I mentioned somewhere that I was interested in shooting weddings again, and almost immediately I received an email from a bride who said that she hadn’t contacted me previously because she didn’t think I was going to do weddings anymore. Sounds like it’s time for me to clear that up with everyone and see if I can book some clients in the Bay Area!
Having children has pushed my photography skills in new directions because toddlers don’t pose, and they don’t always do things in the best light. I admire many photographers who focus on sessions where clients are carefully posed in crafted settings, but that is not the direction I want to go with my work. I want to capture my clients in the places that mean the most to them, showcasing their everyday lives. We all put so much effort and resources into our homes, and I want to present photographs that document the spaces my clients have worked so hard to create. These lifestyle sessions can also take place on the streets where you walk your dog every night, at a favorite beach you visit on the weekends, or a state park that you love to camp out at. My dream session for my own family would start in our home and end at the beach because those are the things I want to remember most about our time in California.
I found a family in Washington State interested in letting me document an evening in their home with their five children. The resulting images are a blend of pure documentary and slight direction by me (I’ll ask them to stand in a certain spot and face a certain way, but don’t tell them how to pose or what expression to make) and I’m really happy with the full set I’m going to be giving them that so beautifully captures a small snippet of their life.
I would also love to take on a few weddings each year! I have always loved weddings (I was one of those girls with a planning binder full of magazine clippings that I started in high school) and the event itself is a perfect blend of posing and photojournalism. I work really hard to make sure all of my clients have realistic expectations for what I can provide and are happy with the experience working with me when it’s all said and done. It’s an honor to be asked to document such an important day. My last wedding was in Chicago in April of 2012 and I’m itching to do another.
Not only do I want to keep doing engagement sessions, but I’d love to see more Duet sessions as well. You don’t have to be getting married or have children to get your picture taken 
. I want these sessions to be lifestyle based, focusing on capturing the personality and preferences of the couple, along with the way they feel about each other. The couple below lived in New York City for two years while he earned an MBA at Columbia. They lived a few block from Central Park (I stayed with them and was able to go for an early morning run through the park which I loved!) and like to get dressed up and go out on the town, so we worked together to design a session that would represent their time there.
One last session type that I am particularly interested in high school seniors in the San Francisco Bay Area. If I could go back and capture my own senior pictures in the Jenna Cole style I would do a few pictures on my childhood bed (is there anything more iconic than a childhood bed?), some with my best friend of 18 years, and a few of me driving a tractor in the cherry orchards (it represents my background and the way I earned money in high school). These sessions will involve more posing than almost any other because you’re looking for some images that really showcase your face, shape, and smile at this time in your life. But I want to put together sessions that makes teenagers feel like rock stars and gives them something they will look back on throughout their life and say “This is exactly what I was like at this age.“
I’ve slowly started revamping my gallery site so you can really see what I can do. Getting married? I want to hear from you! Want me to document your home or interests, whether you’re single, in a relationship, or parents? Send an email to jenna {at} jennacole. I’m particularly interested in doing three promotional high school senior sessions for San Francisco Bay Area teenagers (particularly those in the Fremont/San Jose/Palo Alto area) that can help spread the word about me to their friends. If you can refer a senior to me who books one of my packages I’ll do a family session for you (the referrer) for free.
If you’re reading this and you don’t live in the Bay Area but know someone who does who might be interested in working with me, please send them this post or a link to http://www.jennacole.com. Word of mouth is the best possible way to build up a photography business and I really appreciate your help. If you’d like to follow my photography work, you can easily do so here.
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