Today we’d like to introduce you to Janae Moses.
Hi Janae, 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 was born to a happy, whole family of four in Stockton, California in the year 1998. This blissful bubble was popped nearly one year later when my mom, older sister and I were forced to move into my grandparent’s house in the Oakland hills when my mother and father went through a traumatic event that ultimately led to divorce. From there on–with the exception of my mom’s brief three years marriage to my stepdad–my small family leaned on my grandparents for help, up until that help shifted and guided from a distance. In 2005, my grandparents moved to Georgia to get away from the fast-paced city life and be where God called them to be for their senior years. My mother tried her hardest to keep us rooted in California, but things became much too expensive for her when she had to do everything by herself. In 2007, we packed up everything, moved out of our cramped apartment in San Leandro and followed my grandparents to Statesboro, Georgia. Throughout all of these events happening in my life, the only thing that stayed constant was photography. My granddaddy always toted a camcorder and his welcomed presence saturated every birthday party, award ceremony and drama performance. He always caught every moment, and this sentiment influenced my perspective on cameras growing up. Looking back, I now think that those old photos and home videos remind me of some of the most important times of my life.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Unfortunately, the road has never been smooth-sailing. The culture shock I faced when I first moved to Georgia was something I thought I would never overcome, and sometimes I wish I could be as confident about my identity and professional skills behind the camera as I should be at my age, but developing yourself is always going to be a work in progress. For now, I just take it one day at a time and gather inspiration from others around the world to help guide me through life and follow the direction of my family and those in my life who will always be there for me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an aspiring professional photographer and content creator. I specialize in taking portraits, most popularly, graduation portraits. I am so proud of the growth I’ve experienced in the field of photography, and often think back to my days of my childhood, smuggling my older sister’s first digital camera to school where I would take pictures of my friends that they would absolutely LOATHE. And now, my friends look to me and request my services to capture the most important moments of their lives. It’s so crazy how life can change so fast and how something like using photography to pass the time during my adolescence could turn into one of my most passionate hobbies as a young adult.
How do you define success?
The definition of success is not as a definitive answer to me as it used to be. Before I graduated from Georgia State University, I thought that success was something that always had to be measured, but after experiencing a deep, personal failure after having my internship canceled when covid hit the US and no other possible employment prospects for post-grad life, I didn’t know how long it would be before I felt success for myself. But after working ten months of retail jobs and going through failed professional interviews after interview after interview, I finally felt success after securing the full-time job that I have now. And now I’m looking back on my life, considering those failed interviews I had to be a success now because I wouldn’t be where I am today without them happening.
Pricing:
- $80 for one hour, access to 75 pictures in your gallery and 10 edited pictures
- $125 for two hours, access to 150 pictures in your gallery and 15 edited pictures
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shotbyjanae?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTJ8E0cFZj1cvyoAAo7zJcA
Image Credits:
Hannah Draper, Albina Gashi, Emily Olsson and Nia Gitau
