Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordana Dale.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jordana. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Like many photographers, I was very young when I first picked up a camera. A family friend had given each of my sisters and I some money for Christmas and I decided to buy a Polaroid camera with mine. I loved getting dressed up in my ballet tutu, and my friends and I would head into the woods for a photo shoot. I soon realized that I preferred being behind the camera rather than in front. When I was 15, I started a correspondence course from the New York Institute of Photography. They sent me lessons, and I sent them photos that they critiqued. It was always so nerve-wracking to get the critiques, but I credit this course for teaching me the finer technique behind photography.
In high school, I started photographing weddings and families in my community, and when I graduated, I did an internship in Chicago with celebrity wedding photographers, Bob and Dawn Davis. This experience was vital to my growth as a photographer and artist. They were phenomenal teachers and mentors. I learned so much about lighting and the business of photography. When I returned to Georgia, I decided I wanted a college degree, so I went to UGA and enrolled in their fine arts program for photography. It was there that I really learned to think like an artist and apply all of my technical knowledge to my art and translate my vision to my audience.
I graduated in 2014 and moved to Atlanta to further my career and move from weddings into fashion and advertising photography.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My biggest struggle has been the business side of photography. I’m naturally an artist, so business and marketing isn’t the easiest for me, but it takes immense effort and I’m learning to become a better businesswoman every year.
Finding my ideal client has also taken some time. Coming from the wedding industry and moving to fashion, I learned how both work and have different needs and expectations, so it’s taken some time to figure all of that out. But I’m getting there!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Jordana Dale, Photographer story. Tell us more about the business.
I specialize in what I call “fashion inspired portraiture.” I do photoshoots directly, where the client is my subject, and for brands where I work with a client to hire models to photograph. My extensive experience and background in art school definitely sets me apart from the standard portrait photographer.
I look for the in-between moments and quirks of my subject to tell a deeper story through every image. I shoot solely on film, 35mm, medium format, and Polaroid film.
This enables me to engage with my subject and be in the moment while I’m shooting. It also offers an element of surprise that is really refreshing for someone like me who can be a little too particular about my images. When I let go and shoot film, magic happens without me even trying.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t really believe in luck, but I do think it was really fortunate that Bob and Dawn Davis chose me as their intern. I cold called (emailed) them as complete strangers and asked if I could come work for them. They said they received emails like that all the time but really responded well to mine. It pays to put yourself out there!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jordanadale.com
- Email: bookjordanadale@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jordanadale
- Facebook: facebook.com/jordanadale
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