really taken off and has helped me build out my client base as I was getting settled in Michigan.

While there are many family photographers out there and many continue to enter this field, I truly believe there is room for us all. Having your picture taken in an authentic way requires a significant amount of vulnerability from those on the other side of my lens. Personality fit is really important when choosing a photographer. Every photographer brings a different energy and vibe to his or her sessions which attracts their ideal client. I aim to connect on a personal level with my clients so they are comfortable just being themselves and sharing the love they have for their family freely my camera. I pride myself on always find common ground with my clients either through motherhood, my midwest background or hobbies/ activities we both enjoy. I also ensure they feel confident and ready to play on session day by sending out my welcome guide with styling and other family preparation tips. It is such an honor to grow with families as they invite me back each year to photograph their family. I truly love being able to bring my whole self to a job I love now!

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

I jumped into photography with a great deal of enthusiasm but perhaps a bit on the naive side. I was ready to network and connect with others in the industry as I was getting settled in a new city. But of course wanting to be as present as possible for my family. There were a few moments within my first couple of years when I questioned whether this was worth pursuing.

I encountered some photographers who initially claimed to offer “community over competition” stance but learned quickly their definition of this wasn’t in line with my own. I saw a the less generous and welcoming side of fellow women business owners which just crushed me. A couple of these interactions in one year set my confidence back quite a bit. I decided to take the high road though and focus on my business while continuing to learn and improve my skills. It wasn’t until just this year that I felt a big shift in my confidence and willingness to get back out into the local photography community.

Second rough patch was during my postpartum season after my second child was born. I now had even more limited time, sleep, energy to bring to my business. I would get caught up in how other women entrepreneurs were seemingly able to balance it all so much better than I could. I truly thought I could do it all without any help. It took me a while to feel like I could justify paying for childcare when my business was still in its early growth stage. However, with the support of my husband and therapist to help me to focus on my mental health first, I was able to find my new sense of alignment in motherhood, my photography goals and overall purpose to connect with other moms and help them see the beauty in their current season of life.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

It’s one thing to soak in all of the free education through podcasts and helpful you tube videos, but I knew it was time to make that first big camera purchase to get the hands on experience I needed. The timing felt serendipitous as my dad had just informed me about an account my grandma had opened and deposited into from the year I was born until I graduated college. Her humble investment over those 21 years gave me just enough to put towards a camera and lens. It was an emotional purchase as I knew this was what she would have wished for me. Her gift all those years ago was what enabled me to confidently get started in this next chapter in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: shannonleighphotos.com
• Instagram: shannon.leigh.photos
• Facebook: shannon leigh photography

Image Credits
Herbrandphoto rachelle welling photography