Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Green.
Hi Jess, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always loved photography ever since I was little! I remember using disposable cameras with my friends in first grade, then graduating to point and shoot cameras by the time I went to high school! I picked up my first DSLR as a sales photographer at the World of Coke! I worked there for almost 4 years and I learned a lot from my coworkers! That really drove me to finally get my own! I’ve worked in several venues over the years as a photographer and editor. I’ve photographed people in the caves at Ruby Falls in Tennessee and I’ve done school pictures for countless Daycares and Highschools.
I’ve even taken photos of guests during encounters with the penguins, sea otters, and dolphins at the Aquarium! While employed at these attractions, I still did my own personal portraits for friends and family on the side. I’ve always wanted to own my own business and I decided to finally take that leap in January 2020! I announced that I would be starting Jae.Verde Photography in February. I originally wanted my business to focus on product photography, but everyone kept telling me I should do portraits! Since I was more experienced with shooting portraits, I decided to listen to them and make portraits the primary focus and product photography an additional offering. Unfortunately, Covid hit the next month after only a few portrait shoots. Everything was shut down and thought that was it. Instead of giving it up, I decided to pivot back to Product Photography!
Product Photography was the main reason I wanted to start my business in the first place! I know what quality images can do for a business. It really makes a difference! I could help support businesses while doing what I loved. I could also do this despite the shut-downs and uncertainty that came with Covid! It was minimal contact as well, so it was a perfect fit! At this point, I had been a photographer for years, but I didn’t know anything about the business side of Product Photography and there was little online about it. I came across Tamera Darden of Darden Creative, a prominent product photographer, online and invested in her course. I also invested in education from the product photography studio Weekend Creative to help with set building and more! They were both game changers and have been instrumental in the growth of my business! After all of those years of shooting portraits for different occasions, I have finally found my niche and I truly love the work I’m doing with my clients!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The main obstacles that I have had to overcome are Covid and Balance! I started my business like a month before all of this started, so figuring out the logistics of my business while being safe was a little bit of a struggle. I lost potential clients because they would want models in their lifestyle shots, but I wasn’t shooting with people at the time. Starting out that stung a little, but now I know that everyone is not my client and that’s ok! There are always more that are a better fit and for the ones who aren’t a great fit, I can always refer them to someone who will better serve their needs. I also decided to serve clients out of state so they could ship their products to me and that would increase my clientele and require no contact!
Like a lot of other entrepreneurs, I also still work full time! I am a Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant at a local school system and I’m also my parent’s primary caregiver! Once I went back to work, I had trouble balancing everything and basically ended up working extended hours every day of the week. I was burning out quickly! I never wanted that to be the case, but that’s the reality for a lot of businesses when they’re first starting out. Now, I’m making it a priority to schedule myself reasonably to prevent burnout! For me, there is no success without balance!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Jae.Verde Photography?
I produce quality images for product-based businesses that convey the value of their offering! I’ve been told that I am known for my clean, simplistic style of photos. I don’t personally use a lot of props, so I don’t overwhelm the product. I love playing with shadows, textures, backdrops, and angles to make my images more dynamic! My goal is to showcase the product in the best light possible to garner trust, convey the value of the product and help convert viewers into customers. Since people primarily shop online now, images can sometimes make or break a sale. It’s literally all a customer has to go by when searching for a product so having professional images are a game changer! Outsourcing product photography to a service provider like myself can also relieve some of the stress that comes with running a business.
Product photography can be very involved! Taking the task off of entrepreneurs’ hands can help promote more balance in their lives and give them more time to focus on other aspects of their business or more time to themselves. I work remotely so I can provide services for clients all over the country! I also include my clients in my workflow to help bring their vision for their brand to life. When a potential client is interested in my services, I have them schedule a Discovery Call and we go from there! It’s definitely a valuable investment!
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I definitely learned that you NEVER know what’s waiting around the corner! Everything is so random these days you have to know how to pivot and adjust! I have had the rug pulled from under me more times than I can count! I wanted to make sure I was good no matter what happened and I’m glad I’m able to build a business that can give me that security and help other entrepreneurs do the same!
Contact Info:
- Email: jae.verdephotos@gmail.com
- Website: Jaeverdephotography.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/jae.verde
Image Credits
DO Photography
Jae.Verde Photography
