Meet James Lester

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to James Lester. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

James, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Keeping my creativity alive has always been about staying curious, staying flexible, and finding new ways to connect with the world around me.

When I first discovered photography, it wasn’t because I had a grand career plan — it was a lifeline during one of the hardest times in my life. I had just been dropped from college due to a mix of undiagnosed health issues (which years later would be diagnosed as ulcerative colitis and ADHD) and the challenges of living with physical and mental health issues that I didn’t yet understand. I was unemployed, stressed, and feeling completely disconnected from any kind of purpose.

One day, just needing some fresh air, I visited my favorite local beach and started taking photos of the landscape around me on my phone. It was simple, but something about slowing down, framing little moments of beauty, and editing them later lit a spark I hadn’t felt in years. Photography quickly became a form of therapy — a way to find stillness, to be present, and to see the world differently even when my body felt like it was falling apart.

That early lesson stuck with me: creativity thrives when you give yourself permission to explore, to be present, and to play without judgment.

Over time, I applied that mindset to other parts of my life too — from branching out into music production and DJing to offering different types of photography work like real estate shoots during the week. I realized that I don’t need to be locked into one version of myself creatively. Exploring new avenues, whether it’s a different photography style or experimenting with new genres of music, keeps everything feeling fresh and exciting.

Nature is still a huge part of how I recharge creatively too. Stepping away from the noise, taking solo hikes, or even just sitting outside quietly helps me come back to my work with new energy and perspective. It reminds me that creativity isn’t something you force — it’s something you nurture by making space for it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m the owner and lead photographer behind James Lester Photography, a wedding and portrait photography brand based in California. I specialize in capturing honest, cinematic, and emotional storytelling for couples of all backgrounds — with a focus on creating a welcoming, inclusive space for LGBTQ+ couples, BIPOC couples, and people of all shapes and sizes.

I’m deeply passionate about making sure every couple feels seen, celebrated, and cared for throughout the entire process — not just in their final gallery of photos, but in the way they are treated from the very first conversation. I believe wedding photography isn’t just about beautiful images; it’s about creating a comfortable, relaxed experience where couples can be fully themselves.

I’m proud to have been published in outlets like The New York Times and Rock and Roll Bridal Magazine, but honestly, the real highlight for me is always getting heartfelt messages from my clients saying they felt truly themselves in front of my camera. That’s the best win.

Alongside running my photography business full-time, I’ve also been branching into music production, DJing, and local event production. Music has always been a huge part of my creative spirit, having been a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter throughout my entire life, and getting to explore that side of myself has been an exciting new adventure. I produce and DJ electronic music under my artist name “tames,” focusing mostly on drum and bass, future bass, and other melodic EDM styles.

Currently, I’m balancing photography bookings for 2025-26 weddings while also helping organize local art and music events that uplift independent creators in my community. It’s a delicate dance between the two worlds — but building a life where I can express myself through multiple creative outlets has been really meaningful to me.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep growing both branches of my creative work: expanding my photography offerings (most recently hiring on an associate photographer to further build up my business) and releasing more original music projects later this year.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, the three most important qualities that shaped my journey were: resilience, willingness to ask for help, and flexibility.

Resilience was absolutely critical — especially early on when I felt like life had knocked me completely off track. Living with undiagnosed chronic illness and ADHD made the traditional paths through school and work really hard for me. But staying resilient, even when I didn’t know what the next step was, gave me space to find my own way instead of giving up. My advice for anyone starting out is to remember that progress doesn’t always look linear — sometimes just staying in the game through the tough seasons is a huge victory in and of itself.

Willingness to ask for help made all the difference in my journey. I wouldn’t be where I am today without reaching out to photographers I admired when I was just getting started. I emailed a few strangers asking if I could assist them — and that one simple act of putting myself out there led me finding my mentor, Blake Andrews at SLOtography, who completely changed my life. My advice: you don’t have to do it alone. People who’ve walked the path ahead of you often want to help — but you have to be brave enough to ask.

Flexibility has been key as well — creatively, professionally, and personally. I learned early on that being too rigid with my ideas of “success” would only limit me. Being willing to pivot — whether that meant exploring different kinds of photography, picking up real estate shoots to stay sustainable, or diving into music production as a creative outlet — kept my passion alive even when the road got bumpy. If you’re just starting out, my advice is to stay open. You might end up somewhere even better than where you originally thought you were headed.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

One book that played a huge role in my personal and professional development is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

The biggest takeaway for me was learning not to take things personally. Understanding that everyone is experiencing life through their own lens — and often projecting their own fears, hopes, and experiences onto you — helped me stop internalizing so much unnecessary self-doubt. It gave me permission to stay grounded in my own truth, even when other people’s reactions didn’t make sense to me.

Another major lesson was the importance of being impeccable with my word. That idea really shaped how I show up in every part of my life — from being a dependable partner in my relationship, to building trust with my clients as a business owner. Words are powerful, both in how we speak to ourselves and how we connect with others, and I try to move through life with that awareness at the forefront.

The simplicity of The Four Agreements made it stick with me — it’s easy to understand, but truly practicing it has been transformative over time.

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Image Credits

James Lester Photography

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