1. Jenny, you have recently started your own photography business. Why this mad crazy idea?
My dear friend Shooz (Susan) invited me out for a “friends” shoot with 7 of her closest friends and she insisted that I “brand” myself, “market” myself, and launch my business. She believed in my ability and photography gift even before I could see it. I was so nervous for that shoot I couldn’t eat all day. But the girls were wonderful and engaging and so funny and taught me that photography is not just about me, it is about finding their inner beauty. It is about capturing creativity and love as it happens. It is about co-creating a moment with your clients. After that day I was completely hooked on photography and haven’t looked back since!
I have this crazy dream that drives my photography that believes that a picture is worth a thousand words but should not cost ten thousand dollars! So many brides and new moms have landed at my doorstep in tears because they deeply desire quality photographs, but are on a shoestring budget and can’t pay for them. They value and understand quality photography, they just don’t have the budget for it. In the area I live in DC, there is this belief that the more that you pay for something, the higher the value. That is just not true and the problem with that belief system is that you have this incredible slew of brides and families who are left out in the cold because they can’t afford to pay a photographer $750 for thirty minutes of a mini-shoot. For me, I dream of being a high-quality photographer who serves my clients needs first (not their pocketbook). I want to see clients not as an income statement, but as real people with hearts and dreams and beautiful moments that can be captured with a living photograph. For me, the reward is seeing the beauty of a client’s heart expressed through photographs. The challenge? Sometimes my clients pay me in Starbucks cards because they are on a budget or other photographers criticize me because of my focus on keeping prices reasonable. To that I say, cups up!
Oh my stars. Brides are positively swoon-worthy! I have never seen a bride who is not beautiful. Something happens to a woman on her wedding day that is absolutely unparalleled in any other time of her life (well, except giving birth, but very few photographers are let into the birthing rooms!). I become excited and invested in each bride I serve… they are just so special!
In 2010 I fell in love with photography because of its ability to capture and hold magical moments. During a trip to Africa the perfect trifecta of my first DSLR, mission trip, and dream-location happened and my love of photography became a reality. Literally three days before I boarded a plane to Ethiopia I had a d700 in a box all ready to pack and use. The manual that was sent to me was in Spanish, so I couldn’t even read ahead to figure out how it worked! We arrived at the airport – with my Spanish manual and uncharged batteries – I pulled out the battery and charger and d700 (still in the plastic) and a Spanish-speaking family sat right behind me and taught me how to charge my batteries. On the plane to Africa 2 other photographers took pity on me and taught me how to put the lens on (we had to take it out of the plastic too) and attach my camera strap. I landed in Addis Abbaba Ethiopia, forced myself to remain on Manual the entire week, began taking pictures, and have never looked back.
The minute the bride turns toward a mirror and realizes how incredibly beautiful she really is… the moment that a dad sees his daughter for the first time… the second that the fiance realizes that his bride is walking towards him for their forever-life… the details… oh the details, how I love the hand holding from the couple that fought all the way to the wedding, but in the midst of the love of the wedding, they reconnect. The grandma that is struggling with her sight so the bride insists that grandmommy sits up close so she doesn’t miss a thing and grandmommy beams with delight through the whole ceremony. The little flower girls who throw the petals down on the ground and then pick them back up after the ceremony and giggling, throw them into the air gleefully. The announcement of husband and wife… the departure after the reception of husband and wife to their forever-home. There isn’t really a moment that I don’t like in a wedding!
Red umbrellas to handle all of it! They are my signature 🙂 I’ve had the privilege of serving some amazing brides lately… one who said “I’ve heard that if it is overcast, it is really good for photography right?” and then beamed as I said, “Oh absolutely!” and prayed my head off for her that it wouldn’t rain that day. I’ve seen brides frosted in powdery snow that became such a part of the wedding event that it would not have been the same without it. As a photographer, you make the best of what is given to you and keep a joyful attitude because so often, it is the impact of your attitude that will encourage the entire bridal party. We photographers think that we are just there to be invisible and take pictures, but we have been granted this sacred trust to enter into a very special time and location with the main players of a wedding and our attitude of joy matters because it makes an impact, even amidst the most difficult of environmental circumstances.
First and foremost, my faith because it has engendered the core conviction that everyone has value and beauty that God has designed to shine forth and that uncovering that is a partnership between client, God, and me. Also, being on the other side of the lens and struggling with self-esteem issues my whole life has made me a natural encourager. Inherently, I want to make people feel great about themselves, to feel beautiful, and to SEE the beauty that I see when I take their picture. I always pray before every shoot because fundamentally I know that no matter what kind of talent I develop (and I work my butt off to develop my skills!), that my talent will pale in comparison to the gift of the divine moments that happen during the photographic experience where the light “just happens” to shine in a certain way, or the wind “just happens” to blow and add that extra spark to the picture. I would love to think I’m that talented, but let’s face it, I’m really not! My job is to be patient, encourage, pray, and grab the moment of beauty when it happens. It’s better that way.
Right. Ok. So beyond the recurring forgetfulness that I have about taking the lens cap off before I take a picture, a’hem, I also recently learned that I am supposed to format my flash drive before taking pictures (can we say amateur?) My flash drives kept shrinking in size on what they would hold and I had no idea why until a very encouraging photographer (also a d700 shooter) gently shared with me how to format my flash drive.
Um. right. Can I blame it on the Spanish d700 manual? Maybe?
For me, my photography started in Africa, on the mission field. Capturing the stories of generous people who allowed me to take their picture. It was a gift, as is my photography. Not only do I approach every client as a gift, but I really believe that whatever we are given in life – time, treasure, and talents – are to be stewarded to the best of our ability. So I love serving with my photography in a variety of community initiatives such as Jill’s House, a respite care center for special needs children and Time to Fly, an outreach to domestic violence victims. There is a joy that comes from giving back – through whatever you are good at – that is incomparable to anything else!
Connect with Jenny Rain Today:
Website
