Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessi Shirley.
Hi Jessi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
It all sort of started with a cinematography course in high school where I fell in love with visual media. After that, I thought my path would lead into working in the film industry and hopefully as a cinematographer. In the beginning of 2021, I had a massive shift in what I wanted my life to be like. Instead of 12-15 hour days on film sets creating someone else’s ideas, I wanted to travel and capture my own art. I got a camera and just started shooting. I went to content days and styled shoots with groups of photographers. I reached out to all of my friends to do photos and anyone that was willing to be in front of the camera with me. Steadily throughout the year, I’ve built up my portfolio and decided to focus mainly on couples and start venturing into weddings. I have assistant shot two weddings so far and am excited to continue the journey of couples and wedding photography in 2022! I have studied a lot about different aspects of the industry, but the biggest part of how I got where I am is just picking up my camera as much as I could and practicing.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely not been a smooth, easy road but it has definitely been worth it. I think with photography imposter syndrome and comparison with other photographers are both HUGE struggles. There were definitely moments at the beginning when I thought I’d never been able to figure it out, but I pushed through. Now I’m at the point where I couldn’t imagine stopping, even though I’m still learning and still have progress to make. Figuring out my editing style and how to find clients have been obstacles I’ve been working through. But mostly just getting out of my own way and not comparing myself to other artists.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a photographer specializing in couples photography, engagements, elopements, and weddings. I do other kinds of photography like maternity, portraits, grad, etc. But mostly, I focus on capturing love stories. I’m most proud of getting to shoot weddings. Getting to work with couples in love inspires me so much. I especially enjoy shooting in adventurous locations, such as waterfalls, forests, and mountain views. Next year I’m focusing more on travel photography and being able to photograph couples in beautiful locations all over the country.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I have open availability and am booking for 2022! I travel all across Georgia for sessions (and honestly all across the country). I would love to adventure and capture your photos. My sessions are all about having fun and not feeling awkward. I’ll play music, give fun prompts, and gas you up the whole time. Reach out on my Instagram: mindandsoulphotography or my business email: mindandsoulphotography@gmail.com
Pricing:
- Couples: $100
- Portraits: $85
- Maternity: $85
- Grad: $85
Contact Info:
- Email: Mindandsoulphotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: Mindandsoulphotography
- Facebook: Mindandsoulphotography
Image Credits
Morgan Forcey
