We were lucky to catch up with Jenny Eggers recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jenny, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I find myself without limits when it comes to creativity as it relates to photography. That doesn’t mean that every client is subject to my whim and curiosity in the studio. In fact, I have specific guidelines with my day-to-day business as a headshot/ portrait photographer. You might even think that I would become complacent doing the same kind of work, day in and day out. Not true. Each client brings their own flavor to a session. My self-declared superpower is connection. I get to know my clients and showcase their best self. This might not be the kind of “creativity” that immediately comes to mind, but it’s a creative pursuit that makes every session unique and keeps me feeling energized.
In a more traditional sense, I keep my creativity alive through education. I. Love. Learning! I wouldn’t say that I’ve mastered anything. I can know a lot and be good at a lot, but I can always be better. I believe that this stems from my professional dance/ performing background where I was always fighting for my ballet and vocal technique by going to class and taking lessons. Maintaining that kind of practice is such an awesome feeling. I’m so grateful that I’m wired this way! I don’t think that I would be half as successful as I am in business without this mindset.
Now that I’ve been in business for 10+ years, I’m a little more selective with what I learn and from whom. There’s a lot of ‘pretty & shiny’ out there, for sure and I like that I am able to be selective with what I choose to digest. With plenty of education and inspiration stacked up in my brain, I’ll often find myself in the studio after a session, tapping into it. ‘Playing’ is what I call it. Even though that kind of experimentation is a little ‘extra’ for a headshot session, there are tiny nuggets that I can implement to improve my work. Currently, I’m quite invested in trying out new lighting & posing techniques.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a portrait photographer based in Ocala, FL. I’ve been in business for 10 years and have maintained a commercial studio space for the last 5.5 years. While I love Central Florida and it’s natural outdoor beauty. I like working in the a/c and having control of my lighting even more.
My business is split between business portraits/ headshots & general portraiture – maternity, high school seniors, families, dancers. One serves a more practical purpose while the other is an intentional commission of a visual legacy.
Everyone needs a headshot these days. A lot of people are getting by with their selfies, but those that choose to be photographed professionally have a leg up. They look more put-together. They’re taken more seriously. They care about their professional image. Fortunately, there are a lot of people who are ‘Team Headshot’ and I am here for it!
As for commissioned portraits, it’s my goal to provide my clients with more than a digital file. I want for them to celebrate their family on the walls of their home. While this is the most photographed generation, they’re the least likely to have portraits on display. Did you know that children who grow up with family portraits on their walls have higher self-esteem? They know where they belong and how they fit in. They know that they’re loved and cherished. Isn’t that so simple? It sounds simple, but for a lot of people, portraits seem like a lot of work and they end up putting it off. Time moves at lightning speed and when the time passes, it’s gone.
My business supports holding my clients hands from start – to- finish. I assist with placement of their commissioned wall art, wardrobe selection, arranging of hair & makeup artistry, master retouching of finished portraits, selecting a presentation that complements their decor…and even installation of their finished portraits. I want for this process to be easy so that they don’t miss another moment.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Overthinking was the most impactful quality of my journey. Obviously, that wasn’t a positive. I hemmed and hawed over everything…What colors should I use? What should my logo look like? Which brand of lighting? What web host? Now don’t get me wrong, all are important questions, but these decisions that I held on to were more like analysis paralysis. – thinking so much that I didn’t do anything. I wasted A LOT of time. A lot. Hindsight is 20/20. I’m not mad at myself as that’s part of who I am, but I know that I would have been further along in my journey had I not over thought.
Business education is something else that made a great impact on my journey. When I started, I thought that if I just took pretty pictures, they will come and I’ll be instant success. Hmmm…None of that happened. I had to learn about what it meant to run a profitable & sustainable business. What kind of business do I want? How much do I want to make? What is my cost of doing business? What are my expenses? Who is my ideal client? Where do I find them? How do I market to them? Learning about business and designing my business didn’t happen overnight. It took years (remember, over-thinker?). I listened to podcasts, read books, and even looked outside of my industry for ideas. When I figured out and implemented specific strategies to run my business, I started to see the success that I desired all along. This isn’t a ‘set it & forget it’ type of deal. I need to analyze some of the moving parts and evolve as necessary. But now, I get it. It’s hard work, but if you want to make a business in a creative space, you have know how to run a business.
By the way, 3 business books that I highly recommend to anyone in any business are:
1. Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller
2. The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
3. Profit first by Michael Michalowicz.
Lastly, joining a professional organization made a huge impact on my journey. I’m part of the largest nonprofit trade organization for professional photographers, Professional Photographers of America (PPA). I joined 4 years ago and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that I’ve noticed the greatest growth in these last 4 years. Not only is this a way to network with other like-minded photographers, but they offer so much more: certification, education, print competition, business tools, insurance, etc… I take advantage of almost everything…even volunteering at their annual conference. Being part of something bigger makes me feel great. It makes me feel like I am doing all that I can to better myself and in turn, provide great service to my clients.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I grew up in a dance studio. My Mom was a dance teacher, so I was at the studio by default. I took a gajillion classes a week. All of those classes instilled a great amount of discipline. Have you ever taken a ballet class? Talk about discipline. After high school and a couple of years in college (for dance – read: more discipline), I turned to performing professionally on Broadway – even kicked up my legs as a Radio City Music Hall Rockette. As a professional, I took class regularly. Guess what? Discipline. That discipline is part of who I am. It made me a great cashier at Home Depot after performing and before photography (Cashier of the Year!) It keeps me learning, growing, and evolving my business. I’m so grateful for those dance classes growing up. Thanks, Mom.
As for my Dad, he’s always been an entrepreneur of sorts. He had a store in Downtown Pittsburgh. Before and after the store, he sold those same wares at the flea market each weekend. Guess who helped out? Yep. I was always watching and learning from my Dad. He has such a way with people. Everyone loves him. Everyone knows him. If I think about how I communicate with my clients, I can’t help but to think that my Dad did it the very same way. Never meeting a stranger.
I don’t think that my parents did any of the above intentionally. It’s only in retrospect that I can appreciate the skills learned that makes me who I will forever be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jennyephoto.com
- Instagram: @jenny.e.photo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JennyEPhoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-stetor-eggers-b84bb7146/
Image Credits
Patrice Murillo, Karina Schuh, Jenny Eggers, Steven Turner
