Today we’d like to introduce you to Annette Stiers Jones.

Hi Annette, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I started on my journey to become a landscape photographer in January 2023. I had just quit my job in engineering, in search of something that brought greater joy and meaning to my life. I spent a couple months looking for answers, and then it just came to me. Landscape photography seemed the perfect Venn diagram of my capabilities in math, science, and art, and of what I enjoy doing – being outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

I started out with a beginner’s mindset, learning all that I could from sources available to me. I took online and in-person classes and workshops, read books, YouTube, studied the work of other photographers. But the real key to learning was hands on experience, by spending hours getting to know my camera and how to use it in different situations. With this experience I gradually and consistently built my portfolio over time.

The next step was to promote my art. I started by building a website, and then a blog. I expanded my social media presence. I submitted my work to various art festivals, exhibitions, and contests: any place I can get my work seen. By combining all these pieces I’ve started to get recognition and make sales.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

There have certainly been struggles along the way.

Sometimes the struggles have come in how to bring my vision to life. For example, moon shots with the Space Needle require a lot of different skills and the right equipment. I spent a lot of time on Google maps and driving around looking for places with clear line of sight to the Space Needle. Knowing the places, I could then use an app to determine what time the moon would line up with the Needle. So I had the right place and right time, but I struggled getting sharp, clear images. I tried so many different camera settings and nothing was working. But luckily, lots of photographers tend to congregate at these times/places, so I was able to ask someone else for help. From that exchange I learned the one key thing I was missing! If you hit a roadblock like that, help from another can be fastest way to move forward.

Other times, the struggles have come in getting my work seen. I have a sizeable social media presence, but it can still be hard to use this to promote sales on my website. Posts with external links tend to get buried by the algorithm. I’m working on building up my direct mails list as an alternative means to promote sales. I am also working to build positive reviews and to improve my search engine optimization for my websites.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am a landscape photographer based in Washington state, specializing in landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

I know people are missing the peace and beauty of nature in their everyday lives. I create works of art that capture fleeting moments of beauty in nature, allowing my clients to bring the great outdoors into their home. I’ve photographed countless iconic images of the mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and hiking trails of the entire Pacific Northwest.

I take special care to make sure my product offerings present nature’s beauty in the most vibrant and authentic way. I offer fine art prints for archival quality, wall art for epic standout presentations, and keepsakes. I also offer greeting cards by request and calendars by special order.

I am most proud of the diversity of subject matter I have photographed, including some of the most technically challenging subjects: the Milky Way, star trails, and moon and sun alignments. You will find a great variety of stunning images in my portfolio.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?

One of my favorites workouts is kickboxing. I’ve been doing this since about 2017. I’ve studied a combination of Muay Thai and Dutch kickboxing. I’ve done some sparring, but lately mostly bag work. It is a tremendously fun way to stay fit; I never get bored with it. It has also been tremendous for building confidence, especially for someone like me who was never very sporty in early life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annettestiersjonesphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annettesjphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annettesjphoto
• Other: https://annettesjphotoblog.com/